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That is my maple sugarhouse, which is part of my barn. The house is located about 100 feet off the left edge of the photo (130 feet between house and tree).
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Thank you. I couldn't figure out where the antenna was located when looking at the satellite view.
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Question: Does it matter where the grounding block is located, with respect to my Kitz-tech KT-200 pre-amp (upstream or downstream from it). I currently have the grounding block downstream from the pre-amp, since that would be the prototypical configuration if the pre-amp were mast-mounted. But since my pre-amp is at the base of the tree, I appear to have a choice...
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You are in a gray area as far as the NEC is concerned. I would treat it like a ham antenna on a tower.
Antenna System Grounding Requirements
http://www.reeve.com/Documents/Artic...ents_Reeve.pdf
A strict interpretation requires a 6 gauge copper conductor between the ground rod at the base of the tree and the house electrical system ground. That would be inconvenient and expensive.
Most hams ground the antenna and the coax at the base of the tower, and ground the coax again at the house to the house electrical system ground. The coax shield then acts as a bond between the two grounds instead of the 6 gauge copper wire.
This is also the method used by many satellite installers. The dish and coax are grounded at the base of a ground mounted dish, and the coax shield is again grounded at the house to the house electrical system ground. The coax used is quad shield that has a lower resistance for a more effective grounding bond. Other dish installers use coax with a 17 gauge copper coated steel messenger wire for grounding the dish, but it is not grounded at the dish.
http://www.dbsinstall.com/diy/Grounding-2.asp
see other parts at that site
Todd Humphrey doesn't speak for the NFPA that publishes the NEC code, but he has some ideas that are helpful. The local electrical inspector (AHJ, authority having jurisdiction) has the final say if you are willing to get him involved. Some inspectors are more friendly than others; a local electrician could tell you.
You get to decide what method to use.