Antenna grounding

[WSCU736]

Can I ground to copper water pipes inside my basement? Or do I need a more direct grouding with a grounding rod?

[SteveShannon]

40 minutes ago, Jasper said:

Can I ground to copper water pipes inside my basement? Or do I need a more direct grouding with a grounding rod?

If you’re grounding an antenna ground it outside. Don’t invite lightning into your house. 
 

Here’s the best short document on antenna grounding that I know of:

https://reeve.com/Documents/Articles Papers/Reeve_AntennaSystemGroundingRequirements.pdf

[WRQD922]

Grounding Amateur radio and Amateur radio antenna’s are different from Gmrs radio’s and antennas ?  Please explain. I think anyone would benefit from WRQW589 post.

Edited May 23 by WRQD922
Mistake

[WRYZ926]

4 hours ago, nokones said:

But, this is a GMRS Forum and not a Amateur Radio Forum so how would a GMRS licensee would benefit from that?

Anyways, the grounding system should be in accordance with the National Electrical Code

You answered your own question on how properly grounding would benefit a GMRS licensee. 

It doesn't matter what type of license you have, properly grounding your antenna system is for safety reasons per the National Electrical Code. I see this conversation going south quickly, especially if someone recommends putting the end of their coax in a glass jar during a storm.

I will suggest that everyone reads the link that @Sshannon posted above.

[WSCU736]

1 minute ago, WRXP381 said:

Can and should and what home insurance will accept is all totally different.  The answer really is ask your home owners insurance.  

So, its not a good idea?

[WSCU736]

15 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

If you’re grounding an antenna ground it outside. Don’t invite lightning into your house. 
 

Here’s the best short document on antenna grounding that I know of:

https://reeve.com/Documents/Articles Papers/Reeve_AntennaSystemGroundingRequirements.pdf

Okay a grounding rod outside it is. Thanks for all the help.

[dosw]

The amateur technician license exam has some opinions on the topic.

 

Sharp bends in the grounding wire must be avoided, connections should be short and direct, feed line lightning arrestor should be connected to a grounded panel near where the feed line enters the building, grounding rods should be bound together with heavy wire or conductive strap, and tower legs should have independent 8 foot rods sunk into the ground.

 

At least I think those are the answers most relevent to this question.

[WRXB215]

1 hour ago, Sshannon said:

Don’t invite lightning into your house.

That ^^^^^

[gortex2]

Or if your really bored or really want a proper ground system read this...

https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Lands_ROW_Motorola_R56_2005_manual.pdf

 

 

[WRXB215]

@gortex2 I'm never bored but I'll probably read it anyway. 

[SteveShannon]

Just now, WRXB215 said:

@gortex2 I'm never bored but I'll probably read it anyway. 

Not quickly.  But it is the reference manual for building a nearly lightning proof repeater station.  When you think of all the repeaters that are on Forest Service or BLM land and the fact that people don’t unplug their coaxial cables and put them into jars every time a storm is forecast, this manual is why. But it’s long. Too much for most people. 

[WRXB215]

1 minute ago, Sshannon said:

Too much for most people.

But I'm not "most people" I'm "some p..." wait, scratch that. 

[SteveShannon]

4 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

But I'm not "most people" I'm "some p..." wait, scratch that. 

I have never read the entire thing, so I’m in the most people category (when I’m not busy being “some people” (credit to @OffRoaderX).

[WRYZ926]

Another thing to consider is static electricity. Static will build up on your antennas and has to have somewhere to go. I would rather have static electricity go to an outside ground versus following the coax all the way to my equipment.

The links provided are worth reading, even if they are long.

[WRVR303]

When I was getting ready to install an antenna on my roof, I carefully read through the Reeves article several times. Then I bought a copy of the 2023 National Electrical Code (it's 900 pages) and proceeded to study it. Lets just say I followed Reeves to  "T" because the NEC isn't exactly easily understood.

(I suspect 9 out of 10 electricians couldn't understand it--they might know how to do everything to code, but not be able to read it, lol)

[SteveShannon]

2 hours ago, WRVR303 said:

When I was getting ready to install an antenna on my roof, I carefully read through the Reeves article several times. Then I bought a copy of the 2023 National Electrical Code (it's 900 pages) and proceeded to study it. Lets just say I followed Reeves to  "T" because the NEC isn't exactly easily understood.

(I suspect 9 out of 10 electricians couldn't understand it--they might know how to do everything to code, but not be able to read it, lol)

I like how Reeves distills the requirements for antennas. I serve on the NFPA (but not the technical committee that does the NEC) and it’s difficult writing code that’s clear. 

[tweiss3]

As stated above, the NEC is minimum, the R56 manual is significantly above the minimum, but is a industry standard designed to protect the millions of dollars of equipment in the RF shack at the base of towers as well as prevent damage to other infrastructure connected from outside. Note, in the event of a lightning strike to a site built to R56, the antenna will be destroyed, and likely the coax on the tower will need replacement, but the remainder of the equipment should survive.

[nokones]

2 hours ago, WRQW589 said:

The amateur technician license exam has some opinions on the topic.

But, this is a GMRS Forum and not a Amateur Radio Forum so how would a GMRS licensee would benefit from that?

Anyways, the grounding system should be in accordance with the National Electrical Code

[Socalgmrs]

28 minutes ago, Jasper said:

So, its not a good idea?

 Some one else may say yea or no.  All I’ll say is ask insurance.  You don’t want to have an issue down the road and not be covered. 

[Socalgmrs]

Can and should and what home insurance will accept is all totally different.  The answer really is ask your home owners insurance.