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NEW!!                              ARRL Podcast (episode 7) on grounding with great into about your station ground, lightning protection, and more.




           

NEW!!                               ARRL publication Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur , by N0AX.  The bible on lightning protection!






Excellent video about grounding for lightning protection, as presented by Tom Lewis N4TL.  Thanks Tom!


Lightning Protection on a Budget.pdf This is a good Introduction to lightning protection and grounding on a budget, by Kenneth J. Meyer, K9KJM.


More awesome stuff from Jim K9YC.  This time it is about grounding,bonding, and eliminating hum, buzz, and RFI. 


W8JI’s website on grounding.


Series of articles on grounding on the Hard Core DX website.


Articles on the Morgan Systems website on lightning protection.  These do favor the Morgan products as you would expect.      


Three part QST articles on grounding by Ron Block, KB2UYT.

grounds p1.pdf                    

grounds p2.pdf

grounds p3.pdf


Two part Lab Notes from QST on lightning protection by Mike Tracy, KC1SX

lightning protection 1.pdf

lightning protection 2.pdf


Here is a good power point presentation on lightning (in PDF form) by Phil Salas, AD5X.


Polyphaser has a great page of tech notes here.  Note that there are 5 pages of articles.  The one titled “Ham Radio Station Protection” is of particular interest.


 

Here are a list of technical articles on grounding and lightning protection.   On the PDF files, “use right click, save file as” option.

There are several fantastic sources for more info on how to properly use ferrite products.


Jim Brown K9YC’s 2018 revised choke cookbook.

Also see A Ham's Guide to RFI, Ferrites, Baluns, and Audio Interfacing contains nearly everything needed to build baluns and chokes to fight RFI. 

Also see Jim’s web site for more good information here.  Recently he has also created this document called Killing Receive Noise.


Chuck Counselman W1HIS’s “Excellent Choke!” information, found here.

Excellent Choke p1of3.jpg

Excellent Choke  p2of3.jpg

Excellent Choke p3of3.jpg


Steve, G3TXQ, has done a lot of research on building RF chokes here.

















ON4WW has compiled a list of information about EMI and RFI here.

G3WOS has also compiled a list of RFI sources he has cured on his website.

Ken Alexander VE3HLS, has compiled a list of audio RFI sources that help you identify those crazy noises interfering with you!


ARRL to the rescue!  There is a lot of material on their RFI page here, and W1ZR wrote an article in QST in 2009 that introduces the topic.  Don’t forget to buy yourself a copy of the RFI book.

Where can I learn more about ferrite chokes and how to use them?

               TECH RESOURCES

In short, galling in stainless steel hardware occurs when heat and friction literally seize up a stainless steel nut and bolt.  When this happens the only solution is cutting the bolt and nut and starting over with new hardware.  Since cutting stainless is difficult, smaller sizes such as 1/4” hardware can usually be twisted in half by applying excessive force with two large wrenches.  Galling can easily be prevented by the following:  Slow down the spinning of the nut/bolt during assembly, use anti-seize lubricant, and use different grades of stainless steel for the nut and bolt.  Here is a good description of the problem and the solutions.  Always use a lubricant on stainless hardware, even if it is a drop of 3 in 1 oil or WD40. 


What is galling of stainless steel?  How is it prevented?

RFI book

How to conduct a noise audit of your station, find sources of RF pollution that increase your station’s noise floor, and how to eliminate them.


YouTube video by Ian White at RSGB convention 2015

entitled “Clean Up Your Shack”, how to reduce your noise floor and eliminate RF interference.

One of KE0OG’s videos featuring N6GR’s entry panel and ground set-up.