Earth rod cable etc

Just found the earthing rods on toolstation what's the best size cable to go to the clamp, I noticed on some of the videos they mention keeping it short I need a run of about 10 feet, can you use one cable, one coming off hf set and one off auto tuner joined and one going through the wall hope that makes sense

This is what i have used recently and soldered eye's ??/ on the ends. 
I have also used 4mm version of the same in the past well it is still in use on another job.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Single-Conduit-Cable-Yellow-Supplementary/dp/B01N25PDUG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36G799OVKZVBX&dchild=1&keywords=6mm+earth+cable&qid=1611091063&sprefix=6mm+eart%2Clighting%2C151&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089DJCC3L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Best to run each piece of equipment to a single point, and then have that go to the ground wire leading to the earth rod.  What you're suggesting is effectively daisy chaining, and isn't recommended.

I'd use much bigger than 4mm cable, because for a RF ground, it's surface area you're after.  I use braid from old RG8 coax, but I'm lucky in that my office is close to an outside wall, so a few metres gets me through the wall to the ground rod.

I'm running a 12v solar station though (Until I hook the amp up) so I don't need to care about whether this needs to also connect to the AC safety ground, which seems to be the biggest point of contention...and where you're pretty much governed by your wiring regs.

There are some good videos and articles on station grounding here...just remember their National Electric Code is almost certainly going to be different from current UK regs, which I'm 15 years out of date on...so don't do anything that impacts safety or wiring standards, or God forbid, your insurance! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thJxObTNbck

https://www.w8ji.com/station_ground.htm

I have the 4mm from each bit of kit going to a ??? buzz bar thing i found years ago.
It's like 1 long solid wire connector with about 10 holes and then thicker wire from that to the rod down all it's length apart from 2/3" and bolted to it.

Thanks are you using 4mm to the rod from the buzz bar

For some examples of RF grounding including problems that can be faced take a look at the following link :-

Flexradio RF grounding


For a brief insight into UK earthing systems the following link explains well :-

Electrical Apprentice - Earthing & Bonding


Some radio Hams wire up the whole shebang and bang in an earthing rod believing "jobs a good'un". Others will go to the fuss of burying multiple run cables under their lawn etc. believing the same......

.....observationally, they got away with it.


Listen to the same Hams when they make transmissions. Whilst running 'barefoot' they sound fine and when they switch on the linears they sound terrible! All sorts of lengthy conversations abound on 160m & 80m surrounding the possibilities of IMD, linearity, etc. etc.

The same with reception, your counterpart complains of S7-8 of hash and can't copy you whilst you look at your lowly S3-4 of hash thinking perhaps there's something wrong with your setup......even though you can hear them well. 
Perhaps they have a noise inducing earth connectivity and you don't


For me personally I treat 'RF Ground' as a totally different subject to electrical 'Earth Ground'.

In fact I prefer the 'Counterpoise' method which has been happily utilised for over a hundred years! 
Dipoles come with their own 'counterpoise' as it's the other half of the antenna. I've only ever ran an end fed with a suitably long counterpoise successfully and hence my appreciation for the lowly dipole. If sticking a ground earth connection into the back of your rig bounces your signal hash up by several S-points....check how much it actually makes a received signal jump....you may well just be adding noise rather than signal.


Anyway, the links may provide some help and my personal opinions may just start heady debates.

Each to their own.

26ct954 wrote:

Thanks are you  using 4mm to the rod from the buzz bar

No the thicker from the bar to the rod.

Can I use 4mm going to a F plug, is it OK to use coax as the main line to the ground rod

26ct954 wrote:

Can I use 4mm going  to a F  plug,  is it OK to use coax as the main line to the  ground  rod

Not sure on that.
It's a lot easier to use the cable i put the link to well it was for me but you might get it a lot cheaper if you look around.
I only use Amazon as it is easier for me with my disability just one click and it comes through the door next day lol.  
My son will help me but he has no idea you have to stand by him and tell him what to do.