Opinions and General Information for Newcomer

[BJ radionut]

CKID: Well a few thoughts.
I am sorry you let the Tram antenna go away. You had made mention of your interest in EMG Comm's. This would have made a good starting antenna for that purpose.
This however is not a major issue. I will post a Homebrew version that will work just fine at some point today.
The EFHW antenna: How do you plan to run the feedline from shack location to antenna? You have now exhausted most of the 100 ft. of feedline you have, either finding a way to support it in "Free Air" or having to trench for burial the feedline to your antenna location or having it simply laying on the ground! (50 to 100 ft. away)
This is something that needs further consideration, this is why I stated the post needs to be close to the shack.
I can understand moving the antenna away from the house, this however adds some interesting issues to deal with.
First and most important: Grounding!
The ground pattern you suggested is good near the antenna.
This does present the issue again of distance. The grounds for your antenna plus your Station ground by National Electric Code must be tied together!
These grounds by code at some point must be tied together to the house grounding system. This keeps all the grounds at same potential.
I know sounds ludicrous, by insurance reasons TRUE!
This is where wire size for grounding becomes a huge factor, when adding that distance. This can be dealt with but additional ground rods and connecting them together to reach these points can be a pain and adds $$ to the entire project.
Something to think about.
More later.
All the Best
Gary

 

[Cackalacky Kid]

> BJ radionut
Thanks for the heads up. Tying all those grounds together by code will definitely be an interesting undertaking. As far as the feed line. I plan on running it through a buried PVC conduit. I can put the EFHW antenna as close or as far away from the house as necessary. I will need to find a happy medium. The distances I mentioned are just approximations and not written in stone. I would like to keep costs as low as possible but safety and function are more important. I can get more for the dollar using # 8 AWG for the ground connection wire but I think AWG #6 would be a better choice? Thanks again for your time.

 

[BJ radionut]

CKID: Well many things to consider at this point. The main idea is to keep playing with ideas.
The antenna: Best suggestion I can offer without being on site, is remember rope can be cheaper than feedline/conduit/pull string/labor etc.
Thus moving the antenna feedpoint closer to shack, can offer a few advantage's. The biggest being if this is only the first install and possibly a temporary location, don't get to ambitious with the whole process.
Example, a single ground rod at the antenna location feedpoint will be good.
The #8 stranded wire will work. I tend to overkill grounding, that's what happens after almost 40 years as a Journeyman Electrician!
My grounding, the smallest wire being, like #4 wielding cable.
The largest going from bench to first ground rod # 4/0 wielding cable
This was stuff left over from jobs, so the cost was not a factor.
Not knowing again your specific location. The setting of a post near the shack, then a second 20-30 ft. out might present a different option.
Ground rod nearest shack and one a each post, tied together at each point with #8 or #6 stranded would help keep cost down. The addition of the second post would also allow you to just fly the feedline post to post, thus saving the conduit and labor for what might be something that may only exist for a year or so.(?)
The bonding cable can just be "knifed" into the ground like 6 inches to get the job done. Then if situation changes, pulled back out and reused for another project or location change.

Look this antenna over a simple and effective antenna for UHF/VHF communications This could be mounted on the near post(?) and provide a good listening antenna for your scanner. This antenna 15-20 ft. up would also provide an effective transmitting antenna for local SKYWARN and EMG comm's as well as local chat.
You can look it over and see if this is something, you can construct and put in use.
OK need to get going here this morning, off to another Ham's location to help with antenna work.
More later 73
All the Best
Gary