Does grounding an outdoor antenna help reception at all?

[mattfox27]

I live in los angeles where lightning doesn't really exist...i live in an apartment and i'm putting a little discone on a 10' pole on my balcony do i really need to ground it? My queestion is does grounding do anything for reception...

 

[ka3jjz]

Don't live by the illusion that lightning 'doesn't exist' in any area. It's a potentially fatal mistake. Any area can experience thunderstorms - how likely that is does vary from place to place, but never underestimate mother nature.

As to whether grounding helps reception - not really, not in this case. However, grounding to bleed off static charges is quite another matter. 73 Mike

 

[gewecke]

Lightning ALWAYS exists!! Unless maybe...you're not on earth?
N9ZAS

 

[zz0468]

I live in the Los Angeles area, and see lighting often enough. *eye roll*

But in answer to your question, whether you ground your discone or not is unlikely to have any impact on reception. It will, however, have a severe impact on an insurance company's inclination to to cover lightning damage to a structure with an ungrounded antenna.

 

[gewecke]

Good point!
N9ZAS.

 

[mattfox27]

ya i know but theres a 100' pine tree next to it im banking on lightining hitting that instead lol....i was joking when i said it doesn't exist...i mean here in the San fernando valley maybe i will see one lighting flash far off a year...but still if lightining strikes wheither its grounded or not wont it still fry the radio? Wont grounding it make it more of a lightning rod? If its not grounded theres really no path to the ground, isn't that what lightning is loooking for? So it doesn't have anything to do with performance its just for lightning protection.

 

[n5ims]

Two comments.

1. If lightning strikes the 100' tree next to your antenna, there will be enough current flowing into the nearby antenna to fry your equipment.

2. Just because you don't ground your antenna, lightning will easily find a path to ground anyway. Most often this is through your equipment and power, phone, and cable-tv connections. This will not only fry your equipment, but quite often burn your house down as well. Grounding the antenna is simply giving the lightning a fairly direct path to ground instead of through your valuable equipment. It will also tend to slowly bleed off current building up to help prevent a lightning strike (although don't ever count on this happening 100% of the time).

 

[mattfox27]

bottom line does it affect reception or not? Theres really no easy way to ground it i live on the 3rd floor and i cant run a grounding rod and theres not really anywhere to ground without having to drill holes in my exterior walls ect...which my apartment manager would freak out if i did...My apartment will probably whine about putting the anteena up anyway but im still gonna do it...

 

[gewecke]

To answer your question,YES grounding can reduce static buildup causing noise on your received signal. Also there are ways to install "covert" antennas" for situations such as yours,but you have to give us more info. such as balconies,vent pipes,roof design,attic access? Many people have nice stations with apartment challenged issues!
N9ZAS