Earthing

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thundercat
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Earthing

Post by thundercat »

H
Hello All
after reading loads of stuff on the internet im still stuck with the question do i need to earth my radio chassis and aerial?
its a homebase installation
if i do need to can i just earth it to an earth pin in a plug or does it need an earth rod into the ground?
What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.
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Re: Earthing

Post by JGR »

It is recommended to earth all parts of the equipment from the chassis of the transceiver and also other equipment in line using a large gauge cable and as short as possible run to an external ground rod, I do not advise connecting it to a mains earth as this can introduce interference from various sources already hooked up to the earthing system and some earthing systems can be potentially dangerous.
As for the antenna if you could tell us which one you are using so that we can advise a little more, most are DC grounded and therefore require nothing else.
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Re: Earthing

Post by thundercat »

Hi
Thanks for the quick reply, im using an Antron 99 set on my chimnery stack with chimney lashing brackets, regards my Radio etc is it ok to earth it to a plug earth? i.e run an earth cable from the earth in say a 4 way extention to the radio chassis?
What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.
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Re: Earthing

Post by JGR »

As you will have noticed I have edited my comments.

Avoid using the earth of the household mains supply as it carries unwanted interference from lights to your thermostat etc.
A99 is DC grounded and will be fine, make sure to earth the radio to a ground rod outside as per mentioned in my last edited post.
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Re: Earthing

Post by thundercat »

Hi
Cheers for the info, you must of been editing as i was replying, looks like im getting an Earthing rod then :)
What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.
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Re: Earthing

Post by JGR »

Yes I was editing while you were typing :D
Any metal pipe will do even a copper pipe and drive that in with a mallet and hook up a cable to that.

As for the mains it is tempting but if you have a Protective Multiple Earthing system and an appliance in your household fails then it can render the earth system live and zap you, and trust me if you have never had an electric shock then do not tempt it as it hurts. Plus every one else in the neighbour hood will be on that earth and wires are like big antennas and all that comes back to you and the bands are noisy enough with out adding more to it.
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Re: Earthing

Post by thundercat »

Hi
Yeah fair point I've never thought of it that way tbh, I've had a few shocks in my day and I'm total agreement with you they do really hurt :?
Ill have a ratch around and see what I can come up with regards an earthing rod
What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.
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Re: Earthing

Post by JGR »

Just noticed that you are only in Workington and not that far away from me! :lol:
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Re: Earthing

Post by thundercat »

Ha ha ha yeah you ain't to far away my house looks over the solway towards the old steelworks site (if you know it) I generally hang on treble 5 or cept AM
What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.
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Re: Earthing

Post by JGR »

I would say we shall have to try a contact but I am on horizontal polarisation at this time as my Sirio Gainmaster is down.
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Re: Earthing

Post by thundercat »

Ah ok no worries well when ya get sorted let me know and we can try and reach each other :D
What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.
SS3900 Black
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RM KL203-P Burner
The Modulator Aerial Mobile
Sirio 827








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Re: Earthing

Post by bigpimp347 »

in 30 years i have never earthed a radio or aerials..

a way to see if it will do anything is just touch the radios cases or bare screws, if a noise level drops then an earth may help.
but pointless really in most cases.
as an example..
you put an earth wire to the aerial to ground, yet the pole you have might already be in the ground (like my tower)
the aerial is connected to the radio you earth the radio to a ground spike but it's already connected to ground via the aerial :)

you can try an earth wire to a radiator, or the mains socket earth but only if it works, if it doesn't make any RX noise difference then don't bother.

as for any earth spike, your are meant to use a minimum length of wire, and ideal less than a 1/4 wavelength from the radio..how many of us live 9ft from outside !!

earthing only really works on long wires or where you have a bad ground plane on an aerial or you need a counterpoise earthing.
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Re: Earthing

Post by JGR »

That is your choice not to earth the units and if that works for you then carry on, but I am believer of earthing and it can help with various RFI problems.
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Re: Earthing

Post by northern35s »

Thundercat, why do you think you need to earth the chassis of your rig, and what do you think it will do once you've done it.

Don't confuse equipment earth with antenna earth, different beasts all together, attempting to provide an antenna earth / ground return via your coax and equipment chassis is plain wrong.
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Re: Earthing

Post by JGR »

http://www.arrl.org/grounding

Check that link out for a lot of answers on the subject.
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