quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
You're worried about grounding THAT ?

It says can be placed outdoors and yes, the instructions with it are very clear it has to be grounded.

Hence my statement that I thought that putting an 8 foot grounding rod in for this seemed like total overkill.

My very limited understanding from reading numerous threads on www.qrz.com about ham radio antennas and grounding is that all grounds must be bonded together. So, the 8-foot grounding rod, if not bonded to the service ground, is not safe.

If you have coax routed through your home for cable TV, you might find a “back feed” where the antenna is indoors, up high, and feeding the coax from there.

^^^ ground potential

A real issue

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
My very limited understanding from reading numerous threads on www.qrz.com about ham radio antennas and grounding is that all grounds must be bonded together. So, the 8-foot grounding rod, if not bonded to the service ground, is not safe.

NEC requires that an additional ground rod be tied to your existing ground with heavy wire.

6 AWG to tie them together I think? Going from memory. Don't quote me on the AWG.

quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:
^^^ ground potential

A real issue

Explain ?

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Also there is no such thing as a "HD" OTA antenna _ they are all HD or not depending on the actual broadcast and TV capabilities.

Yep. That's marketing nonsense. Our "HD" yagi antenna on the roof is the same antenna I put up back in analog broadcast TV days.

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:

quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:
^^^ ground potential

A real issue

Explain ?

Lightning strikes the antenna or very near it. Antenna picks up a massive charge. So will the path-to-ground. If the two grounding systems aren't bonded together, you now have two grounding systems with different charges on them.

Even in day-to-day use: Not all grounds are equal--for a variety of reasons. Anytime a grounding system is sinking a charge it will have a potential difference with a separate, un-bonded grounding system.

Either case can result in current flow along undesirable paths. Say along the shield of the coax, through the connected electronics, power cord(s), home electrical wiring, to the other ground.

And, yes: If memory serves: radioman is correct: They're to be bonded with 6 AWG.

Wow, the stuff posted in this thread... First you don't ground antennas you bond them to the house grounds either at the cold water ground or ground rods depending when they are located and if you have a ground for you water system. Next you need to route the coax through a bonding connector and bond that connector to your intersystem bonding terminal or with the use of a bug to your grounding electrode conductor.

All metal parts need to be bonded to the house grounds.

If you end up having to drive a ground rod, you can rent a small electric jack hammer from Home Depot. It should come with a bit that looks like a large socket that is for this very purpose.
Unless you're in rocky soil, it will put that rod in the ground in a minute or two. Well worth the rental charge.

JP