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Re: [TowerTalk] Old Coax and cable questions

To: Towertalk <towertalk@contesting.com>, "kq2m@kq2m.com" <kq2m@kq2m.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Old Coax and cable questions
From: "Jon Zaimes, AA1K via TowerTalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Reply-to: "Jon Zaimes, AA1K" <jz73@verizon.net>
Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2025 23:45:17 +0000 (UTC)
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Hi Bob,
I have used old coax for radials and rotor control cable. For radials I just 
tied the shield and center conductor together. For a 500' run to one tower I 
used cheap RG8 with the shield for the ground conductor and the center for the 
brake line (on a T2X). Been in service over 25 years, just laying on the ground 
(now covered by years of forest debris).
Local scrap yards here usually take coax and insulated cables. They pay by the 
pound. The $5 price you mentioned is likely for bare copper; price for 
insulated copper wire is considerably less. 
Taping up old coax or rotor cables if the sheath gets sliced may prolong its 
life. For coax, I first peel back more of the sheath around any opening. If 
there is bright copper shield visible then I may tape it (using Scotch 130C or 
similar, then Scotch 33). If the shield is tarnished (dark) then it's time to 
replace. 
If you have an antenna analyzer with a TDR function, such as the Rig Expert 
AA230, running this on a cable can also give a good indication of the condition.

73/Jon

Jon P. Zaimes, AA1K
Tower climber for hire
Felton, Delaware
http://www.aa1k.us/
Cell: 302-632-2353 

Reviews of AA1K tower work on eham website: 
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/12922

Hug your favorite tower every day, and always stay connected to it. 

    On Sunday, September 28, 2025 at 04:20:09 PM EDT, kq2m@kq2m.com 
<kq2m@kq2m.com> wrote:   

 
For the past 4 months I have been denuding my hilltop from 30 years 
growth of Poison Ivy/Sumac/Oak, Thorn Bushes of all types and thousands 
of saplings.  In the process I have been discovering old coax, some of 
it in possibly re-useable and some of it ready for the landfill.

Questions:

1) I have heard people say that it can be taken to the scrapyard.  With 
Copper ~ $5 / lb, is there any correlation to how much 1000' of old 
RG213 might be worth as scrap?

2) Can old coax be recycled as ground radials or elevated radials for 
verticals, 4-squares, etc?  Does it need to be stripped to the Center 
Conductor or can it be connected to the cc or the braid?  Does it matter 
whether the cc or the braid is connected to ground?

3) For Coax currently in service that has cuts in the PVC cover with 
some of the braid showing, does this need to be cut away and replaced or 
can it simply be taped over and then continue to be used?

4) I also have old 3 and 5 conductor unshielded cables in use outside 
that have had the white outside covering abraded and with some of the 
colored wire insulation showing.

Any idea what this might be worth at the scrapyard per 100'?

Can this be used as radial wire?

Tnx & 73


Bob, KQ2M





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