‰  NOW 13 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM DECEMBER 2016 QST PAGE 39  ‰

THAT ARE SENSITIVE TO INTERFERING SIGNALS AT MILLIVOLT LEVELS, SUCH AS
AUDIO SIGNALS TO AND FROM COMPUTER SOUND CARDS.  THE SUMMARY IS THAT WE
SHOULDNT BE USING THE EQUIPMENT ENCLOSURES OR SHIELDING CONDUCTORS AS PART
OF THE RF CIRCUIT.  INSTEAD, WE DESIGN OUR SYSTEMS TO CREATE A COMMON
REFERENCE POTENTIAL, CALLED THE REFERENCE PLANE, AND WE ENDEAVOR TO KEEP
EQUIPMENT CONNECTED TO THE REFERENCE PLANE AT A COMMON POTENTIAL.  THIS
MINIMIZES RF CURRENT THAT WOULD FLOW BETWEEN PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.  SOME
ƒ  QST DE W1AW  ‰
THINK THAT RF GROUNDS SHOULD BE ISOLATED FROM THE SAFETY GROUND SYSTEM THAT
IS NOT TRUE.  ALL GROUNDS, INCLUDING SAFETY, RF, LIGHTNING PROTECTION AND
COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONS, MUST BE BONDED TOGETHER IN ORDER TO PROTECT LIFE
AND PROPERTY.  THE ELECTRICAL CODE STILL REQUIRES THAT ANTENNA GROUNDS BE
INTERCONNECTED BONDED TO THE OTHER GROUNDS IN THE SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH THAT
CONNECTION CAN HAVE AN RF CHOKE.  REMEMBER THAT THE FOCUS OF THE ELECTRICAL
‰  END OF 13 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