Be careful when giving this advice. A UFER ground is a good SUPLEMENTAL ground in a tower base but it should not be the only ground. A large area like a floor of a building provides more surface for the lightning to dissipate. A tower concrete foundation may not be large enough by itself and there is the possibility of poor connections inside so that the concrete crack from a lightning strike if it is the only ground connection. It is always recommended that ground rods be attached to each tower leg in addition.
73 Gary K4FMX > > DO RUN THE GROUND THROUGH THE CONCRETE! Take a look at the information on > this site first though. You may be glad you did. > > http://www.scott-inc.com/html/ufer.htm > > Best Regards, > Steve White, W5SAW > SW Commercial Electronics > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ed Swynar [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2006 2:16 PM > To: Discussion of AM Radio; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Tower Construction > > > Hi Dave, > > I have a 48' tall, tapered, self-supporting "Delhi"-brand tower --- 6 > sections at 8' long each. > > The prescribed / manufacturer's recommendation is to bolt a 3' straight > formed extention at the base of each leg (total of 3), & to "suspend" > these > (a temporary wooden "cradle" will do admirably, as the cement sets) in a > hole dug 4' square, & 4-1/2' deep --- the cement is to come but a few > inches > below the bottom legs of the actual tower section. > > Oh yes --- the bottom 1' of the square hole is to be "belled" outward a > foot, or so. > > The documentation says this is good for heights of up to 64', or so...I've > never gone beyond 48', & have never, EVER had an ounce of trouble in the > two > locations that I've had my tower up. > > BTW, the top of the tower as an old Cornell-Dubelier AR-44 rotator, & a > 3-element Hy-Gain TH3 MkIII triband yagi... > > Use "industrial"-grade coarse cement, & do NOT run any ground leads > through > the block itself! > > ~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
