Contact Information
- AM Ground Systems
- 51 Ridge Ln
- Lawrenceburg, TN 38464
- Voice 931-766-2999
- Fax 931-766-3974
- Toll Free 877-766-29999
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agsc@amgroundsystems.com
The email address that shows up in your email client may not be
the same as the link text above. I change the actual address
occasionally to confuse address harvesters.
Services
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AM Ground System
Inspection, Evaluation and Repair
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New Construction of
AM Ground Systems
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Rebuilding of AM
Ground Systems
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Inspection and
Evaluation of Lighting Grounding
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Installation of
Lightning Grounding
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Turnkey Site
Solutions
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Tower tuning
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AM & FM radio
engineering (wearing our KK Broadcast
Engineering hat)
AGSC specializes in
grounding for AM Broadcast and Lightning protection. We are
one of the only companies in the US offering comprehensive ground system inspection, evaluations and repair. Using
state of the art test equipment, we can locate faults and repair
ground systems that would have required a full rebuild in the past.
Inspection,
Evaluation and Repair
Methodology
We do a quick walk around and Q&A
session with the station personnel if they are familiar with the
site history. If damage is obvious, we have a starting point.
Otherwise we begin at the tower and check the tower base grounding
physically, visually and electronically. Most of the
"manufacturing defects" we find are in the immediate vicinity of the
tower base and ATU. These are unquestionably the
most important areas of the AM ground system and bonding. We then
physically and electronically check the continuity of all radials.
If faults are located, the suspect radial(s) are marked for repair.
Normally we will evaluate the extent of damage and make a
determination if the damage is economically repairable. There
is a difference between repairable and economically
repairable. Everything is repairable. But it really
doesn't make a lot of economic or technical sense to spend large $$$
repairing a worn out 1950 model ground system when a new one can be
built for a bit more. There are situations where extensive,
expensive repairs are a better choice. Site conditions or
protections (EPA, DNR, DWR, etc) sometimes absolutely prohibit a
complete rebuild or make it cost prohibitive.
After verifying the integrity of the
main tower base grounding, we move on to the individual radials.
We electronically inspect and count the full length radials to
insure a full undamaged compliment. Numerous radials in various
places will be physically spot checked following the electronic count.
If the evaluation determines that the
system is in need of repair and such repairs will be economically
feasible, we begin the repair phase. The amount of repair work
that we are able to do is generally based on what we were told to
expect and our mode of travel to the site. Most of the time we come
to the site prepared for whatever minor repairs might be needed.
If the scope of needed repairs is beyond the tools, manpower and
materials available, we will do whatever repair work is immediately
necessary and schedule a return visit with all required resources.
In our evaluations we have discovered
beautiful work done by pure amateurs and some of the shoddiest work
imaginable by "experts". We have found materials used
that were serious over kill and materials used that were absolutely
laughable. Solidly brazed connections to rusty nuts and bolts.
Crimp connectors underground. 3ft wide solid copper sheeting to #14
wire used for the main bonding. Plain rosin core solder used underground.
A site with a huge area of screen under the tower but simply laying
on the ground not
connected to anything... The radials were neatly brazed to a
copper strap around the perimeter fence. But making ABSOLUTELY
no connection back to transmitter or ATU ground. Another site
had lots of strap meandering around but after tracing it down found
that it went no where. I drew an RF arc when I bonded the ground
ring to the transmitter strap. Knocked the TX off. Had
to retune the TX to get it back on. Instant dramatic increase
in range.
Most of the ground system work in the
past has been done by tower crews. Many of them knew nothing
about AM engineering or grounding and even if they did, they really didn't care
whether it was done correctly anyway. They are there because
the boss didn't have a cell tower to climb that day.
Then again some tower
crews were very good at AM work.
Most modern tower crews do
99% cell site work and 1% broadcast. Many wouldn't know a
Johnny Ball if it hit them in the head. OK, they would know
WHEN it hit them but not necessarily WHAT it was.
I digress...
