Every connector and splice is a potential point of failure. IMO don't break
lines to add them unless you really need them.
The newer Ham IVs use a Cinch Jones plug on a pigtail. While the wire junctions
are inside the rotor, those connectors are not very weatherproof. My Ham IV
(old) uses a barrier strip on the bottom. It is not difficult to get a
screwdriver in there to disconnect. The only concession I made to
weatherproofing was to put a drip loop in the rotor cable so that water drains
away from that area. It hasn't been up that long, so who knows how long it will
last without a failure.
Al
AB2ZY
-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of CEPitts
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 7:10 PM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Rotor Cabling Query
I would like to hear from those in regards to ideas for the following. I know
there are those who have long runs of control cabling for rotation, switching,
etc. so I seek your ideas and advice.
I have a need for a temporary set up of a run that is 300 feet from the
operating position shack/controller to the top of the tower controlling a Ham 4
rotator. The final set up with be a run of 700 feet from tower to the operating
position shack/controller
Would it be best to provide a disconnect near the connection point at the top
of the tower with a short pigtail to the Ham 4, as well as a disconnect/splice
point at the bottom of the tower, and a final run to the shack/controller?
Based on previous discussions/ideas tossed around here within the last
2-3 weeks I would most likely take some ideas from the group in regards to
utlizing trailer type connects/disconnects and also splices within the entire
run.
A primary point/concern of my post is the length of the run on the temporary
300 ft and to the final goal of 700 ft. What size of the conductors/wire/cable
to utilize for the effort. Some part being heavy duty 8 conductor rotor cabling
in conjuction with splices and/or runs of UF solid wire cabling from 14 gauge
to 10 gauge such as 14/3, etc. or other such ideas on conductor size. A
reasonable cost/maintenance perspective would be ideal keeping in mind going
from the 300 ft to the
700 ft in the future and ease of said transistion. None of this will be buried,
I have that part taken care of.
*(tower/rotor)*****short pigtail/run-->>>---*****(pigtail/connect
splice)*****run to bottom of tower -->>>-->>>-----*** **(bottom of
tower/connect splice) *****--->>>---->>>---*-****temp
run*****>>---->>>>>>>---->>>>>>----->>>>>>>------>>>>>------->>>>> 300 ft
expanding to 700 ft>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (later to be the
permanent run)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>*** **to connect/splice back to 8 conductor rotor
cable ham 4 controller in shack.****
Besides possibly utilizing trailer type connects/disconnects I was also
considering utilizing 8-10 conductor terminal blocks for splices/junctions etc.
and I could possibly place those in weather resistant boxes at those points
where required....What is the thought on that approach?**
Thank you for all the input/ideas and73! Ed K5OF in NC
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