Re: RF grounding without rod pounding?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <davep-at-quik-dot-com>

Tesla list wrote:

> First, rebar is iron, and as with all ferrous metals, is a very poor
> conductor of RF.

	Welllll.  Tests oinlighting grounding systems, carrying
	currents in a similar frequency range show little net difference.
	Conductor diameter is more significant than material, in RF
	work, (skin effect....).

> Secondly, the concrete is also a very poor conductor, even when it is
> wet.

	Concrete, in mass (as here) is a relatively good conductor.
	(If there is a joint between lid and body of septic tank,
	that may be an issue.)

	Again, standard procedure for lighting work is to bond the
	rebar (if present) in the slab (if present).

> It conducts well enough you would not want to be standing barefoot on
> it while holding a hot 120V wire in your hand, but for a RF
> ground, not good at all. Driving ground rods is not much of a chore if you
> use something like a Tee post driver.

	Indeed.
	Difficult varies as type of soil, number of racks, etc, etc.

> Another thing you could do might be to
> try to drive the ground rods into the drain field of the septic system.
> (Just be careful not to hit the distribution lines.) That way you can be
> sure the rods will always be in contact with damp soil.

	A good point.

	Some Years Back there were some notes on grounding techniques,
	and how to measure a ground in the list archives.  Might be
	worth digging (8)>>) about therein.

	best
	dwp