[TowerTalk] SUMMARY: Feeding cables into the shack
Ted Boerkamp
boerkamp@nortelnetworks.com
Mon, 19 Jul 1999 07:43:00 -0400
Hello everyone.....I had a few requests to post a summary of all the
responses I received with regards to this issue (I guess alot of us
are at the same stage!) so here they are....quite the tedious cut and
paste job hihi!! Alot of good ideas.....Thanks everyone!
Subject:
RE: [TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Tue, 13 Jul 1999 08:38:52 -0500
From:
"MAERTZ, A REID" <amaertz@oppd.com>
To:
"Boerkamp, Ted (T.) [EXCHANGE:BRAM:0G31:NTC]"
<boerkamp@americasm01.nt.com>
Hi Ted:
I'm not sure my method is ideal but it has worked well so far without having
to disconnect when the storms form over Nebraska.
I placed a sprinkler control box in the ground near the house with ( I think
they're Polyphaser) lightning arrestors for rotor cables and coax. These
are well grounded to several 8 foot rods in a system with large copper
braid. Inside the shack I have grounding coax switches, also grounded to
the ground rod system, which I do ensure are set to ground when the station
is not in use (this of course grounds all antennas). This is placed near the
incoming hole for the cables which is chiseled through my basement wall and
the cables entering the house through PVC.
I'm fairly confident in the system and haven't had any problems.
GL,
Reid W0FVR
Subject:
Re: [TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Tue, 13 Jul 1999 10:25:12 -0400
From:
LYN <w4wdn@amsat.org>
To:
"Boerkamp, Ted (T.) [EXCHANGE:BRAM:0G31:NTC]"
<boerkamp@americasm01.nt.com>
CC:
Towertalk Reflector <towertalk@contesting.com>
References:
1
Ted Boerkamp wrote:
> However, I am looking for ideas in regards to feeding my coaxes
> and control cables into my shack and providing some kind of quick dis-connect
> method in case of lightening.
Ted,
This is a small point, but I think a safer way to think of the electrical
function
just mentioned is "a quick way to connect the antenna temporarily when ready to
use
it".
In other words, at my home the antennas STAY disconnected from the house except
while actively in use.
Lyn, W4WDN
Subject:
Re: [TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Tue, 13 Jul 1999 10:30:17 -0400
From:
Pete Smith <n4zr@contesting.com>
To:
"Boerkamp, Ted (T.) [EXCHANGE:BRAM:0G31:NTC]"
<boerkamp@americasm01.nt.com>
Ted, I'd suggest mounting an old chassis (or metal electrical box, perhaps)
right by the feed-in tube. Ground it by the most direct means possible,
and use SO-239s to terminate each of your lines coming in (and cinch-jones
or similar connectors for rotator control cables, etc.) at the top of the
box. Run jumpers of coax straight across the box to more SO-239s going to
your gear. This will allow you to install lightning suppressors in the box
later if you decide you want to. At a minimum, you will then be able
easily to unplug everything at the top of the box. You could even mount
additional, shorted SO-239s next to the "good ones", and plug the lines
from the tower into them when not in use.
73, Pete N4ZR
Sometimes a tower is just a tower
Subject:
Re: [TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Tue, 13 Jul 1999 10:33:56 -0400
From:
n8ug@juno.com
To:
"Boerkamp, Ted (T.) [EXCHANGE:BRAM:0G31:NTC]"
<boerkamp@americasm01.nt.com>
Ted, we make a 4 or 6 position buss, designed to attach to the edge of
the table, shelf, window sill, etc., with quick disconnects for the ends
of the coax. When you shut down, you yank 'em off of the rig and push 'em
on the buss - thus grounding all the antennas and isolating the
equipment. It's positive and economical. ($18.95 & 22.95)
If you can rec. files on your e-mail, I'll scan 'em and fire off the
images, if you wish.
