If I had my druthers, I'd opt for the basement.  You might be okay with 18 
feet depending on your operating frequency.  I wouldn't go much longer with 
that though, because you start getting to the point where your ground might 
be a quarter wavelength of your operating frequency, which then causes it to 
radiate and creates RFI.

Steve, K8SP
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kent Plemmons" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, August 11, 2013 7:38 PM
Subject: rf ground, how long is too long?


> Hi everybody,
>
>
>
> How long is too long to run my rf ground to an earth ground?
>
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>
> I would like to put my hf rig in a room on the main floor of our house 
> (not
> a second story) but it would require running my rf ground about 18' to an
> earth ground.  This room is heated in the winter and is comfortable.  The
> other option I have is to put it in the basement which is not completely
> underground and would take some amount of modification to make comfortable
> in cold weather but I would only need to run my rf ground about 6' to an
> earth ground.  I could relocate computer if necessary.  I don't want to 
> get
> all set up with antenna cabling etc. just to find out that I should have 
> put
> everything in the basement where there is a shorter ground.  Any of you 
> have
> similar problem?  Where would you locate?
>
>
>
> Kent Plemmons somewhere in the Smoky Mountains of NC
>
> Skype: kent.plemmons
>
> Kk4fff
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