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Hello
Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did you connect the ground wire to the K2? Thanks Scott N5SM _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Yes, good RF/safety practice, to the ground post on the back of the K2 provided for that purpose.
Roger WA7BOC k2 755 k3 75 -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Scott McDowell Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 11:19 AM To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] grounding K2 Hello Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did you connect the ground wire to the K2? Thanks Scott N5SM _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 36 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Except that the grounding post is part of the KAT2 ATU which may not be
installed. 73, Ken K3IU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Roger Stein wrote: > Yes, good RF/safety practice, to the ground post on the back of the K2 provided for that purpose. > Roger > WA7BOC > k2 755 > k3 75 > > -----Original Message----- > From: [hidden email] > [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Scott McDowell > Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 11:19 AM > To: [hidden email] > Subject: [Elecraft] grounding K2 > > > Hello > Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did you > connect the ground wire to the K2? > Thanks > Scott > N5SM > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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It's very easy to put a small bolt in the hole on the back panel. That's what
I did and I don't have the antenna tuner. Like someone else said, it good practice to ground it. Gary, N7HTS On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:00:55 -0400 Ken Wagner K3IU <[hidden email]> wrote: > Except that the grounding post is part of the KAT2 ATU which may not be >installed. > 73, Ken K3IU > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Roger Stein wrote: >> Yes, good RF/safety practice, to the ground post on the back of the K2 >>provided for that purpose. >> Roger >> WA7BOC >> k2 755 >> k3 75 >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [hidden email] >> [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Scott McDowell >> Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 11:19 AM >> To: [hidden email] >> Subject: [Elecraft] grounding K2 >> >> >> Hello >> Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did you >> connect the ground wire to the K2? >> Thanks >> Scott >> N5SM >> _______________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Post to: [hidden email] >> You must be a subscriber to post to the list. >> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): >> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm >> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Ken Wagner K3IU
That's true, but all you need to do is get a matching 6-32 screw to fit
the K2's threaded hole for the ground post. 73 Bob W1SRB -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Ken Wagner K3IU Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 3:01 PM To: [hidden email] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] grounding K2 Except that the grounding post is part of the KAT2 ATU which may not be installed. 73, Ken K3IU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Roger Stein wrote: > Yes, good RF/safety practice, to the ground post on the back of the K2 provided for that purpose. > Roger > WA7BOC > k2 755 > k3 75 > > -----Original Message----- > From: [hidden email] > [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Scott McDowell > Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 11:19 AM > To: [hidden email] > Subject: [Elecraft] grounding K2 > > > Hello > Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did > you connect the ground wire to the K2? > Thanks > Scott > N5SM > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Scott McDowell-4
No. Grounding a rig is a waste of time and actually endangers it. I unhook
the antenna when not in use. If you can't resist having a "ground wire", put a knife switch in series with it so you can disconnect it when not in use. Hooking your rig to a ground rod separate from your house electrical ground produces a ground loop and that current flows right through your rig! If your antenna system is at DC ground potential, such as a ground mounted vertical, again, be sure to unhook when not in use. If you follow some suggestions I've read on these groups, your rig will have a far better grounding system then the crummy 8' ground rod on your electrical entrance. Therefore when that big lightning surge comes along...Guess where it goes..It goes from every point in your house, right through your K3 to that super duper ground system you installed. Don't fall for it! Unhook the K3 and sleep easy. If you want to ground something, unhook your antenna and ground it. Don't let the feed line dangle in mid air. Hook it to that ground rod when your off the air. Let the lightning hit the antenna and melt it. Grounding the antenna will at least help keep the blast of current from jumping over to something more inviting! Just leave the poor K3 out of the circuit. Steve Ellington [hidden email] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott McDowell" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 2:19 PM Subject: [Elecraft] grounding K2 > Hello > Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did you > connect the ground wire to the K2? > Thanks > Scott > N5SM > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.0/1381 - Release Date: 4/16/2008 > 9:34 AM > > Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Scott McDowell-4
Scott,
There is no real need to ground the K2 itself. Ground the antenna feedline shield for a better installation. The K2 would be grounded through that coax connection. I could go on and on about grounding, but in a nutshell, there are 3 types of grounds to consider: 1) AC Safety Ground - the K2 does not need one - but an AC power supply should. A proper 3 wire household outlet should have this ground connected to the mains entry point ground. 2) Lightning Surge ground - your antennas should have adequate protection from lightning surges, but that requires an extensive grounding system (see the PolyPhaser website for information). IMPORTANT - any added ground system or ground rod MUST be connected to the Utility Entry point ground rod with a heavy wire - #6 or larger (required by NEC and important to protect you and your equipment should an AC ground fault occur). 3) RF Ground - this one is a "horse of a different color". It is unlikely that you will achieve an RF ground by making a connection to Mother Earth - any wire you run off to a ground rod will be an odd mulitple of a quarter-wave long at some frequencies, and will present a high impedance at those frequencies (this is exactly the opposite of an RF Ground). RF will seek its own zero-voltage (or ground point) somewhere in the antenna system - for example, that point will be at the midpoint of a balanced radiator. You challenge is to control the RF Ground within your antenna system to avoid conducting RF back to the shack. If you install a KAT2 or KAT100 or KPA100, there is a grounding terminal provided on each of those options should you wish to attach a ground wire. For the basic K2, one could add a ground terminal to the hole in the top cover (the one that will be used for the KAT2 ground). 73, Don W3FPR Scott McDowell wrote: > Hello > Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did you > connect the ground wire to the K2? > Thanks > Scott > N5SM > > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Scott McDowell-4
Scott:
If you do not have noticeable RF on the chassis, as you should not have if you are using a dipole with low swr, the ground connection does not do much for you. If you're running a random wire or Windom, you might have RF getting back into the shack and some of it might find its way back to the K2. Then you need an rf ground for the chassis of the radio. In that case you need as short and direct a path as possible to RF ground. Remember that you have three distinctly different grounding problems, with conflicting solutions. 1) The powerline safety ground. If your house wiring is up to code, and if you are using a power supply whose AC input uses a three-wire plug properly wired, you need do nothing further about this. CAVEAT: Do NOT use the house wiring ground as an RF ground; you are very likely to have a resonance at an HF ham frequency and this can cause you all sorts of EMI problems. In my setup, I have MFJ ferrites on the DC lead between my K2 and the power supply, and on the AC power lead of my power supply. 2) Lightning ground. If you use polyphasers or a Wireman ground bus or some other device to keep lightning out of the shack, that needs to have its own ground rod. You want lightning-induced surges to have as short and direct a path to ground as possible. CAVEAT: To meet code, this ground rod must be bonded to your house wiring ground by at least a #6 copper wire. 3) RF ground. There is no good RF ground. At HF frequencies any finite wire has non-trivial inductive reactance. According to an Army-Air Force study (that I often hear mentioned, but for which I cannot find the report), the least unacceptable HF RF ground is a wire a half wave length long at your lowest frequency, buried one inch below ground surface, and connected to 1 foot ground rods spaced every 8 feet. Deep burial of the wire or longer ground rods are no help because HF RF only penetrates about 3 inches into average ground. If you cannot run the wire in a straight line, a meandering path will do. For safety reasons the wire should be #6 copper. To meet code this wire should be bonded to your house ground via #6 copper wire. To keep the RF out of the house ground, use ferrites on the bonding wire very near its connection to the RF ground wire. The ferrites will not interfere with lightning or electrical fault current passing through the bond wire; most of their energy is well below 1 MHz, and the MFJ (and similar) ferrites start to roll off just below HF. CAVEAT: At HF frequencies, ferrites such as MFJ have 