Braid is fine for indoor use where copper strap is not practical. Use of
braid outdoors is not a good choice because oxidation will likely result in
unwanted impedance.
73, Keith NM5G
On Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 09:59:28 PM CST, Rod Neumann via BVARC
<[email protected]> wrote:
It would seem to me the fast rise time of the lightning pulse makes it similar
to any RF good practice concerns....the safety ground path should have low
inductive reactance, not just low resistance. It also seems to me that skin
effect resistance of braided strap may be lower than the skin effect resistance
of stranded large gauge wire because of the increased copper surface area of
braid (keeping other things the same). But all the weaving of the tiny braided
little strands may present an increase of the inductive effect, unless the
strands are not tarnished and act like a solid band -- so that may be why,
these days, you see a preference for copper straps that are not braided. So I
am not necessarily pushing a conclusion on what is best, but rather "thinking
out loud" on why some choices may be better than others.
ROD / W5IE
Rod Neumann (832)444-0192
ALLogic Inc. / AdorStorePO Box 217NEW ULM, TX 78950
On Sat, Feb 24, 2024 at 12:47 PM John Holmes via BVARC <[email protected]> wrote:
Totally agree and it’s vital to measure the grounding resistance, both my
positions (station and electrical service are linked but 300ft apart) are sub 1
ohm which is well below code. All my bonding inside in the shack leads to a
common grounding copper bus bar with braided copper cables to each bit of
equipment. You can only do so much but every little helps.
73 John W Holmes K4VMG
From: BVARC <[email protected]> on behalf of Robert Polinski via BVARC
<[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2024 12:37:36 PM
To: 'BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB' <[email protected]>
Cc: Robert Polinski <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [BVARC] Antenna prewire house
The type of wire is not important in bonding applications. The object of
bonding is to prevent potential voltages from 2 different grounds. In the event
of a lightning strike, you want all grounding systems to be at the same
potential. This relates to safety & equipment protection, not RF grounding.
Example, if your electrical service ground has a resistance of 3 ohms (NEC
requires it to be 4 ohms or less) and your ham station ground is 1 ohm, if
lightning strikes the power lines on the next block, the surge coming in the
power line to your home will be seeking your ground rod at your home. This
surge will not be the full current of the strike, as ohms law is in effect,
resistance of the ckt limits the current. If the strike sees your house ground
at 3 ohms, but the ham ground is 1 ohm, It will take whatever path it needs to
that lower resistance ground, that means thru your radio or any other equipment
that has both a electrical ground (3 wire cord) & a ham station ground
(antenna system) The bonding between these 2 grounds makes the surge see the
low resistance of the combined grounds and greatly lowers the chance it will
take a path thru your equipment. Robert
From: BVARC <[email protected]>On Behalf Of John Holmes via BVARC
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2024 11:06 AM
To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB <[email protected]>
Cc: John Holmes <[email protected]>; Rick Hiller <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [BVARC] Antenna prewire house
Use braided copper for bonding but minimum AWG6 wire for external grounding and
lightning protection.
Every single ground system in the N0AX book suggests wire not braid.
The two are totally different animals
From:BVARC <[email protected]> on behalf of Rick Hiller via BVARC
<[email protected]>
Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 10:50
To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB <[email protected]>
Cc: Rick Hiller <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [BVARC] Antenna prewire house
John is correct.......
Have a read of ARRL Publication by H. Ward Silver, N0AX, Grounding and
Bonding for the Radio Amateur
and
The Radio Hotel in the BVARC Beacon Sept 2023 Conductors for Groundingwritten
by the folks at Georgia Copper.
find it on the BVARC.org Tech Pages at
https://bvarc.org/rh/rh_2309.pdf
73...Rick W5RH
On Fri, Feb 23, 2024 at 8:59 PM John Parmalee via BVARC <[email protected]> wrote:
I think copper strap is better. Look at any broadcast facility where there is
high power and you will find copper strap.. Check out George Copper
From: BVARC <[email protected]>On Behalf Of Robert Polinski via BVARC
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2024 12:31 PM
To: 'BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB' <[email protected]>
Cc: Robert Polinski <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [BVARC] Antenna prewire house
Make sure that ether you or your electrician, run a #6 wire from the electrical
ground to any ground rods you install at your ham system. They need to be
bonded together. Robert
From: BVARC <[email protected]>On Behalf Of Rod Neumann via BVARC
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2024 12:37 PM
To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB <[email protected]>
Cc: Rod Neumann <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [BVARC] Antenna prewire house
I'm not answering what you asked, but for a new 2nd story install I will
suggest you put a good deep copper ground rod in the ground directly below the
shack window and run a good copper conductor, I think wide flat copper braided
is best (? is that still the consensus?), and ground all chassis to that
ground. Being up on the second story can present RF-in-the-shack problems if
you don't have a very good low inductance path to ground.
ROD / W5IE
Rod Neumann (832)444-0192
ALLogic Inc. / AdorStore
PO Box 217
NEW ULM, TX 78950
On Thu, Feb 22, 2024 at 10:05 AM Chuck via BVARC <[email protected]> wrote:
Building new house 2 story with radio room upstairs was thinking of bringing
cables in under the eve near the peek was looking for any advice and what type
of device with the connectors to buy…..new to ham radio so not much experience
any help appreciated .
Chuck Hale
KF5UXP
________________________________________________
Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club
BVARC mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org
Publicly available archives are available here:
https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
________________________________________________
Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club
BVARC mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org
Publicly available archives are available here:
https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
--
Rick Hiller
e-mail: [email protected]
Cell/VM/Text: 832-474-3713
Physical: 9031 Troulon Drive
Houston, TX 77036
________________________________________________
Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club
BVARC mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org
Publicly available archives are available here:
https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
________________________________________________
Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club
BVARC mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org
Publicly available archives are available here:
https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
________________________________________________
Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club
BVARC mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org
Publicly available archives are available here:
https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
