Many years ago, I was working on TV antenna installations, and use to sell
the parts for them. We did a fair number of communications antenna
installations, and a few armature radio antennas as well.
For safety sakes you definitely need a good ground. You should ground the
mast of the antenna. The ground will reduce the effect that a near by
lightning strike can have on damaging your home. Every year there are fires
from antennas being struck by lightning.
You must use a proper electrical ground for the antenna. You can use the
same ground as the electrical entry to your home is using.
For the wire gauge, a gauge AWG 12 is very standard for this type of thing.
Many of the antenna installers are using a metal ground strapping that is
standard for TV antenna installations. If you want the best, copper wire
would be a good choice. Just make sure that the wire is properly
screw-clamped on to the antenna mast. On the large antenna installations we
used to use 2 ground runs from the mast. It was doubled up.
You should also look in to safety ground decoulper for your line feed going
to the receiver. If there is a strike to the antenna that may damage the
front end via the signal cable, this type of protection adds to the chance
of saving the receiver from having damage.
The antenna, ground wire, and lead-ins, should be inspected at least once a
year, in case any repairs are required. It is most important that the
safety ground is intact.
The Armature Radio Handbook, and the ARRL Antenna Handbook, should have a
lot of very good information about antenna installations.
--
Jerry G.
======
I am installing two ham antennas on my chimney. What is the best way to
ground them? DO they need grounding?