2-3 dB attenuation; you need to use at least 6 ferrites to get any useful reduction in undesired RF. If you do not use an external antenna tuner, the K2 chassis should be connected to the RF ground by as short and direct a wire as possible. If you use an external tuner the tuner chassis should be connected to the RF ground by as short and direct a wire as possible. In this case if you put 6 ferrite beads on the coax between the K2 and the tuner, the combination of the tuner grounding and the ferrites should keep RF off the chassis of the K2. In that case, you might want to leave the K2 chassis ungrounded to avoid forming a ground loop. FINAL CAVEAT: As with antennas, RF grounding is as much witchcraft and magic as it is physics. The practices listed above work most of the time but not always. The grounding system of any specific station might need to be tweaked to eliminate EMI and other problems. For safety reasons the ground system should be code compliant. Code compliance will not solve any EMI problems or make your station get out better, but it will keep you from getting killed. 73, Steve Kercel AA4AK At 02:19 PM 4/16/2008, Scott McDowell wrote: >Hello >Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did you >connect the ground wire to the K2? >Thanks >Scott >N5SM >_______________________________________________ >Elecraft mailing list >Post to: [hidden email] >You must be a subscriber to post to the list. >Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm >Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by N4LQ-2
Okay. But, I believe there are other reasons to ground your rig other than
lightning strikes. I certainly don't leave my antenna connected to any of my rigs, grounded or not. Gary, N7HTS On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:13:03 -0400 "n4lq" <[hidden email]> wrote: > No. Grounding a rig is a waste of time and actually endangers it. I unhook >the antenna when not in use. > If you can't resist having a "ground wire", put a knife switch in series >with it so you can disconnect it when not in use. Hooking your rig to a >ground rod separate from your house electrical ground produces a ground loop >and that current flows right through your rig! If your antenna system is at >DC ground potential, such as a ground mounted vertical, again, be sure to >unhook when not in use. > If you follow some suggestions I've read on these groups, your rig will have >a far better grounding system then the crummy 8' ground rod on your >electrical entrance. Therefore when that big lightning surge comes >along...Guess where it goes..It goes from every point in your house, right >through your K3 to that super duper ground system you installed. Don't fall >for it! Unhook the K3 and sleep easy. If you want to ground something, unhook >your antenna and ground it. Don't let the feed line dangle in mid air. Hook >it to that ground rod when your off the air. Let the lightning hit the >antenna and melt it. Grounding the antenna will at least help keep the blast >of current from jumping over to something more inviting! Just leave the poor >K3 out of the circuit. > Steve Ellington > [hidden email] > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott McDowell" <[hidden email]> > To: <[hidden email]> > Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 2:19 PM > Subject: [Elecraft] grounding K2 > > >> Hello >> Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did you >> connect the ground wire to the K2? >> Thanks >> Scott >> N5SM >> _______________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Post to: [hidden email] >> You must be a subscriber to post to the list. >> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): >> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm >> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG. >> Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.0/1381 - Release Date: 4/16/2008 >> 9:34 AM >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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I have operated transceivers with no ground, with a poor ground, and a good one. I never could tell the difference in over 50 years of operating at scores of locations. I had RF lip burns on a mic grounded to a good ground, and I have had no RF problems at all on fourteenth floor with no ground ... even not on the electrical supply socket. Today, I have one ground rod and one ground run to the house electrical box WHICH IS FED BY ONLY TWO 230VAC WIRES. So far, so good. Lightning.... unplug everything and keep the ant/rotor wire entry point far away from ur radio. I had good success with a 1000 foot rhombic by putting the feed line end out on the grass when not in use 10 ft from house.... Was ok, but burned some grass around the end during a storm (grass was wet and green). I have done daisy chain gnds and single point systems and could not tell the difference. Thems the facts for me. GL, 73 Charles Harpole [hidden email] > From: [hidden email] > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] grounding K2 > To: [hidden email] > Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:23:05 -0600 > > Okay. But, I