from carma list The electrical service pipe is an electrical safety ground only, it is not designed to handle the energy from lightning. Much better to establish a good ground by putting a ground rod straight directly down from the roof, and then run at least a #6 wire from the antenna mount to the ground rod. Run the wire as straight as possible, lightning likes the most direct and straight path to ground as it can find. Then add at least 3 more grounds rods, in a semicircle around the first one, spaced apart about the same distance as the rods are long, and connect each separately back to the first one, with at least #6, again in as straight and direct as possible. Now you should run another #6 from the first ground rod to the electrical service equipment, this will keep everything at the same potential. Underground wire connections should be exothermic (lookup "Cadweld" for a brand name) in order to reduce corrosion. That first ground rod should be the "home" for all other grounds, to avoid ground loops. Everything should be connected back to that point. This would be the minimum for an outside antenna installation. Look up "single point of ground" to build up from here. Many people will still disconnect the antenna cable from their radios as an added protection, when not in use, or during storms. John C, (ham)
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