AN IDEAL EARTH ROD

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 97, 18 January 1933, Page 6

AN IDEAL EARTH ROD

Greatly Needed for Radio

We have had earths which consisted of pointed metal rods suitable for driving into the ground, and in addition to this the old question of the dryness of the soil surrounding the “earth” has from time to time received attention from manufacturers. The simplest way, of course, is to pour a bucket of water occasionally around the earth connection in the ground and leave this to soak in. There are some "earths” which consist of a hollow tube perforated at the sides and adapted to allow water poured down the tube to percolate into the surrounding ground. All this goes a long way toward improving the efficiency of the earth Connection, but after all what Is. wanted is some sort of earth which will automatically retain really good ground contact without the need for periodical watering. After all, it is bad enough to have to water the flowers from time to time without having to remember to water the wireless earth as well. Just recently an ingenious type of special so-called “chemical earth” has been introduced which depends upon the action of a substance which will, as it were, attract moisture and so keep itself more or less indefinitely in good electrical contact with the ground.