GB> possible dumb question

[Stuart Rohre]

RF ground is separate function from earthing your station for safety ground.
You always want to provide for a safety earth ground.  However, with
balanced antennas, beams, vertical dipoles,  and usual urban earth
conditions RF will not be affected by the actual earth ground.  Thus, your
dipole will not radiate with any more efficiency, etc.

If you have RFI and TVI, an earth ground "might" help, but fundamental
overload on the affected device or phone wiring is the usual RFI or TVI, and
earth at the transceiver might not help.  But, in some cases it might, this
is a long subject in itself, but should be tried if you get RFI/TVI.

You MUST have an effective RF ground to earth connection if using single
wire antenna, or quarter wave vertical, unless it has a ground plane or
radials, or screen under it.  The antenna is incomplete with single wire and
quarter wave types without the ground half of it.

An earth ground will not help with RF in the shack if your run of ground
conductor is too small, too long, a quarter wave long, or the shack is on
the second or higher floor,and you have to run a wire all the way to earth.
For that, you might try a series tuned circuit to a wire counterpoise.

But, the main reason for providing a way to earth your station, is static
discharge safety from electrical charge induced on your metal cabinets, mike
case, etc. or for safety compatibility with other AC grounds in the shack.

However, none of the above will prevent a lightning strike to your rig if
you leave the antenna plugged in all the time.  Provide a way to ground out
the antenna outside the shack and unplug all antennas from the rig equipment
in the shack when not in operation.  Either manual switches or remote relays
can be used.  This too, is not a guarantee of safety, but at least will
divert most of a strike to an outside ground rod or field conductor around
the building circumference in preference to it coming into the shack and
grounding via the phone or AC lines.  Unplug phone and AC lines leading to
the operating desk as well when you are not around.
73,
Stuart K5KVH

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