Grounding the Mast

[firefighter3021]

OK, I have been looking at the lightning arrestors and someone posted, that I need to ground my mast. How do I do that, there aren't any ground lugs on the mast or anything, and also I have to take into consideration that my mast is secured to a chimney mount and total elevation from mounting point to the tip of my mast is 20ft, then my antenna is mounted on that. I have ran a HAM and CB from this mast for over 10 years and never had a problem. Does the chimney mount act as a ground or what to I have to do in order to ground the mast without running 60+ feet of copper wire from the tip of my mast to the ground.

Hope someone can fill me in on this.

THANKS!!!

 

[Thayne]

There really isn't a way except running a wire. #6 bare solid copper would be good; just run it in as straight a line as possible to a 5/8" 8 foot long ground rod below the mast. You can get little 1-hole clips to hold it to your building. You could probably buy everything for less than $50.00 at home depot or an electrical supply house. Copper has shot up something terrible lately, unfortunately.

 

[JESSERABBIT]

Believe it or not, I have actually seen several brick chimnies that had been blown apart by lightning.
It looks like someone took a stick of dynamite and initiated a blast. Bricks were strewn all over the place.. PROPER(emphasis on PROPER) grounding is extremely important. Lightning may never strike, but if it does, one should have a hard hat and a phone punching in 911. Maybe this will help you decide what action to take.

 

[cbscanman15]

are you in charles town?

 

[JESSERABBIT]

Affirmitive.