Antennas are NOT covered by that article in NEC. They are covered in article 230, as well as more in depth in article 810.
Some minor polishing of this, Shane.
Amateur radio antennas are covered in Chapter 8. No other section of the code applies unless so stated in the applicable sub section of chapter 8 or its references. So don't read something in chapters 1 through 7 and assume it applies to amateur radio antennas. To be specific, article 230 is not referenced by the applicable sections of chapter 8 so it does not apply to the amateur radio antenna system. It will apply only to the mains power supplying the station.
There are differences in chapter 8 between a receive antenna (part 2) and an amateur radio antenna (part 3). The wire gauge chart should be 810.52 from part 3 when dealing with an amateur radio antenna. The 810.16 chart applies only to receiving antennas.
I do agree that any notion that you cannot use a tree as an amateur radio antenna support is completely bogus. Chapter 8 and its references do not exclude this possibility.
- Glenn W9IQ
Agreed. With the stipulation that it always goes back to the authority having jurisdiction.
I fought an authority once. Said my grounding system wasn't good enough for a service entrance. Went round and round with the local inspector.
Turns out, he approved a ground system that was outside of typical, on a commercial shopping mall. When it caught on fire, it was his ass in a sling.
His response to me was, "You know what, you're probably right. Matter of fact, I'll give it to you that you're right. However, to get me to see it your way professionaly you will require getting the UL book. To do this, you must become a member. To become a member, it's 10K dollars."
"Do you think your boss is going to back you, or tell you to rip this out and do it the way I'm telling you to do it".
I ended up installing the ground system he wanted.
I used article 250 for the support issue, as it showed areas you could not use as a support, for anything, other than the service entrance.
No matter what article 8 says, section 250 will be cited by an inspector in the know. Because I've never found an inspector that understood article 8. Even when working on a shortwave facility and at various AM and FM stations in California.
They just took your word.
--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI