Mast grounding question

[jazzboypro]

Hello all,

I am currently finalizing a discone antenna installation the antenna is connected to a R8600. The antenna is a D130N. The mast is a 16 foot painters pole. The first 8 feet is fiberglass and the telescoping portion is aluminum. The pole is fully extended and I used guying wires. The feedline goes from the antenna to a polyphaser located outside at the entry of the feedline that goes to the radio and the polyphaser is connected to a ground rod that is driven 8 feet deep in the ground and it is also connected to the service ground.

I now need to ground the aluminum portion of the mast. I installed a ground log at the base of the aluminum portion to keep the ground wire as short as possible. I then used a meter to check continuity between the ground log and the aluminum mast and it was an open connection. The aluminum portion as small holes in it that are used for the locking mechanism of the pole. I put one lead of the meter in one of the holes and the other lead on the ground log and it was a short. I assumed that there was a coating on the outside of the aluminum pole to prevent conductivity. I filed a portion of the mast and checked continuity again between the pole and the ground log and this time it was a short.

At this point, i can easily file the portion of the mast that is in contact with the ground log, unfortunately there is no electrical contact between the antenna mounting bracket and the aluminum pole unless i file it and reattached the antenna.

Should i file both extremities of the pole of the pole or just the section attached to the ground log ?

Thanks for your help

VA2FCS
73

 

[krokus]

A wire wheel can remove the coating, and probably cause less damage to the aluminum. Be wary of bimetal corrosion.

 

[Ravenkeeper]

Hello all,

I am currently finalizing a discone antenna installation the antenna is connected to a R8600. The antenna is a D130N. The mast is a 16 foot painters pole. The first 8 feet is fiberglass and the telescoping portion is aluminum. The pole is fully extended and I used guying wires. The feedline goes from the antenna to a polyphaser located outside at the entry of the feedline that goes to the radio and the polyphaser is connected to a ground rod that is driven 8 feet deep in the ground and it is also connected to the service ground.

I now need to ground the aluminum portion of the mast. I installed a ground log at the base of the aluminum portion to keep the ground wire as short as possible. I then used a meter to check continuity between the ground log and the aluminum mast and it was an open connection. The aluminum portion as small holes in it that are used for the locking mechanism of the pole. I put one lead of the meter in one of the holes and the other lead on the ground log and it was a short. I assumed that there was a coating on the outside of the aluminum pole to prevent conductivity. I filed a portion of the mast and checked continuity again between the pole and the ground log and this time it was a short.

At this point, i can easily file the portion of the mast that is in contact with the ground log, unfortunately there is no electrical contact between the antenna mounting bracket and the aluminum pole unless i file it and reattached the antenna.

Should i file both extremities of the pole of the pole or just the section attached to the ground log ?

Thanks for your help

VA2FCS
73

May want to look into an inline lightening arrester for your coax.

 

[AB5ID]

I never discuss region, politics or grounding on the internet.

 

[jazzboypro]

May want to look into an inline lightening arrester for your coax.

As stated in my original post there is an inline arrester on my coax it's a a polyphaser GTH-NFF-AL.