[BC] Another site vandalized

[Cowboy]

On Wednesday 21 December 2011 07:40:10 pm Mike McCarthy wrote:
> I will say I've seen antennas operate with no ground system at all other than through the ufer ground of the pier.  The load was a bit wonky and coverage was not all that great, but it did play and we got back on the air just in time.

 That's a legit antenna design.
 Inefficient, to be certain, but it will still radiate something.

> Physical deterrence is the only way to keep the copper in the ground.  
> Make it very hard on them and they'll find out it's not worth even their
> energy to dig through many inches of stone to reach a heavy landscaping
> material which covers everything anyway.

 That really is the bottom line.
 If you need a backhoe to get to it, the average crackhead is much to lazy
 to get to it with a shovel.
 They'll go steal man hole covers off the streets instead.

> Now...to design a vandal resistant shroud to sit over the strap running
> up the side of the pier to the ball gap and not impact the base
> impedance.  Hmmmm.

 Really, not that tough.
 First, cover the copper with something to protect it.
 Plastic sheet will work fine.
 Run it conventionally up the pier, then encase it under an
 inch ( or two. More is better ) of concrete "cap."
 Ideally, run it through the interior of the pier to start with.
 Plastic to protect the copper from the lime in the concrete.
 Concrete to protect it from vandals.

 Alternatively, cover it with 3/16 steel plate, bolted to the pier
 with the anchor bolts deep in the concrete so they won't
 pull out with a pry bar, and weld the nuts.


-- 
Cowboy