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Got my off center fed dipole done, 4-1 balun and common mode chokes on receive end and antenna feed. About 15 feet off the ground, want to get it up into the trees about 50 feet high but for now, first contact was UK. G0EVY, and that guy has a tower up 145 feet! and a full size 80 and 40 meter Yagi which is about one half ACRE in size! I never knew such beams existed! So it was surprising my little 100 watt rig was good enough for him to hear but no doubt because of his huge beam yagi.
We recently moved and now setting up the rig. Need to put in two ground rods but have a problem with that, HUGE tree roots all over the place, can't pound through those roots so I either dig till I find a root free area to drive the ground rods in or get a 2 foot long one inch wood drill which I saw at Harbor Freight.
@sonhouse saidHow big are your your ground rods, just the normal half inch? I put in a privacy fence around my acre yard, keeping my farm animals in the field out of the yard. It used to have a barbed wire fence there put up around 1900, so huge trees lined it very closely in some stretches. I put in 6 inch by 8 ft post, it wasn’t fun and had to use a manual post hole digger because of the top side larger roots. After around a foot or little more down at times they pretty much thinned out and got much smaller. When hitting one I dug around it and notched or cut out what was in the way for the post to drop with my reciprocating battery saw. With just two of the half inch by 8ft ground poles with a driver this shouldn’t be very hard and their 6 to 8ft apart connected and direction won’t matter to help dodge the trees or get away from them. This will mostly only be an issue around the base of the tree, get away from them and get a couple extra poles and use water as you go down to help drive or pull back out and go again.
Got my off center fed dipole done, 4-1 balun and common mode chokes on receive end and antenna feed. About 15 feet off the ground, want to get it up into the trees about 50 feet high but for now, first contact was UK. G0EVY, and that guy has a tower up 145 feet! and a full size 80 and 40 meter Yagi which is about one half ACRE in size! I never knew such beams existed! So it ...[text shortened]... to drive the ground rods in or get a 2 foot long one inch wood drill which I saw at Harbor Freight.
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@mike69 saidSure, if you get past the roots, dig around them or whatever you have a free hand to put in the ground rod, didn't measure them, got them at Home Depot, half inch may be right. But I want the ground rods to be close to the window I stick my antenna coax through, they want to be less than a quarter wavelength from the rig at the highest frequency so say ten meters, 28 megs would want the ground to be 5 meters or closer, 15 ish feet. I want it closer than that.
How big are your your ground rods, just the normal half inch? I put in a privacy fence around my acre yard, keeping my farm animals in the field out of the yard. It used to have a barbed wire fence there put up around 1900, so huge trees lined it very closely in some stretches. I put in 6 inch by 8 ft post, it wasn’t fun and had to use a manual post hole digger because of t ...[text shortened]... d get a couple extra poles and use water as you go down to help drive or pull back out and go again.
You need two of them about 6 ish feet apart. But the roots by my window are so frigging pervasive there is no place to stick a ground rod without hitting one and those roots are BIG not some inch wide deal, more like a foot wide and probably something like that in depth too.
Which is why I am thinking about drilling a hole in the roots say an inch in diameter and running the rod through that. I can get them placed closer to the window that way rather than screwing around digging holes to find a gap in the roots.
Right now I am going to try sharpening my ice pick which might let me slice through some of them, worth a try anyway. Have to sharpen the end with my electric grinder. I couldn't even get through a one inch thick root with my shovel.
You got through big roots with a post hole digger? Of course you were working with 6 inch wide posts and I only need an inch wide hole in those damn roots.
@sonhouse saidIt’s common sense and not difficult to figure out and with little effort with only two and only being 1/2”. You’re making this much more complicated and harder to figure out than it is. Read what I said, apply it to your task that doesn’t even compare, alter what needs altered and do it. Do you understand what the grounding rods are for, I’ve only wired houses and not a radio antenna 😂.