We also have the very popular "trailer type" disconnects for rotors - 6
and 8 pole. Easy to weather proof, if needed($4.50 & $6.85), and you can
get an extra maile or female to ground the run from the rotor if you want
to do it right.
73,
Press Jones, N8UG, The Wireman, Inc., Landrum, SC, 29356
Sales (800)727-WIRE(9473) or orders@thewireman.com
Tech help (864)895-4195 or n8ug@thewireman.com
http://www.thewireman.com and the WIRELINE news
and bargain page. Our 22nd year!
Subject:
Re: [TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Tue, 13 Jul 1999 11:45:28 EDT
From:
K5KT@aol.com
To:
"Boerkamp, Ted (T.) [EXCHANGE:BRAM:0G31:NTC]"
<boerkamp@americasm01.nt.com>
HI Ted,
I represent THE WIREMAN out here in the Western US. We have in our
extensive line of Antenna related products two items that might be of
interest and suitable for you..
As far as the Control Cables, we have our 8 Pole Rotor Disconnect
(both Male and Female connnected with about 8" of 8 #16 wire); our # 352
which I use here and find a lot of interest when I show them out here.. The
item is made up of two rows of 8 pins in a molded rubberized fashion with 7
pins covered and one pin uncovered in the Female; and 7 pins uncovered and
one pin covered in the Male..
For your quick disconnect of Coax, we have our Grounding Buss with 4
or 6 'ports' that each comes with two quick disconnect connectors that have a
Female UHF connector that screws onto the PL-259 and can ordinarily be Pushed
on to your regular input to your Antenna Tuner, Amp, or Transceiver....and
then when you want to protect your equipment, you just pull the coax (with
quick disconnect connector on it) from the eqpt and onto the 4 or 6 port
Grounding Buss (that is shorted -center pin to ground and GROUNDED also)..
IT is our # 857 (4 port) & 858 (6 port).
You should be able to call our 800 727-9473 number to get further
details, etc.. IF the 800 number does not work from VE, then you can try our
direct number at 864 895-4195.. If you do call them, I would appreciate
it if you would tell them that I referred you to them... Please let me
know, via reply E-MAIL here, if you have any questions or comments. I hope
I've been helpful to you
73
Joe
Subject:
[TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Tue, 13 Jul 1999 12:28:13 -0400
From:
"Achterhof, Butch" <achterhofm@US-HAMPTON-02.mail.SAIC.com>
To:
"Boerkamp, Ted (T.) [EXCHANGE:BRAM:0G31:NTC]"
<boerkamp@americasm01.nt.com>
Ted,
Like you, I'm using a 4" dryer vent to feed the cables through for now.
This can be a pain.
What I plan on doing is to mount a 12"x12"x4" NEMA 4 metal box (water
resistant) on the outside of the house (well grounded) and have 12" long
barrel connectors going into the house and mounting on a plywood board with
a copper plate attached (ground point). The inlet location will be next to
the desk so I should have plenty of room to disconnect things. The rotor
cable will feed through into a 8 pin quick disconnect plug. The cables will
enter the outside box from the bottom through water tight passthroughs.
This way I can seal the box to keep out water and bugs.
Mine is still in the planning stages, I do have the NEMA 4 box and the 12"
connectors but the actual details are yet to be fully worked out.
Hope this give you some ideas.
later. . .
Butch
WA4MA
Butch Achterhof
Network Administrator
SAIC - Atlantic Programs Division
Phone: (757) 826-0470 ext.312
Fax: (757) 838-1454
marvin.l.achterhof@cpmx.saic.com
Subject:
Re: [TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Tue, 13 Jul 1999 14:29:40 -0500
From:
Brad Bradford <kz5q@bellsouth.net>
Organization:
home
To:
"Boerkamp, Ted (T.) [EXCHANGE:BRAM:0G31:NTC]"
<boerkamp@americasm01.nt.com>
References:
1
Jones is great for Rotor Control Protection, I had a Pro Search Smoked &
went to the Jones Plug, I had not been hit again but I know the New
[that was nearly 10 years ago] will be safe. I would use on any cable,
excepting COAX. It might work on the HF bands but I would not trust.
