Grounding question for radio frequencies

Status
Not open for further replies.

Schoenbach

New member
Location
Michigan, USA
Hello, Some amateur radio operators use an RF, radio frequency, ground. It is sometimes a thin copper strip, or a round copper pipe. out to a ground rod behind the house. These have less impedance at radio frequencies that a round copper ground wire. Often the ground rod is near the amateur radio receiver and transmitter. At my station the ground rod is near my utility service entrance , so I was able to connect the two ground rods together. My question is, would it be allowable to add an RF, radio frequency , ground to the circuit breaker panel for the house - out to the ground rod for the breaker panel ? This would be in addition to the copper ground wire. Often noise is heard on the amateur radio receiver caused by various things.Some are inside the house, while often it is something outside the house in the utility system, a street light, a wet insulator, or something in a neighbors house. I have been thinking that a RF ground at the house panel might help ground out some of this noise. Sometimes the noise covers up the weaker distant signals, so if there is less noise a person can hear more stations. Schoenbach, WB8FEC.
 
The RF ground electrode would probably qualify as an auxiliary electrode and therefore not have to be bonded to the building GES.
If you choose to bond it, the bonding jumper used for that purpose would be subject to the requirements of the NEC. I do not think the ribbon or braid used for RF purposes would necessarily qualify.

The earth resistance of a ground rod at power line frequencies is high compared to the resistance at the same frequency of the service and utility neutrals. If that is also the case at RF, a ground rod probably would not help much.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top