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But what if the antenna is on the complete opposite side of the house as the service? That is what we have in our current home right now. When I installed our antenna, I didn't think it was realistic to run a ground wire all the way around the house, so I ended up installing a grounding rod near the antenna and grounding (both the antenna and the shield) to that. I don't think that's NEC code compliant, though.
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Right, it isn't code compliant. The NEC says the two grounds must be bonded together with 6 gauge copper; very expensive. I'm not a code expert or an electrician, but I felt obligated to mention grounding requirements, especially for your part of the country. The NEC isn't the law, but the interpretation of the NEC by the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) becomes the law in your area. The AHJ is usually the electrical inspector; some are more friendly than others. I suggest you talk to your local electrician; he should know what the local AHJ requires.
The NEC is written for electrical professionals and has its own special language. This document has additional information about antenna grounding that goes beyond the code:
http://www.reeve.com/Documents/Artic...ents_Reeve.pdf
I have had three close calls with electrical shock, so I feel that grounding the coax shield with a grounding block connected to the house electrical system ground is of primary importance. The coax is connected to AC operated equipment. You will be protected from electrical shock from leakage current if the coax is grounded.
The code doesn't require grounding for an attic or indoor antenna, but I think that grounding the coax is a good idea in those cases for personal electrical safety. Most equipment has a 2-wire power cord, which does not provide grounding. Equipment with a 3-wire power will be grounded if connected to a properly wired 3-wire receptacle.
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu...ic/hsehld.html