There is also available a water tight connector but the cost is
prohibitive. I had to use them on Electrical Controls Connection in the
elements, I had a 10 wire connector and the COST was out of Sight.
Plus, it would take much longer to disconnect.
As for the coax, I will let others tell you their ideas. The Commercial
Panel is the best but out of my reach financially. I have to unhook. But
only 2 cables. I had a old old old Drake Switch Box for coax I bought at
a Hamfest nearly 20 years ago. I have not seen one since. I is rugged.
Slower than the new remote switch controllers but it does the job. 4 or
5 seconds don't make that much difference in time.
73 Brad KZ5Q
Subject:
RE: [TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Tue, 13 Jul 1999 21:16:30 -0400
From:
"Alfred J. Frugoli (KE1FO)" <ke1fo@contesting.com>
To:
"Boerkamp, Ted (T.) [EXCHANGE:BRAM:0G31:NTC]"
<boerkamp@americasm01.nt.com>
I would mount a metal panell on the wall as close to the entry point as
possible. This can be used to mount lightning arrestors and/or bulkhead
connectors on. IU believe this si what Polyphaser suggests if you cannot do
a "pass thorugh" pannel. Arrestors would be best. They probably won't do
much in a direct hit, but they will bleed off any static produced by normal
everyday cloud cover passing overhead, which can often be more harmful
becuase you don't even think about it being a problem (have no hard evidence
of this, and it may be false, but I have heard it mentioned on various
reflectors multiple times). For rotor cables etc I use simple radio shack
molex connectors indoors. They come apart easily, and some in many
different configurations which make it easy to match the number of pins to
the cable so you don't have excess pins, or multiple connectors for one
cable. I use the same outdoors, and coax seal and tape the hell out of
them. Kinda makes the quick disconnect part useless, but in a pinch it's
better that cutting a cable.
Good luck with your project.
Al, KE1FO
Subject:
[TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Wed, 14 Jul 1999 09:35:56 -0400
From:
Mel Martin <mel@interlink.net>
To:
towertalk@contesting.com
One posibility is to use BNC jumpers... they are perfectly adequate at
amateur power levels at HF.
--
Mel Martin
mel@interlink.net
VE2DC
Subject:
Re: [TowerTalk] feeding cables into the shack
Date:
Wed, 14 Jul 1999 11:01:28 -0400
From:
"Peter J. F. Shaw" <k4ldr@hitter.net>
To:
"Boerkamp, Ted (T.) [EXCHANGE:BRAM:0G31:NTC]"
<boerkamp@americasm01.nt.com>
References:
1
Ahoy Ted:
My cables go outside radio central towards the antennas via three 4
inch diameter PVC pipes thru the exterior concrete block wall.
Actually the cables are RG-213 jumpers about 25 feet long that go to a
post (set in the ground) that has the lightning protectors mounted on
it (in a box). The protectors remain connected to the antennas at all
times and if I see a lightning storm coming, I disconnect the jumpers
from the protectors and put the ends (PL-259s) in an upside down
plastic jug away from the post. The jug keeps the rain away from the
plugs.
My central Florida location, near the Gulf of Mexico, has the 2nd
highest frequency of lightning ground strikes in the WORLD. 1st in
Western hemisphere. Description of the lightning around here is not
possible. It is incredible and scary at least. I took 4 strikes last
year. A fire in radio central. Hundreds of feet of feed lines
vaporized. TVs, fones, security system, computer modems, cooked. I
must be doing something right since I haven't lost any ham equipment.
The lightning strikes are a real problem and expensive. I have plenty
of lightning protection but when all that wire is stretched across the
fields, on a prominent hilltop, it is all a target.
Gud luk
73 Pete K4LDR Citrus County, FL
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