Hello:

Just started to string up the new listening only antenna I purchased from
PAR.

As there is a Balun between the start of the wire antenna, and the coax
feeding the receiver, a ground bar is apparently required.

Am using the typical eight foot long,5/8" diameter Cu plated steel that I
guess is fairly typical for house AC power grounding.

Querstion: At my age, it's a bit of a problem pounding in the six or seven
feet that is commonly mentioned as the "required" length. Certainly, the
more the better, I guess, but what wqould be a reasonable length into the
ground ?
How about 4 to 5 feet ? Again, it's for receiving only.

Thanks,
Bob

In article ,
"Robert11" wrote:

Hello:

Just started to string up the new listening only antenna I purchased
from PAR.

As there is a Balun between the start of the wire antenna, and the
coax feeding the receiver, a ground bar is apparently required.

Am using the typical eight foot long,5/8" diameter Cu plated steel
that I guess is fairly typical for house AC power grounding.

Querstion: At my age, it's a bit of a problem pounding in the six or
seven feet that is commonly mentioned as the "required" length.
Certainly, the more the better, I guess, but what wqould be a
reasonable length into the ground ? How about 4 to 5 feet ? Again,
it's for receiving only.

Better than nothing. Just do the best you can with the rod. Some people
use copper pipe and attach a hose fitting on the top end. Turn on the
water and you have a low speed water drill. Depending on the soil in
your area that may work well or not. Another suggestion is to get a
youngster in the family to pound it in for you.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

On Mon, 10 Apr 2006 16:44:58 -0400, "Robert11"
wrote:

Hello:

Just started to string up the new listening only antenna I purchased from
PAR.

As there is a Balun between the start of the wire antenna, and the coax
feeding the receiver, a ground bar is apparently required.

Am using the typical eight foot long,5/8" diameter Cu plated steel that I
guess is fairly typical for house AC power grounding.

Querstion: At my age, it's a bit of a problem pounding in the six or seven
feet that is commonly mentioned as the "required" length. Certainly, the
more the better, I guess, but what wqould be a reasonable length into the
ground ?
How about 4 to 5 feet ? Again, it's for receiving only.

Thanks,
Bob


Look for one already in the ground near your electric service
entrance.

I use a piece of coat hanger with the wire wrapped on one end that I scarped off, and the other end is shoved in as far as I could get it to go with that end scraped clean too.

All life all holiness come from you O Lord
http://pwp.surfglobal.net/mjmiller/index.htm





"Telamon" wrote in message ...
In article ,
"Robert11" wrote:

Hello:

Just started to string up the new listening only antenna I purchased
from PAR.

As there is a Balun between the start of the wire antenna, and the
coax feeding the receiver, a ground bar is apparently required.

Am using the typical eight foot long,5/8" diameter Cu plated steel
that I guess is fairly typical for house AC power grounding.

Querstion: At my age, it's a bit of a problem pounding in the six or
seven feet that is commonly mentioned as the "required" length.
Certainly, the more the better, I guess, but what wqould be a
reasonable length into the ground ? How about 4 to 5 feet ? Again,
it's for receiving only.

Better than nothing. Just do the best you can with the rod. Some people
use copper pipe and attach a hose fitting on the top end. Turn on the
water and you have a low speed water drill. Depending on the soil in
your area that may work well or not. Another suggestion is to get a
youngster in the family to pound it in for you.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hello:

Querstion: At my age, it's a bit of a problem pounding in the six or
seven
feet that is commonly mentioned as the "required" length. Certainly, the
more the better, I guess, but what wqould be a reasonable length into the
ground ?

I would not worry a whole bunch about the ground rod's length if you are
just listening. Use what you have, and get it down into the ground as far as
you can. See if you can get a youthful neighbor type to help out?

Jackie

Robert 11,

Ground Rod - How Deep ? - As Deep As You Can Get It !

Big Tough Jobs are made easier - - -
If they are done in small steps.

[ Installing a Ground Rod - One Day at a Time ! ]

1. Take a Post-Hole Digger and dig-down a foot
or two to start you Ground Rod Hole.

2. Add a Dry Mixture of 6 Oz Epson Salt and
3 Oz. Copper Sulfate to the Bottom of the Hole.
Then Wet (Soak) the earth (dirt) at the Bottom of
the Hole for a day or two to soften-up the ground.

3. Place your Ground Rod into the center of the
Bottom of the Hole and pound-away as much as
you can and then attach your Clamp and Wire.

4. Add a Dry Mixture of 6 Oz Epson Salt and
3 Oz. Copper Sulfate to the Bottom of the Hole.
Then Wet (Soak) the earth (dirt) at the Bottom of
the Hole for a day or two to soften-up the ground.

5. Come back in a day or two or may be a week and
Remove the Clamp and Wire and again pound-away
a little more. Re-Attach the Clamp and Wire.

6. Add a Dry Mixture of 6 Oz Epson Salt and
3 Oz. Copper Sulfate to the Bottom of the Hole.
Then Wet (Soak) the earth (dirt) at the Bottom of
the Hole for a day or two to soften-up the ground.

7. Come back in a day or two or may be a week and
Remove the Clamp and Wire and again pound-away
a little more. Re-Attach the Clamp and Wire.

REPEAT - The above steps as needed to get your
Ground Rod about Seven Feet (7') into the ground.

