Ron (and all), Normally grounds are installed for safety. If you are portable, you normally do not need a ground because there is no connection to the AC power lines.
I am fairly certain you will not be operating portable with antennas connected when there is lightning close enough to be harmful, so no need for a lightning ground. That leaves an RF Ground - and contrary to amateur myth one does not achieve an RF Ground by connecting to mother earth - an RF Ground will be present at some point in any antenna system - just due to the characteristics of physics. RF Ground will be that point of zero RF voltage - in a balanced dipole, it will be present right at the middle of the center insulator. So the short answer is -- if the particular antenna needs a counterpoise wire to control the impedance and balance of the antenna system, then add it. RF does need a "return path" (different than RF Ground), and the RF will make its own return path if one is not provided. It may be the coax shield, the transmitter enclosure, etc. if no planned and proper return path is provided. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/1/2012 2:49 PM, Ronald Nutter wrote: > I am putting together a portable QRP kit that I can fly on a plane with > me. Looking at several different antennas. With being a portable > operation, what has worked best for some of you to ground the radio ? I > am seeing references to some of the antennas that they need a > counterpoise wire. Is this in addition to a ground wire ? > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