Sure, if you get past the roots, dig around them or whatever you have a free hand to put in the ground rod, didn't measure them, got them at Home Depot, half inch may be right. But I want the ground rods to be close to the window I stick my antenna coax through, they want to be less than a quarter wavelength from the rig at the highest frequency so say ten meters, 28 megs wo ...[text shortened]... ourse you were working with 6 inch wide posts and I only need an inch wide hole in those damn roots.
@mike69 saidWell I sharpened my ice chipper, and that cut through the small stuff and got one ground rod in, about three inches away from one of the big roots. I saw the water method on Youtube, bang it is after you pour in some water, pull it out, add more water and it goes in fairly easy. So now off to the other ground rod, it still has to be close to the window but about 6 feet from the other one. Another hard part comes when you have to connect the ground shield wire to the rod, it takes a blow torch to solder them on which is what I did last time at the old place, but maybe there are connectors that just fasten down held with cable clamps or something. The only thing I see wrong with that is corrosion, how long would a sold connection to the ground rod last?
It’s common sense and not difficult to figure out and with little effort with only two and only being 1/2”. You’re making this much more complicated and harder to figure out than it is. Read what I said, apply it to your task that doesn’t even compare, alter what needs altered and do it. Do you understand what the grounding rods are for, I’ve only wired houses and not a radio antenna 😂.
But first the blowtorch method....
@sonhouse saidThe clamps you connect them together with and wire is made out of copper like the rods you don’t need a torch for anything just wrench or players.
Well I sharpened my ice chipper, and that cut through the small stuff and got one ground rod in, about three inches away from one of the big roots. I saw the water method on Youtube, bang it is after you pour in some water, pull it out, add more water and it goes in fairly easy. So now off to the other ground rod, it still has to be close to the window but about 6 feet from ...[text shortened]... osion, how long would a sold connection to the ground rod last?
But first the blowtorch method....
@mike69 saidFound another root free zone and got the second on in both a bit below ground so when I get the shield soldered or clamped I can bury them so my mower doesn't get wacked. The mower is a 42 inch job with a 20 Horse motor, and I already went through one broken gear so don't want to do THAT again. But the big job is finally done and it wasn't as much of a root problem I imagined. Bit tired though. When you are 83 you don't have the stamina of a 30 YO.
Don’t tighten the copper clamps as hard as you can, you don’t want to weaken the wire.
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@sonhouse saidI’m going to have to be honest here because I know you’re bs me trying to catch me in some kind of a lie which I’m not doing and was just trying to help you, which is my nature. This is very sad and pathetic of you. To top it off I’m doing it while I’m extremely stressed and working because I’ve now sank all my money in this house I’m flipping and having to live in and now getting behind on payments trying to hurry up and finish it to sell it because of severe depression from my divorce and giving up for a long time and I don’t even like you. To even top that off a tornado hit my property last night for the second time taking part of my fence down along with nine big trees two of which are across my front yard and partially on top of my porch adding even more work for me and a lot of it.
Found another root free zone and got the second on in both a bit below ground so when I get the shield soldered or clamped I can bury them so my mower doesn't get wacked. The mower is a 42 inch job with a 20 Horse motor, and I already went through one broken gear so don't want to do THAT again. But the big job is finally done and it wasn't as much of a root problem I imagined. Bit tired though. When you are 83 you don't have the stamina of a 30 YO.
I’m not stupid and was just thinking maybe you are and not wanting to say anything when just trying to quickly help you. One, grounding rods aren’t going to give your radio more power or be as far apart as you mentioned. Two unless you’re on pier and beam foundation like me there aren’t going to be large roots along the edge of your house going under a concrete foundation. A sharpened ice pick isn’t going to do crap, small roots you would just hit with a shovel put some water down and or start driving the rod in which is the first thing you would do try anyway to even know if you had a problem. Solder the wire give me a break, its not copper plumbing, shield clamp never seen one these. The rods are put along the edge of the house under the weather head and breaker box you would tie into, your riding mower won’t hit it and lose a gear. Copper rust wtf and it’s all hooked together like I said at the distance I said. 83 and drive this rod in and not one but both, bs I know how hard it is, next you’ll tell me you used a small hammer. If you think I’m lying about something spit it out and let’s put some money on it. You can send the money to someone I know we both would trust with out a doubt and I will send them pictures including the tornado damage.
