good RF groundplane construction? (fwd)

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: good RF groundplane construction? (fwd)
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 02:19:37 -0600
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

From: 	Edward V. Phillips[SMTP:ed-at-alumni.caltech.edu]
Sent: 	Monday, January 19, 1998 1:54 PM
To: 	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: 	Re: good RF groundplane construction? (fwd)

"Use an 8 foot copper clad steel ground rod - available at all building supply
stores and most hardware stores. "

	I managed to get four of these almost their full length into 
the ground beside my house, a great big deal as the soil is full of
rocks of all sizes.  Had hoped to use them as a ground for my 50
foot tower.  When I first fired up the transmitter against this
ground I got an RF burn off the mike.  On measuring the resistance
between the rods with an ohmmeter I got about 300 to 600 ohms!!!!!!
Can't light a 100 watt light bulb between hot side of the 

AC line and any one of these rods.  Check your ground conductivity
before going to a lot of work.....
	Am using the old standby of the water pipes, which seems
to do fairly well.
Ed