believe there are other reasons to ground your rig other than > lightning strikes. I certainly don't leave my antenna connected to any of my > rigs, grounded or not. > > Gary, N7HTS > > > On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:13:03 -0400 > "n4lq" <[hidden email]> wrote: > > No. Grounding a rig is a waste of time and actually endangers it. I unhook > >the antenna when not in use. > > If you can't resist having a "ground wire", put a knife switch in series > >with it so you can disconnect it when not in use. Hooking your rig to a > >ground rod separate from your house electrical ground produces a ground loop > >and that current flows right through your rig! If your antenna system is at > >DC ground potential, such as a ground mounted vertical, again, be sure to > >unhook when not in use. > > If you follow some suggestions I've read on these groups, your rig will have > >a far better grounding system then the crummy 8' ground rod on your > >electrical entrance. Therefore when that big lightning surge comes > >along...Guess where it goes..It goes from every point in your house, right > >through your K3 to that super duper ground system you installed. Don't fall > >for it! Unhook the K3 and sleep easy. If you want to ground something, unhook > >your antenna and ground it. Don't let the feed line dangle in mid air. Hook > >it to that ground rod when your off the air. Let the lightning hit the > >antenna and melt it. Grounding the antenna will at least help keep the blast > >of current from jumping over to something more inviting! Just leave the poor > >K3 out of the circuit. > > Steve Ellington > > [hidden email] > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott McDowell" <[hidden email]> > > To: <[hidden email]> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 2:19 PM > > Subject: [Elecraft] grounding K2 > > > > > >> Hello > >> Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where did you > >> connect the ground wire to the K2? > >> Thanks > >> Scott > >> N5SM > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Elecraft mailing list > >> Post to: [hidden email] > >> You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > >> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > >> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >> > >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > >> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > >> > >> > >> -- > >> No virus found in this incoming message. > >> Checked by AVG. > >> Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.0/1381 - Release Date: 4/16/2008 > >> 9:34 AM > >> > >> > > _______________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Post to: [hidden email] > > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Roger Stein-2
If I remember correctly, the base K2 came without the ground screw.
Its been a long time. I think the ground screw came with the ATU. The K1 doesn't have a ground screw, even with the ATU. I am confused about the use of an RF ground with a balanced antenna. One of the advantages of a balanced antenna, verses an antenna that works with a ground such as a vertical, is efficiency. If I use an RF ground with a balanced antenna, am I losing efficiency. Especially if the ground is mediocre? I don't want to put down 60 radials for my center fed doublet. When I used my K1 or K2 with a battery and a balanced antenna, I had confidence that most of the power was getting radiated. Now I have a K3-100 with an Astron 35 M power supply and I am wondering if that has changed. The 35 M schematic shows that the 13.8v DC terminal is connected to the 120v AC supply system ground. This is continuous, overhead and underground, to the substation ground mat. This doesn't sound too bad for a 160 M vertical, however, I can't decide what effect this has on my CF doublet. Am I sending RF all over the neighborhood on the power lines? Is this why a BALUN is needed? Is my antenna efficiency and pattern different than when I used battery power? If I use the doublet and a BALUN, what do I use the ground screw for? It would be redundant to attach it to the AC ground as this is done thru the 13.0v supply cable. 73 Rck Dettinger K7MW On Apr 16, 2008, at 11:50 AM, Roger Stein wrote: > Yes, good RF/safety practice, to the ground post on the back of the > K2 provided for that purpose. > Roger > WA7BOC > k2 755 > k3 75 > > -----Original Message----- > From: [hidden email] > [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Scott McDowell > Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 11:19 AM > To: [hidden email] > Subject: [Elecraft] grounding K2 > > > Hello > Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where > did you > connect the ground wire to the K2? > Thanks > Scott > N5SM > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > -- > I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. > It has removed 36 spam emails to date. > Paying users do not have this message in their emails. > Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Rick (long answer),