Well I feel a little better, have a good one, you putting up the tower yourself at 83?
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@mike69 saidWhat the hell are you talking about? We have differences in politics but this is not politics it's just getting my ham station working.
I’m going to have to be honest here because I know you’re bs me trying to catch me in some kind of a lie which I’m not doing and was just trying to help you, which is my nature. This is very sad and pathetic of you. To top it off I’m doing it while I’m extremely stressed and working because I’ve now sank all my money in this house I’m flipping and having to live in and now ...[text shortened]... damage.
Well I feel a little better, have a good one, you putting up the tower yourself at 83?
You didn't mention anything political and neither did I.
Don't know what you are thinking but had one issue on my mind, Getting those damn ground rods in.
Next I have to deal with a dipole too close to the ground, sling wires over trees, several ways to do that.
I wasn't leading you on, testing you or whatever else you thought I was after.
I guess that is all you and I can say so see you later.
BTW I had to leave my tower behind when we moved. I am only doing wire antennas.
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@sonhouse saidThe things you kept saying each time were ridiculous, one ex~sharpen an ice pick, it already comes to a point, he’ll a flat head screwdriver and a hammer would be easier than a point, but a shovel would be pretty easy instead of stabbing your way through with tiny holes. First trees everywhere big roots then it’s just small ones beside your house that were simple. No way at 83 you could even drive the rods in, you know what you were trying to do with this stupidity deny all you want, either that or you’re retarded. I’ll help you one more time, flap your arms and fly the wires over.
What the hell are you talking about? We have differences in politics but this is not politics it's just getting my ham station working.
You didn't mention anything political and neither did I.
Don't know what you are thinking but had one issue on my mind, Getting those damn ground rods in.
Next I have to deal with a dipole too close to the ground, sling wires over trees, ...[text shortened]... so see you later.
BTW I had to leave my tower behind when we moved. I am only doing wire antennas.
@mike69 saidAll this really sounds like help...
I’m going to have to be honest here because I know you’re bs me trying to catch me in some kind of a lie which I’m not doing and was just trying to help you, which is my nature. This is very sad and pathetic of you. To top it off I’m doing it while I’m extremely stressed and working because I’ve now sank all my money in this house I’m flipping and having to live in and now ...[text shortened]... damage.
Well I feel a little better, have a good one, you putting up the tower yourself at 83?
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In all honesty best to check on the technology forum rather than debates. Run through your initial question in the grok.
Nice work on the off-center fed dipole and that first contact with G0EVY—UK from 15 feet up with 100 watts is impressive, even with his monster Yagi pulling you in! Those full-size 80/40m beams are rare beasts, absolutely massive, and his 145-foot tower is no joke either. Your setup’s clearly punching above its weight.
For the ground rod issue, tree roots are a pain. Digging to find a clear spot is probably your best bet if you can manage it—less hassle than drilling through roots, which can be unpredictable and might damage the drill bit or the tree. A 2-foot wood auger bit from Harbor Freight could work for pilot holes to probe for root-free zones, but I wouldn’t rely on it for driving rods through tough roots. If you’re set on shorter rods, check local codes—some areas require 8-foot rods for proper grounding. Another option is to lay a radial field with ground staples if rods are too tough to sink.
Any plans for getting that dipole up to 50 feet soon? That’ll make a huge difference. Also, what rig are you running? 73!
@sonhouse saidyou will come out ahead if you quit wasting money on this and use it to support your family. that way you want have to beg a squall for the govt to do it.
Got my off center fed dipole done, 4-1 balun and common mode chokes on receive end and antenna feed. About 15 feet off the ground, want to get it up into the trees about 50 feet high but for now, first contact was UK. G0EVY, and that guy has a tower up 145 feet! and a full size 80 and 40 meter Yagi which is about one half ACRE in size! I never knew such beams existed! So it ...[text shortened]... to drive the ground rods in or get a 2 foot long one inch wood drill which I saw at Harbor Freight.