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Today, we enjoy extensive communications networks to connect with family and friends, courtesy of the internet and wireless calling.
Tomorrow, those same methods many take for granted could easily be spotty, unreliable, or even completely unavailable. That’s why the CORAC communications team has been established, with a two-fold purpose to help “Plan and Educate” for times of serious need…
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I have brand new base equipment coming in 2 days. VERY concerned about grounding the antenna AND the tripod on the roof. I was told today to ground the tripod to the grounding rod with #4 copper. ALSO to run a #4 copper wire from the grounding rod into the house to the water pipe inlet. I cannot find anything on the internet about this that is not over my head. Please help.
It is a tough chore to figure out what is the best. I default to the National Electrical Code (NEC). Most questions can be answered online under NEC article 250. The standards are outlined in that section. Then comes the issue of permits. Your local or state rules apply to construction. Also, Amatuer Radio also has several articles in the ARRL magazine on grounding and bonding. That said, you have to weigh the risks vs the benefits. It can be a lot of work and a considerable investment to properly ground ALL of your equipment. I rely on the “House grounding” at the distribution panel but I live in an area that seldome has lightning and I am surrounded by many very tall trees. (which surely effects my antenna’s transmitting and receiving).
Another good resource is REEVE.COM “Antenna System Bonding and Grounding Requirements in the USA”
The NEC can be very challenging and though it may show safe installation, it does not always allow functionality. After all it is written by NFPA (firemen, and added input from manufacturers). Especially in the lightning protection section (I think is in section 800).
Bottom line is take your time and do your best, and after you get on the air, listen to some fellow HAM operators. Perhaps join a HAM Radio club near you.
I have been on the air for 5 years, and I still do not have adequate bonding and grounding for the worst case senarios. In other words, the cost and effort outways the risk. Each person needs to asses their own situation. OH, and I would be happy with #10 copper for most tower and antenna grounding.
I would like to listen in on the weekly sound check for CORAC members at 7:30 pm EST on Sunday nights. I think the frequency is 7.284.10 Mhz. But that doesn’t make sense to me. Is it, rather, 7284 KHz?
A little help is appreciated! 🙂
I am a licensed Ham, N3GZR, in Milwaukee. I have UHF, VHF, and limited HF capability. I would like to sign-up with the Communications Group; but I have searched this web site from one end to the other and found no place to do so.
I am a retired EE that spent my career in the industrial controls field. Decades ago I took a course on electrical installation safety, and there are some fundamental things that apply to all grounding that I’ll share here. First, and foremost, all grounding systems ultimately need to be tied together for safety in the event of a lightning strike. This is not just a strike directly to the equipment, but to anything in the vicinity. I agree with one of the comments that a #10 solid wire is adequate for safety grounding purposes, and for tying things together as I contend is necessary; the connections (potential loosening or corrosion) are a bigger concern than the gauge of the wire. The fundamental principles that drive this are that it is not possible to get a perfect connection into the earth. A typical ground rod has a resistance of about 20 Ohms to the earth. A typical lightning strike can reach very short peak currents of about 100,000 Amps. This means that something grounded only to its own ground rod can reach a momentary voltage potential above earth of 2 million volts. However, if all metal in a building’s systems (pipes, wiring, framework) are tied together adequately, there is no danger to people or equipment inside the building as it is voltage difference that matters, not voltage above the earth.
I am willing to go into more detail regarding the technical explanation of this, but I am new to CORAC, and don’t know if I should do that in this comment, or somehow start a new subject. I welcome some direction from one of the moderators.
Hello! We are tuned in for the very first time and can hear nothing but static. Truthfully, we have no clue what to listen for, but we heard a click, like someone was trying to connect, but then back to static.
Is there is a considerable delay between the original message and the west coast?
Perhaps there is just too much interference between here and there.
Thanks, katey & steve in OR