stoneyman2
Newbie
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2014
- Messages
- 1
New here, but have had my license for years. I'm no an experienced ham but I can get by. At my last place, I was in a 3 story condo that gave me access to the attic. I built a basic dual band antenna and mounted it in the attic which put the antenna at about 50 feet above ground level. This antenna was pretty much flawless for transmitting and receiving. I have only ever worked 144/440 but this antenna also let me receive local EMS/fire/police and airband with no issue.
I now live in a house that has a small attic that is a lot shorter. I'm trying to put dual band ground plane on the highest ridge of my roof and running rg8 into the garage where my radios are set-up. The radios aren't in the living space, but in the garage. From the antenna to the garage I'm looking at around 60 or less feet of RG8. I live in Central California. I can't remember the last time we thunder or lighting (that I witnessed). I know that it's always a potential risk (and with my luck, we'll get a rare lightning storm the day I install my antenna). I'm not horribly concerned about my equipment, but I want to avoid things like fire risk, shock risk, etc. etc.
I've seem some inline lightning arresting components for outdoor antennas. The garage I'm using has a pretty stout ground rod just outside that I can easily connect to. I know how to attach wire to the ground rod and have basic electrical knowledge but this is an area I don't know too much about and would like to hear any advice and or best practice. Part of me just wants to throw the antenna up and run the line, but I've never done an outdoor set-up, so I'm hoping for your help!
I now live in a house that has a small attic that is a lot shorter. I'm trying to put dual band ground plane on the highest ridge of my roof and running rg8 into the garage where my radios are set-up. The radios aren't in the living space, but in the garage. From the antenna to the garage I'm looking at around 60 or less feet of RG8. I live in Central California. I can't remember the last time we thunder or lighting (that I witnessed). I know that it's always a potential risk (and with my luck, we'll get a rare lightning storm the day I install my antenna). I'm not horribly concerned about my equipment, but I want to avoid things like fire risk, shock risk, etc. etc.
I've seem some inline lightning arresting components for outdoor antennas. The garage I'm using has a pretty stout ground rod just outside that I can easily connect to. I know how to attach wire to the ground rod and have basic electrical knowledge but this is an area I don't know too much about and would like to hear any advice and or best practice. Part of me just wants to throw the antenna up and run the line, but I've never done an outdoor set-up, so I'm hoping for your help!
