Tom KD4WOV wrote:
I am curious about the grounding systems people are using.
Is anyone using multiple ground rods bonded together?
Is anyone using a well that is drilled into the water table?
Has anyone used sheets of metal buried vertically in the ground
as a earth ground?
I am curious, because i know on the lower ham bands 160 - 40 meter
a multiple ground rod system or a water well is a must for a good
ground system to be effective.
I know that Graham G3XTZ - who has put in an extensive ground
system - gets out really well on MF (160 m) and LF (136 kHz).
But the lack of a custom ground system at my QTH seems to be less
of a disadvantage on 136 kHz when compared to, say, 160 m. My
ground
on LF is a connection to an outside cold water tap.
This in turn connects to all our internal copper plumbing; and to
the
incoming (metal) water main; and to the mains
earth. Both the water main and the mains earth provide
additional connections to large numbers of properties throughout
the neighbourhood - forming quite an extensive ground system!
Good enough at 136 kHz, anyway.
I have found that no change in antenna current occurs when
connecting
additional earth rods located in the corners of our small plot.
I am reasonably sure that my effective 'utility' earth is one of
the
key factors that has enabled me to make so many DX QSOs on 136
kHz
using just a basic 12 m vertical.
Regards to all,
Steve GW4ALG
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