COST
A full evaluation of a ground system
will generally take 1-2 days per tower plus travel time. We
will provide an estimate for evaluation/repair charges based on your
location and system design. Evaluations are priced at the
current day rate plus expenses, travel, etc. If significant
hand digging will be required, we usually hire a temp and continue
with the technical work. After work is complete we will
provide a complete written (& photographic) report including problems found, problems
remedied and recommendations for further work (if needed).
Payment terms are normally 50% of proposal on arrival with remainder
(plus materials, etc) due before we leave the site.
New Construction and
Rebuilding of Ground Systems
AGSC builds ground systems for any
configuration. All of our normally used machinery is owned and transported by AGSC.
All machinery is in great condition and well maintained.
Having breakdowns at the jobsite wastes your time and delays the
project.
We have 2 mid-sized 4wd tractors with
electrically operated threader/cutters. We also have a plow to
be used with our large 4wd 4-wheeler for some sites. We are
currently building a plow to be mounted on a low ground pressure (LGP)
rental skid steer loader for those "damp" locations.
QUOTES
Click
Here for our Build / Rebuild Quote Request Form.
Please see Low
Bid Syndrome for information on how we handle competitive bids
and quotes.
Download the AGSC brochure.
OFFICIAL ATTABOY'S
RECEIVED BY AGSC
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Attaboy from KDWA Hastings, MN
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Attaboy from WCLU Glasgow, KY
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PROJECT PRICING
We research and quote each
construction project individually and with great care to provide the
lowest possible price that will allow us to do the job as it should
be done. When AGSC quotes a project, the price quoted is (unless
specifically requested) all inclusive. Our quote will include all
materials, all labor, all equipment and all expenses for a COMPLETE
ground system. Other than change orders, we have never asked (and never intend to) for more
money than originally quoted to complete a project (unless site
conditions or access are dramatically different from those
described) . AGSC knows that in today's corporate and small
business environment that you have to know EXACTLY what a project is
going to cost before you start. You can depend on AGSC to finish the
job at or under quoted costs with a minimum of hassle.
ALTHOUGH OUR QUOTES ARE ALWAYS COMPETITIVE
WE WILL NEVER TRY TO BE THE ABSOLUTE CHEAPEST
AT THE EXPENSE OF QUALITY
We are regularly asked, "Can't we do
this ourselves?". Sure you can. Ground system work is
not rocket science or brain surgery. BUT it is a lot of hard
work and there are a lot of ways to make a mess of it. I have
discovered many of them while doing evaluations.
An engineer/owner once balked when I gave
him the quote for a simple ND rebuild. He and his assistant
tackled the job and did a good job. He was proud that it had
only taken 3 weeks. He did decide that my quote was a pretty
good value considering that we would have had the project completed
in about 4 days. Most people never again have the chance to
use the lessons of their first ground system. This engineer
did and we later built another station for him (in about 3 days)
We will have upwards of $200,000
worth of equipment on-site during large projects. There is
nothing we do with all that equipment that you can't do with a Cub
Cadet and a bent piece of steel.
EXCEPT do the job in about 1/10th the
time WITHOUT hurting someone. We generally build large arrays
in about 14 days.
TIME FOR COMPLETION
OF PROJECTS
AGSC can generally build a
mid-frequency single tower ground system in about 4 days.
Large arrays will almost always be built in 2 weeks or less.
We have the machinery and skilled manpower to do any project quickly
with a very high level of quality.
Turnkey Site
Solutions
AGSC, KK Broadcast Engineering, and
our industry partners (I had to work that cliché in somewhere) can
build your turnkey site in minimal time. We have access to
highly competent tower crews, equipment operators, equipment and
materials suppliers. New ND sites can be built completely turnkey
in just a few days. Working directly
with your consulting engineer, we can do all of the infrastructure
work and have arrays ready to tune in minimal time.
Tower Tuning
We own and maintain antenna bridges
and signal generators for tower tuning. We can tune your ND
tower and prepare the engineering section or the 302-AM for FCC
submission. Tuning up arrays or towers in arrays (and the
associated FIM measurements) is beyond the scope of services
normally offered beyond our regular engineering clients.
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