NOTE - Eventually you will have about 6" to 8" of
Ground Rod above the surface of the ground and
that is good enough.

8. Fill the Hole with a mixture of 50% of the
original soil and 50% Bentonite.

READ - Great Ground with Kitten Litter [ Bentonite ]
- by Guy Atkins on HCDX - August 10, 2000
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx...bentonite.html
Bentonite is great for getting an excellent conductive ground.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...ba5602d962b325
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...ba8bd01a08d34d


Here are a few Ground Rod - Grounding Messages
posted here on RRS with some useful information.

* Buried Copper Wire {Flexible} Ground Rod
without a Hard Rod
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...adcbeaaded1540
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...58bdfd784856c4
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...549154294a4d9b

* Transforming your simple Ground Rod into
a Ground Anchor : Is It Worth The Work ?
- You Decide !
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...31a1a89aa89026
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...81042ec0ce78e1
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...b69b219da2de33

* Grounds & Grounding = Five Topics for your Consideration
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...59ed4e60ef8b64

* Building a Solid Copper Ground Pipe {Tube}
with an Solid Iron Core. - Also - Water Drilling
a Solid Copper Pipe for a Ground Rod.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...60795205262938


hope this helps - iane ~ RHF
..
All are WELCOME and "Invited to Join" the
Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna eGroup on YAHOO !
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
SWL ANTENNAS GROUP = http://tinyurl.com/an6tw

http://www.groundhawgs.com/Default.htm
I wish I could rent one of these. I am referring to the tool. ;-)

I used to do the water "trick", but I read someplace that it is not a
good practice.
Telamon wrote:
In article ,
"Robert11" wrote:

Hello:

Just started to string up the new listening only antenna I purchased
from PAR.

As there is a Balun between the start of the wire antenna, and the
coax feeding the receiver, a ground bar is apparently required.

Am using the typical eight foot long,5/8" diameter Cu plated steel
that I guess is fairly typical for house AC power grounding.

Querstion: At my age, it's a bit of a problem pounding in the six or
seven feet that is commonly mentioned as the "required" length.
Certainly, the more the better, I guess, but what wqould be a
reasonable length into the ground ? How about 4 to 5 feet ? Again,
it's for receiving only.

Better than nothing. Just do the best you can with the rod. Some people
use copper pipe and attach a hose fitting on the top end. Turn on the
water and you have a low speed water drill. Depending on the soil in
your area that may work well or not. Another suggestion is to get a
youngster in the family to pound it in for you.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

Bob [K5QWG] -writes-
"Another idea, just dig a shallow ditch,
and lay your rod in it horizontally."

Horizontal [Flat] Ground Rod Under-the-Lawn {Garden}
[ For "Receive Only" Shortwave Antenna & Ground Systems ]
What To Do - When Pounding into the Ground is not possible
or permited.

For the Shortwave Listener (SWL) this is especially a good idea
if you have a Lawn {Garden} and an Automatic Sprinkler System
that keeps the Lawn's Ground Area 'moist' {Conductive} all the time.

Select an Area of the Lawn {Garden} where you can place your
"Buried" Ground Rod or Copper Pipe.

Carefully cut-out Eight (8) One-Foot-Squares of Lawn about 4"-6" Deep.
Place the Squares aside and wet and cover them until they are replaced.


Cover the Area around the cut-out Area of the Lawn and dig-out
a Trench about 6"-8" Wide and about 6"-8" Deep in the exposed
Soil {Dirt} so that the Bottom of the Trench is about 12"-18" Deep.
The Bottom of the Trench should be relatively smooth and level.

Cover the Bottom of the Trench with a 1/2" Layer of Bentonite {Kitty
Litter}.

Next add a thin even Layer of a Dry Mixture of 24 Oz Epson Salt
and 12 Oz. Copper Sulfate to the Bottom of the Hole.

Lay the Ground Rod {Pipe} in the center of the Bottom of the Trench.

Attach the Clamp and Wire to the Ground Rod {Copper Pipe}.

Add a second 1/2" Layer of Bentonite {Kitty Litter} to the Bottom
of the Trench.

Wet (Soak) the Soil, Bentonite and Salts at the Bottom of the Hole.

Re-Fill the Hole with the Soil that was removed from it and Wet
down the Soil and gentle Tamp-it-Down.

Carefully place the Removed Squares of Lawn back into the Area
that it was cut-out from and Wet down the Lawn and gently
Tamp-it-Down.

Caution - Ensure that the Ground Wire is Secure and Not a
Tripping Hazard where it leaves the Ground.

Question - Ground Rod of Copper Pipe for this type of Horizontal
[Flat] Grounding Set-Up ? - IMHO a Copper Pipe is the preferred
as it has more actual copper in it and the Solid Steel Core is not
needed to Drive the Ground Rod into the Hard Ground.

Tip - If this method of Under-the-Lawn Horizontal [Flat] Grounding
Set-Up is used two Copper Pipes can be Use and placed about
4"-6" apart in the same Trench at little extra cost and no extra work.

NOTE - If you are just installing a new Sprinkler System
for your Lawn or Garden - Then you should read :
Buried Copper Wire {Flexible} Ground Rod without a Hard Rod
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...adcbeaaded1540

50 Feet of # 8 AWG Bare Copper Wire buried in the Trenchs can
be a very effective Grounding System for Shortwave Listeners
(SWLs) and not involve any extra work to accomplish.


hope this helps - iane ~ RHF