Help me choose an antenna please

[mtehonica]

Thanks for the advice on the reflector bars on the u4000, John. Just got it today from SolidSignal, which has super fast shipping by the way! Not quite sure what you mean by "lift the clip and turn the reflector bars" but I'll try to figure it out. I temporarily mounted the u4000 in the back yard on a pole and sawhorse until this weekend and it already works really well! Can't wait to get it another 15 feet in the air and hook up the cpa19!

[mtehonica]

Could someone (probably GroundUrMast) explain the proper way of grounding my antenna/mast?

[inspector]

To ground an antenna. Take and drill a hole on the holding mast as best or us a clamp. A grounding wire has to ground. The best source for that is the ground (dirt). strip the casing from the wire and bury the exposed wire into the ground for the easiest way. The proper way would be to expose wire and then attach to a grounding rod and drive it into the ground. Pick a spot such in your case being at the house, under a down spout area as moisture helps with the grounding capabilities.

[GroundUrMast]

Thanks,

Ideally you would connect a #10 ga. copper wire (larger diameter wire is fine) to the mast. Home improvement stores carry a variety of electrical ground clamps that would serve the purpose. The other end of the ground wire would connect to the electrical service ground. Ideally, the wire would be as short as practical and run outside the building structure. Sharp bends should be avoided.

The coax shield should be grounded before entering the building. The preferred method would be to run the coax from the antenna down to a location close to the electrical service ground. There, install a coax ground block, and run a short length of #10 ga, copper wire to the electrical service ground.

If you elect to add a ground rod for what ever reason, it needs to be connected to the existing electrical service ground system with a #6 ga. copper wire (or larger diameter).

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=901

[mtehonica]

Thanks for the info GroundUrMast. Another question.... would the grounding change at all if the antenna was mounted to a 2x4? I have an 18" chimney on my roof which I'm going to attach a 2x4 to and mount http://www.amazon.com/Antennas-Direc...d_bxgy_e_img_b on the 2x4 to attach the antenna.

Would I still need it grounded since it's mounting to wood?

[GroundUrMast]

I would go to the effort of grounding the J pole. The design of most antennas and matching transformers isolate the frame of the antenna from the shield of the coax.

[mtehonica]

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

I would go to the effort of grounding the J pole.

Thanks. Another question (I know, I'm a noob, haha).... If I have the main down feed from the antenna coming into my basement directly to a splitter and that splitter is grounded, would that satisfy my grounding requirement?

[GroundUrMast]

Splitters often include a grounding lug which serves the purpose just as well as a 'grounding block'.

Ideally there would be no more than 5 feet of coax between the splitter and entry point through the wall. I choose to keep all of the grounding system outside the building when possible. (Some older homes have no ground rod(s) and simply rely on water supply pipe for 'earth ground' in which case there may be no better choice than to connect to the pipe at the same point where the electrical service makes it's ground connection.)

[mtehonica]

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

Ideally there would be no more than 5 feet of coax between the splitter and entry point through the wall.

Yeeeaaahhhh.... haha, probably going to be about 50'-75' from the antenna to the splitter.

[inspector]

Your antenna being the highest point of the house will now be the attachment of lightning. You still may want to ground it for the safety of your house. If you do not give the lightning a path to ground its self, it will use what ever it can find. This will usually result with a fire and blown out dry wall. I have attached a e how blurt as to why and how you may still want to ground.
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4588127...ect-house.html

[mtehonica]

Thanks for all the help guys. Got the antenna mounted up this weekend. It ended up being about 20' in the air. Now I just have to work on the grounding (which I know should have been done before it even got mounted). Can someone point me to some links with exactly what I would need? I'm not sure what type of grounding block/static discharge block, etc.

Here are a few pics of the setup...

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/36/img3605z.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/3/img3606pj.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/850/img3607z.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/62/img3608ht.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/26/img3610fz.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/155/img3611kl.jpg/

[GroundUrMast]

A Grounding clamp - pipe can be used to make a solid connection to an antenna mast. Some people just add a washer under one of the bolts that hold the mast mounting bracket and then use the bolt to clamp the ground wire to the mast and bracket assembly. Be sure that the ground wire makes metal to metal contact (not wire to paint).

A Split-bolt is used to connect ground wire to existing heavy gauge wire such as the cable from your service panel to the ground rod.

A Ground rod clamp is useful if you are going to connect ground wire directly to a ground rod.

A Coax ground block is a simple way to make a grounding connection to the coax shield.

As you see, most or all of these parts are normal stock items at the home improvement stores. I didn't spend much time looking for the single coax block on the Home Depot web site, but I found dual blocks (for satellite and multiple antenna installs). I'm fairly certain they carry both styles.

The #10 wire is available by the foot, bare or with insulation. Home Depot also stocks Scotch brand #2228 Moisture Sealing Electrical tape, useful for sealing coax connectors from the elements.