Grounding Diamond V2000A Base Antenna

[mvandyke37]

I just assembled a 33 foot Penniger tilt mast on a piece of 4x4 wood cemented in the ground. I mounted my Diamond V2000A 6m/2m/70cm Base Antenna at the top and ran a 100 foot coil of RG-8 with two PL-259's, one connected to the Diamond and the other rolled up at the bottom of the mast, (currently). I also drove a 8', 5/8" ground rod at the base of the mast 4x4 wood.
Question: Do I cut the the RG-8 at the bottom of the mast and and ground to the ground rod?
How is this accomplished? I know this is elementary to some of you, it is my first hookup as a Ham.
Or, to rephrase, what do I need at the bottom of the mast? The 4x4 treated post is buried approx. 20 feet from the entrance of my house. Then another 20 feet run to my shack.
Thanks for all your comments.

 

[prcguy]

To be NEC compliant you would have to bond the new ground rod to your house electrical ground with a minimum of #6 copper wire or possibly larger if the distance is very far. Running a #10 or larger copper wire from the metal base of the antenna to the ground rod and eventual house electrical would satisfy NEC or cutting the coax and installing a lightning arrestor at the ground rod or at the house entry point to the house ground would also satisfy NEC.

However, neither example would survive a direct lightning hit without damage to the radio or other stuff in the house. That is way beyond advise from a hobby forum and would need an expert to visit your location and design a grounding system.
prcguy

 

[N5TWB]

I just assembled a 33 foot Penniger tilt mast on a piece of 4x4 wood cemented in the ground. I mounted my Diamond V2000A 6m/2m/70cm Base Antenna at the top and ran a 100 foot coil of RG-8 with two PL-259's, one connected to the Diamond and the other rolled up at the bottom of the mast, (currently). I also drove a 8', 5/8" ground rod at the base of the mast 4x4 wood.
Question: Do I cut the the RG-8 at the bottom of the mast and and ground to the ground rod?
How is this accomplished? I know this is elementary to some of you, it is my first hookup as a Ham.
Or, to rephrase, what do I need at the bottom of the mast? The 4x4 treated post is buried approx. 20 feet from the entrance of my house. Then another 20 feet run to my shack.
Thanks for all your comments.

OK, I just watched the Penninger video on the 33' snap-tube install process with the drive-over base. What kind of base are you using? How is it attached to the wood? Pictures would be good here. Are you using the guy ring from Penninger?

A hundred feet of RG-8 has pretty significant loss @ 440 MHz so this will be a future upgrade to consider for performance of your radio.

Since your antenna is a DC ground design that is electrically connected to the mast/mount, you would want to attach your base ground rod to the tilt base. You should also follow the info prcguy said about a lightning arrestor and connection to the electrical service entry ground before the coax enters the house. His last line about getting professional advice still applies.