You are most likely mixing RF ground with a 'Mother Earth' ground. They are quite different. The main reason is that RF does not behave like low frequency AC or DC. You are not alone - that fact seems to mystify and confuse many, many hams. I will try to give a conceptual explanation. First understand that I use RF Ground as any point where the RF voltage is zero (note that the RF current will be a maximum at that same point). No other concept of RF ground has ever made any sense to me. With a balanced dipole antenna (center fed doublet), a point of RF ground will occur at the midpoint of the center feed. That is where the RF voltage crosses zero. If the radiator is fed with a parallel transmission line, the currents on the two conductors will be equal an opposite all along the feedline, so that effective RF Ground point is carried all the way back to the shack along the transmission line. If one uses coax to feed the antenna, a similar situation exists *inside* the coax - due to skin effect, the inside of the coax shield can be considered as a separate wire than the outside of the shield. The currents on the center conductor and the inside of the shield will be balanced (just like in the parallel transmission line). The problem with coax is at the junction of the radiator and the shield. The RF voltage (and current) on the inside of the shield sees two conductors at that junction 1) the antenna wire, and 2) the outside of the coax shield. A current balun installed at the antenna feedpoint will place a high impedance on the outside of the coax shield while not interfering with the balanced currents between the center conductor and the inside of the shield. So, RF ground is maintained inside the coax - it is a zero potential point that can be visualized as being midway between those conductors. The item that seems to cause the most confusion is that the coax shield can be at ground potential for DC and low frequency AC, but it is *not* at ground potential for RF. So, you do not need to create an RF ground for your dipole - it already exists. For a vertical with an elevated ground plane, a similar RF ground exists midway between the vertical radiator and the ground plane (yes, the ground wires radiate and are part of the antenna system - cancellation of the ground wire radiation must be by the physical orientation so the radiation cancels due to phase relationships). If a vertical radiator is ground mounted, the earth takes the place of the ground plane - and actual earth is not a really good conductor of RF, so we usually augment that conduction by burying a lot of radials, the lengths are not critical in those installations because we just want to improve the RF characteristics of the real earth. Bottom line is that I make the statement that an actual RF ground is a property of the antenna system and is not to be equated to a Mother Earth ground. 73, Don W3FPR Rick Dettinger wrote: > If I remember correctly, the base K2 came without the ground screw. > Its been a long time. I think the ground screw came with the ATU. > The K1 doesn't have a ground screw, even with the ATU. I am confused > about the use of an RF ground with a balanced antenna. One of the > advantages of a balanced antenna, verses an antenna that works with a > ground such as a vertical, is efficiency. If I use an RF ground with > a balanced antenna, am I losing efficiency. Especially if the ground > is mediocre? I don't want to put down 60 radials for my center fed > doublet. When I used my K1 or K2 with a battery and a balanced > antenna, I had confidence that most of the power was getting radiated. Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Rick Dettinger-3
Rick:
See interposed comments. 73 Steve Kercel AA4AK At 05:00 PM 4/16/2008, Rick Dettinger wrote: >If I remember correctly, the base K2 came without the ground screw. >Its been a long time. I think the ground screw came with the ATU. ******************* I have a K2/100 with no ATU. It came with a ground screw. ******************* >The K1 doesn't have a ground screw, even with the ATU. I am confused >about the use of an RF ground with a balanced antenna. ****************** If the antenna were perfectly balanced there would be zero RF ground current, and the RF ground impedance would not matter. In many dipole/doubet installations the antenna is sort of balanced, and the ground current is not exactly zero, but close enough that it causes no noticeable problems. ******************* >One of the >advantages of a balanced antenna, verses an antenna that works with a >ground such as a vertical, is efficiency. ********************* Do not confuse these two different kinds of grounds. The RF ground provides a path to remote earth for those pesky unbalanced currents. A radial system on a ground mounted vertical is an integral part of the antenna, that just happens to be slightly under ground. The reason that a dipole is more efficient than a ground mounted vertical is that for the ground mounted vertical, half the antenna is immersed in a lossy medium. ********************* >If I use an RF ground with >a balanced antenna, am I losing efficiency. ***************** No, your balanced doublet is located some distance away from the lossy