Not sure if this is the right place for this question. I'll be setting up my ham radio for transmitting (100 watts) and receiving in the car and need to provide it with a good ground system. Can anyone suggest where are the good points to run a ground wire to and how many? I've read different opinions ranging from 1 to 30. Also what is the recommended wire gauge (or braid)?

Many thanks

 

At the Battery

 

Use whatever is required for your unit and ground it to body or frame.
Kind of strange for a ham operator not to know this.

 

100W is the output of the unit. You need to know how many watts it uses. Highly unlikely that it uses the same.

 

When I installed 2 way Radio, lights, siren on Police, Fire and Ambulance we typically tied to the Vehicle Ground bolt normally behind the passenger kick panel or directly to the battery depending on availability and needs. The amperage the circuit consumed dictated wire size (varied between 10 awg-6 awg typically) and properly fused.

 

It should pull between 8.5-10 amps of current depending on the Radio’s efficiency. Even though #14 awg wire would do it I personally would use 12 awg with no larger than a 20 amp fuse but no smaller than 14awg wire and a 15 amp fuse at the power source.