Prepare for the ARRL Technician Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


What is considered to be a proper grounding method for a tower?

  1. A single copper plate buried underground

  2. Separate eight-foot long ground rods for each tower leg, bonded to the tower and each other

  3. A continuous metal wire wrapped around the base of the tower

  4. Direct connection to a water pipe

The correct answer is: Separate eight-foot long ground rods for each tower leg, bonded to the tower and each other

The proper grounding method for a tower is to use separate eight-foot long ground rods for each tower leg, bonded to the tower and each other. This approach effectively dissipates electrical energy, such as lightning strikes, into the ground, reducing the risk of damage to the structure and ensuring safety for users. Using dedicated ground rods for each leg of the tower provides a robust grounding system that enhances the overall effectiveness of the grounding mechanism. When these rods are bonded together and connected to the tower, it creates a low-resistance path for electrical surges to follow directly into the ground, which is crucial in preventing excess voltage from affecting the tower and connected equipment. Other grounding methods, while they might serve a purpose, do not provide the same level of safety and reliability. For example, a single copper plate buried underground may not distribute the electrical energy as effectively as multiple ground rods, and a continuous metal wire wrapped around the base of the tower might not create adequate contact with the earth, especially in varying soil conditions. A direct connection to a water pipe can also be problematic due to variations in water pipe materials and connection quality, which may not ensure a consistent and reliable ground connection.