I am about to begin a mobile HF installation in two vehicles, a 96 Toyota Camry and an 89 Jeep Comanche, pickup. I have been reading about grounding techniques and have some questions of about safe installation.

My main concern is the possibility of a fire or explosion from gasoline fumes.

1. Is it safe to use a drill under the vehicle frame and in the engine compartment where there may be faint traces of gasoline fumes? Can a spark from the drill motor ignite the fumes?

2. What about using a 100 watt soldering iron under the frame and in the engine compartment? Does the soldering iron present a safety hazard?

3. Since I will be working outside, it is likely that the only way that I can get high enough heat to effectively solder to the frame is to use a butane torch. This seems to be the most hazardous option of all. What is your advice/opinion about using a torch?

4. When doing work that involves any electrical wiring, I am aware that I must not offer an electrical path to ground through my own body. For instance I have been warned never to work on a car in bare feet, standing on a concrete floor (not a likely scenerio in any case, but I am glad I heard this advice). Likewise if working under the vehicle, I would place some wooden panels between my back and the ground under me or use a creeper. Any other safety tips that I should be aware of regarding working with the battery, wiring the power cords of the radio to the battery, etc?

5. Are there any other safety issues I should be aware of in addition to electrical and fire hazards?

Thanks in advance for you help.

Best regards,

Bob Stone, KC0LGG

I have a question about the proper electrical grounding for a new shack in an old single story house with a full basement.

The house has an existing ground rod from the fuse box. The individual electrical outlets are not grounded, however.

I am planning to put my radio equipment in a room about thirty feet from the existing ground rod. I was expecting to put a second ground rod outside the room where the radio gear will be located and then tie the new ground rod to the previous ground rod with a heavy gauge copper wire. The connection will be made through the basement. The new ground rod will allow me to ground the radio gear with a much shorter ground bus and ground strap.

However since proper grounding technique requires only one ground per building, I will be connecting the two ground rods together.

The distance between the new rod and the existing rod is about 33 feet.

Question: Will the 33 foot copper wire that runs through the basement connecting the two ground rods create more problems than it solves? That is will it act as an antenna or cause other RF problems?

Or is it okay because the new rod will provide a short path for RF and the RF will "ignore" the 33 foot connection?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

73

Bob Stone
KC0LGG

kc0lgg@coupcorp.com