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Post by autowood on Mar 11, 2012 8:06:11 GMT -5
In the process of setting up RF ground for HF through UHF amateur station. Planning on getting a new AIM 4170c for the antenna but need to know if it will help in setting up my RF grounding system. Have searched previous threads to find out if the AIM 4170c can "see" the RF ground and or counterpoise part of the antenna to no avail. First of all, the search for "RF ground" is rejected because there are not enough letters in RF. Then typed Radio Frequency ground and still no results.
Can the Aim 4170c be used to evaluate the grounding system for ground loops and efficiency, ie. inductance, resistance, bad grounding etc?
If not, how can it be measured?
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Post by Gi4CZW on Mar 12, 2012 17:15:20 GMT -5
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Post by autowood on Mar 13, 2012 10:49:15 GMT -5
Thank you Gi4CZW. Yes, the link introduced me to a form of tester for "Earth Ground Resistance Meter" which I was not aware existed.
Let me clarify the problem I am having and see if anyone has experience with this. My shack is in a middle unit of an industrial building 60' X 210'X16' H. I do have access to the roof for antenna placement(Aha, I see 160 M in my future.) A radial counterpoise is not feasible but I do have a 4' X10' patch of grass about 8' from the radio bench I can sink ground rods and bond together and run to the main grounding rod which I will explain next.
I have a metal cabinet for my test equipment, ie., O-scope, multimeter, 4170c, etc. It has two shelves and a space below. The test equipment is on the first shelf above the transceivers and receivers. One side of the cabinet has my 220 and the other 110 in metal conduit and boxes anchored to a block wall and fed from above. They are currently (no pun intended) not bonded to the metal cabinet. There is also a water pipe coming down from the ceiling about a foot away.
I drilled a 5/8" hole through the slab (whew! 18"s thick) and hydraulically drilled a 10' deep hole with a copper pipe with a hose connection sweat soldered one one end. This is my main RF ground. It is 4' from a connected 1 1/4" copper tube which I am using stainless steel hose clamps to attach individual ground straps to each piece of equipment.
My question is this. Do I bond the AC conduit to the metal cabinet or use individual runs to a common bond on the ground itself. Can I tie everything together to the copper bus in the metal cabinet? What about the water pipe?
This is why I asked if the 4170c could "see" the RF ground with all of its connections and possible ground loops. The Earth Ground Resistance Tester will give me a reading on how good my connection to the Earth is, but what about all the metal, piping conduit in and the shack? Is there a way to "see" this part of my antenna system? What about a non-contact current probe. Would that be the way to detect RF leaks and loops? I've heard a fluorescent tube can be used to find hot spots.
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