medium. The RF ground is keeping things from going wrong (such as smoke detectors going off in step with your keying), but has little influence on the efficiency of your balanced antenna. ***************** >Especially if the ground >is mediocre? I don't want to put down 60 radials for my center fed >doublet. ******************* You are correct. That would be an absolute waste. ******************* >When I used my K1 or K2 with a battery and a balanced >antenna, I had confidence that most of the power was getting >radiated. Now I have a K3-100 with an Astron 35 M power supply and I >am wondering if that has changed. ***************** It is very unlikely anything has changed. Remember, it is extremely poor practice to use your house ground as an RF ground, and wise practice to put some ferrites on your power supply leads just to be sure that no RF sneaks into hour house ground via the power supply. If you are worried about RF getting into your house ground via the power supply put six MFJ-701 ferrites on your power supply lead. Simply run both the positive and negative wires through the hole in the ferrite. ***************** >The 35 M schematic shows that the >13.8v DC terminal is connected to the 120v AC supply system ground. >This is continuous, overhead and underground, to the substation ground >mat. This doesn't sound too bad for a 160 M vertical, however, I >can't decide what effect this has on my CF doublet. ****************** The effect is that somewhere in your house ground wiring, part of it might resonate at your operating frequency and cause you all sorts of problems, as manifested by bizarre behavior in other household electronics such as digital clocks and telephones. You'll never see the substation ground; the very large inductive reactance of the intervening wires will effectively isolate you from it. ****************** >Am I sending RF >all over the neighborhood on the power lines? ************** Unlikely, see above. ************* >Is this why a BALUN is >needed? ***************** RF in the shack is a problem sometimes (a lot less often than the people selling them would have you think) mitigated by baluns. A bigger problem is that radiation from the feedline (which baluns minimize) can perturb the radiation pattern of a directional antenna. That is why most beam antennas include a balun in the package. ***************** >Is my antenna efficiency and pattern different than when I >used battery power? **************** Extremely unlikely *************** >If I use the doublet and a BALUN, what do I use >the ground screw for? ***************** Unless you have "RF in the shack" or inexplicable EMI problems somewhere in the house, leave it alone. ***************** >It would be redundant to attach it to the AC >ground as this is done thru the 13.0v supply cable. *************** You will be a happier person if you avoid connecting the ground screw of the radio to your house ground. *************** >73 >Rck Dettinger K7MW > > >On Apr 16, 2008, at 11:50 AM, Roger Stein wrote: >>Yes, good RF/safety practice, to the ground post on the back of the >>K2 provided for that purpose. >>Roger >>WA7BOC >>k2 755 >>k3 75 >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: [hidden email] >>[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Scott McDowell >>Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 11:19 AM >>To: [hidden email] >>Subject: [Elecraft] grounding K2 >> >> >>Hello >>Has anyone ever felt the need to ground their K2, and if so, where >>did you >>connect the ground wire to the K2? >>Thanks >>Scott >>N5SM >>_______________________________________________ >>Elecraft mailing list >>Post to: [hidden email] >>You must be a subscriber to post to the list. >>Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): >>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> >>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm >>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com >> >>-- >>I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. >>It has removed 36 spam emails to date. >>Paying users do not have this message in their emails. >>Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Elecraft mailing list >>Post to: [hidden email] >>You must be a subscriber to post to the list. >>Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): >>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> >>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm >>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > >_______________________________________________ >Elecraft mailing list >Post to: [hidden email] >You must be a subscriber to post to the list. >Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): >http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm >Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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My Katie-gram arrived today for the K3/100 kit. It was ordered Nov 7 and is
scheduled to ship in 7-10 days. Backordered items: 1.8 filter, DVR, and 2nd Rcvr 73, Paul K5ESW Raleigh, NC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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