Have you ever thought about using a copper pipe to route the Coax thru the rafter/joist/foundation to the outside, and terminate it in a tee fitting? The coax exits the tee and you have a separate copper pipe of 1/2" to 3/4" pounded into the ground - surrounding the ground rod as a sheath.
First, you need the pipe into the ground...
You keep the ground rod, but the copper pipe used would be a thick wall "M" and you solder a hose coupling onto the pipe - place the pipe over the ground rod (remove that clamp first) start pounding the pipe gently into the ground around the ground rod and using the hose - screw a hose onto the fitting - turn on the water. And use water as a means to make the cavity and allow the pipe to slide around the rod, you simply apply the downward force to put the pipe into the ground straight down..
(The above is if you can't remove the ground rod easily - this process was discussed in several ARRL handbooks in one fashion or another as a means to make an effective grounding for your station.
However, if the ground rod can be pulled and removed the pipe can take the place of it. You'll need at least a 10 foot pipe to get you at least 8 feet of that pipe below soil surface and a method to attach grounding clamps if you install arrestors or need radial grounds for image / counterpoise.
The Tee gives you the ability to route and keep the coax at earth ground potentials into the station and the pipe is your station ground for all equipment involved.
You can also use this method if you want multiple grounding locations - along the copper pipe route. You can even do up a trench to allow the copper pipe to route to the antenna with the coax inside - just ensure you have a breakpoint for the coax to be disconnected. somewhere along the line if you don't use the station for a period of time. Back at the Tee is best if the antenna is mounted separately and away from the common house grounding location - Galvanic and Electrolytic corrosion from eddy currents and dissimilar metal reductions as moisture and oxides form which can accelerate the corrosion process if left to itself.)
Secondly you'll need to thread the coax thru the pipe. You can use sinkers and fishline or just a wire routed end to end in the pipes' initial route and fitting - keep your wire (like leftover stainless steel guy wire and thimble if needed...) inside it as you solder the pipe sections together - just leave some of the lead wire out of the pipe so you can break any solder "blebbling) that may pool along the fittings thru pulling.
The above is something I've done for my own station it's not hard but it isn't easy either - don't make it seem like work if you don't have to. Make it a fun experience - like installing lawn sprinkling - for RF energy...
Some would say it's overkill but again, a lightning strike can kill overtly as well.
You did ask...
:+> Andy <+:
