Keep in mind your normal TRAILER SKIN GROUNDING is accomplished through the SHORE POWER three wire connection to 120VAc SOURCE connections...
Pretty much like this campground PEDESTAL drawing is done...
![](http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb122/EdConley/Plugs/rv-service1.jpg)
google image
Make sure your SHORE POWER connections are to code using one of these 120VAc CIRCUIT TESTERS...
![](http://i870.photobucket.com/albums/ab263/wrvond/2014%20Coachmen/gfcitester_zpsf70f8fe5.jpg)
Also be sure your 30AMP SERVICE is measured with a MULTIMETER and conform to these readings between the three shore power connections...
30A SERVICE
![](http://cdn.loveyourrv.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/20-30_Amp_120V.jpg)
NOTE: you want to see a very low AC reading between the NEUTRAL and GROUND wire connections coming from the 120AC SOURCE...
If extension cords are involved here coming from the 120VAc Source connections all three conductors must be used. Some folks like to cut the ground terminals off their extension cords for whatever reasons...
I use heavy duty contractor grade 10-GAUGE YELLOW COLOR Extension Cords here...
My OFF-ROAD POPUP TRAILER setup has this layout with external Ham Radio antennas installed on the roof edge around my popup roof. The only time I have ever drove a copper rod into the ground for these antennas was when I was using RG COAX feeding my OFF-CENETER all band 75M through 10M Wire Antenna. This is up in the air approximately 25-feet at the feed point point and may be as high as 40-50 feet up into some tree limbs connections... The overall length of the antenna wires are at 135 Feet long but fed off center. Separately Grounding the RG Coax outer braid helps big time with this antenna. The other roof mounted antennas are only grounded to the metal flange of the roof. My TARHEEL SCREWDRIVER Antenna is grounded to the lower frame of the POPUP trailer with a separate wire and works just fine for the 75M through 40M bands it is most used for... I have two 5-foot sections of 3-inch tripod tower sections that fold down to the rear bumper of the trailer. When folded up I use a metal center conductor section up the middle of the tower sections to get up to around 25-feet off the ground to hold my wire antenna center section for my OFF-CENTER 135-foot wire antenna. Then I get the wire leads up into the trees that gives me a INVERTERD VEE so to speak with the center feed at 25-feet above my trailer and the outer wires up around 40-50 supported by high tree limbs keeping my VEE angle as shallow as possible... This out-performs my TARHEEL Screwdriver antenna big time haha... My HF RADIO is a ICOM 706MKII using remote head... My VHF/UHF radio is a Kenwood TM-V708A... My second VHF/UHF antenna on my POPUP trailer roof feeds a scanner radio...
![](http://i.imgur.com/B0JtldQ.png)
Roy's image
All of my Ham Radio RG cables outer coax are separately grounded here at my permanent setup locations at my house using a large copper rod going into the ground where my HAM Radio antenna Coax leaves the structure area...
Been doing this OFF-ROAD Ham Radio operations using this setup since 2009... I also have about the same capability installed in my truck as well including the TARHEEL Screwdriver antenna and two VHF/UHF side mount antennas.
My original love was getting up into the wooded high country between VA and WVA behind Harrisonburg VA along the winding state line and running ECOM nets with our MARS RADIO nets... That part has all closed down now so about all I get to do now is just do alot of yaking on the radios anymore...
All of this is definitely a dying breed anymore...
Roy Ken
My Posts are IMHO based on my experiences - Words in CAPS does not mean I am shouting
Roy - Carolyn
RETIRED DOAF/DON/DOD/CONTR RADIO TECH (42yrs)
K9PHT (Since 1957) 146.52M
2010 F150, 5.4,3:73 Gears,SCab
2008 Starcraft 14RT EU2000i GEN
2005 Flagstaff 8528RESS