Grounding antenna?

[mmckenna]

Depends on where you live.
Electric code is code and it's there for safety reasons. It's 'required' if your home was to be inspected.
But, as we've noticed, many don't understand or otherwise choose not to follow it.

That's fine with me, I'm not the grounding police. Only pointing out what the requirements are where I live.

I think it is really important for those new to the hobby that are trying hard to understand and make good decisions get exposed to what the realities are.
The realities are that a wrap of electrical tape or the thin insulation on an antenna or cable isn't going to magically protect anything from lightning. Also, it does not take a direct lightning strike to let the smoke out of someones brand new radio that they just spent their first paycheck on.

 

[paulears]

If you sell your house in the U.K., you now need to provide safety certificates for all sorts of things. Crazily, it is legal to do your own electrical work, if you want to DIY, apart from kitchens and bathrooms, where even real qualified electricians need additional qualifications to put in a ceiling light in the bathroom. Obviously, they don’t have the required certificates. The result is homeowners taking out insurance, in case a fault is found needing a rewire! My house has no certificates for wiring, or insulation value for the walls and loft/roof. Nothing dodgy, but everything was done before the new rules.

my old unused radio room has a feeder cable from a vertical on a tall chimney. It’s dangling on the floor. I thought the other day that it’s an ungrounded lightning conductor, making a strike have easy access to inside. So should I ground it and make a real lightning conductor or just leave it floating? Two answers, both with supporters I think, both with solid justification. It’s Clint Eastwood do you feel lucky isnt it?

 

[dopeNL]

Thank you for the great feed back and information.

I have spoken to some local Dutch CB users, who actually don’t have any kind of antenna grounded, most say it’s because we don’t have hardly any if any at all here in holland, Im referring to lighting strikes and storms, appart from the regular wind storms we have.
Also out home grounding systems are quite good, and that grounding your anttana can actually attrack any lightning to hit it, and use it as the parh to earth. More so than when there not grounded.

Is funny as this was the same comment made by the NEC instructor delivering feedback on the NEC Atrical 800 a 810.
however did state you are required to follow your local NEC guidelines, as this is what thay are actually, “Guidelines” and Advice.

So I shall see, so far nothing has happend so will look out for them storms and act accordingly.
Cheers Nico
19DCG723

 

[dopeNL]

On an extra side note, I will be using one of thase!
Sounds perfect for the job and nice specs.

Specificaties Solarcon Antron A99

• Whip Fiberglass
• Length total 550cm
• 9.9dbi (isotropic) gain
• 3 section. Please note that the individual sections are no longer available as spare parts.
• Very strong fibreglass construction.
• Useable from 25.5MHz to 28.7MHz 'as is'.
• Will tune 10,12,15,17,20m through an ATU
• Max power 2000W
• Operates 10 thru 17 Meters with Turner.
• Covers far above and below the traditional C.B. Channels for export, commercial and 10 meter ham band use, input 2000 watts P.E.P.
• The A99 is a half wave over a quarter wave variable mutual transductance tuned antenna
• Comes in three sections, Easy to assemble
• Entire antenna radiates - 9.9 DBI Gain
• Each antenna individually testedMeets U.S. Government CPSC shocks hazard standards. Protects up to 14,500 volts
• Lightning protected, D.C. grounded. No lightning arrestor or static discharge unit is needed.!

 

[slowmover]

Nice thread, fellas, looks like a few basics are worth the effort for planning.