[TowerTalk] Feed Lines at the Rotator... Best way?

[Bill Putney]

Here's one of those questions that after 30 years of hamming has never come up
(for me). I just moved to a place where I could put up and rotatable HF
antenna.

I got the 50' Rohn 25 tower up safely. After putting life and limb at risk
trying to get a trolley system working to get the antenna up through the guy
wires the armstrong way I got a crane to set the antenna at the top of the
tower. Worked a day with 3 friends on the trolley. The crane did it in 20 Min.
And it only cost me $200.

I ran LMR-400 from the shack to the top of the tower and coupled it into RG-8.
The idea is that it's more flexible that the LMR-400. It's still pretty stiff.
I not only have the HF antenna but a VHF/UHF yagi and a 50/144/220/440 Mhz
Vertical above the rotator. So all three feed lines come down together.

Any hints about how to keep the twisting and stretching of rotating the
antennas from fatiguing the "flexible" links. I watched it work from the ground
and it goes from loose and floppy to what looks like way to tight. To make
things worse I have one of those cool Yeasu rotators that allow 450 degree
rotation.

I know I'm obsessing over this but I'm not too old to learn another trick.

Thanks, Bill

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