HELP!!!

[bradtyler]

Hello and HELP,

I am a member of a amateur radio club and we have a slight problem. We want to install a 5' satellite antenna on top of a 11 story older brick building. The owners of the building (University of Florida) want us to ground this dish to the building lighning rod system and not to a ground discribed in nec 250 (I have only seen 250 and what I can find in this site) we do not have a copy of the 2002 NEC.

I fear of using this lightning rod system:
it is an older system and does not look like it is bonded back to power, even if it was the bond would be more then likly at ground level or below and our dish would get zapped long before the lightning would get to ground..

If this system is not bonded back, that our satellite system would become the bonding link to the power ground and again zap some very expensive donated equipment!

Could someone please quote us the codes and procedure that would be required to grounding this antenna.

situation:

5' Aluminum satellite antenna
Wall mounted into brick
building 11 stories tall
other side of wall antenna being mounted on, all kinds of electrical panels that could be used for the ground.
coax cable to go down 3 floors,approx 200'of rg 6 coax


73 and thanks in advance

feel free to email direct to bradtyler(nospam)@aol.com remove no spam for correct address

 

[dereckbc]

Re: HELP!!!

Brad, I am in the telecom buisness. The lightning system if installed to code will be bonded to the electrical service. Assuming it is, than that is the best ground you are going to get.

 

[todd humphrey]

Re: HELP!!!

You are not allowed under section 820 to bond to a lighting rod system. In fact you are required to stay 6 feet away from any ligtning rod system.
You may be able ground the mast to the lightning rod system, but that sort of goes against the 6 foot rule considering the coax runs next to the dish mast.

I would ground to a metal power raceway or service panel.

 

[bennie]

Re: HELP!!!

Brad: Consult the Amateur Radio Handbook, on radio shack safety. Also the ARRL Antenna guide.

The methods, described, are code compliant.

Good luck, from formally WA7ISB, KJ6CB, & KX6BQ.

I also operated from the South Pole.

Bennie

[ September 17, 2003, 03:15 AM: Message edited by: bennie ]

 

[tom baker]

Re: HELP!!!

See if you can get a copy of the NEC at your local libary. Take a look at:
810.20 discussed the antenna dischage units
810.21 is where the mast and discharge unit can be grounded to. Its far more material than I can post here, but its pretty straightforward to understand. I would use a large grounding conductor, at least a 6 awg bare copper, perhaps even a 4 awg.

The basic rule on a lighting protection system is its grounding system can't be used for yours. Keep your equipment and conductors 6 ft away.