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Re: bad ground....

Along the same lines as Malcolm suggests, it is also possible to lay a lot
of wires just a few inches down, and feed them all back to a common point,
forming an earth-mat. This technique is commonly used by broadcast stations
and radio amateurs. You can even do it under a lawn, in which case slots can
be cut using an edging tool or spade, the ground soon closes up. Don't use
copper under plants though, it's too toxic, galvanised fencing wire is ok.
Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2000 6:41 AM
Subject: Re: bad ground....


> Original Poster: "Malcolm Watts" <malcolm.watts-at-wnp.ac.nz>
>
> Hi Sundog,
>                   You've got a problem alright. For your situation, piles
of
> surface area is required for your grounding conductors. Large flat
> plates buried a bit below the surface are possibly a better bet than
> sinking long rods into dry sand. When the ground is really dry, at
> least there is some capacitance available as counterpoise and when
> the top portion is wet, the plate should do better.
>
> Regards,
> Malcolm
>
> On 27 Mar 00, at 20:51, Tesla List wrote:
>
> > Original Poster: "sundog" <sundog-at-timeship-dot-net>
> >
> >     Well, I'm still gathering parts, (and the green stuff), but I'm
> > piecemealing together things here and there.  A few days ago, I had a
free
> > hour, so I sunk myself a 10' copper pipe at the corner of my garage.
I'd
> > just finished sinking it when it got dark.  The next day I hooked up a
12/30
> > NST and checked to see if I could draw an arc to the ground.  Yep.  I
got
> > about a 1" arc going with no trouble at all.  But here's the
> > problem....Today, I go out and tried again (was checking out a spark-gap
> > idea and torturing the trashbag-cap, which hasn't died yet, btw), and I
got
> > the sorriest looking excuse for a ground signal you can see.  I don't
even
> > think it qualifies as a ground.  Maybe just a "difference in potential"
> > Anyways, I don't know why it worked fine yesterday and not today.  I'll
try
> > again tomorrow, but don' t know if it'll change.
> >
> >   It *did* rain today for a little bit, but I thought that would
*increase*
> > the grounding ability (dry vs wet sand)  Oh, yeah, that's another
problem.
> > Here in florida, we don't have dirt.  everything is just sand.  Do I
need to
> > scrape up some more change and go get a few more 10' rods and sink 'em?
I
> > don't have a waterpipe easily available for grounding to, and don't want
> > to'cause I *know* that's the house ground.  Can't salt the ground out
there
> > (the poor grass is dying as is.....).
> >     Ideas?  Questions?    THanks :)
> >
> >
> > Sundog - blue wire...blue wire....BZZZT!  Oh, yeah, i'm colorblind!
> >
> >
>
>
>
>