[TowerTalk] Routing cables - tower to shack

[Tom Rauch]

> I have read a lot of posts that the coax, rotator and other cables should
> ideally come out the bottom of the tower and then proceed at the same
> height to the shack so as to avoid a downhill cable run.


The problem as far as I know is lightning. If the cables leave the 
tower above ground level, it is bad news for lightning protection.
 
> My thought is to have all the cables come out of the tower under the
> bottom rung,  go to a metal box next to the tower, be grounded there, and
> then proceed at about the 4' level (near the tower) taped around a steel
> guy wire (as a messenger cable for support) and anchored at the house at
> about 12' above ground (slight downward slope from tower) where the cables
> will then be routed to another metal box (and grounded again) and then
> proceed inside to the shack to an aluminum panel with disconnects.

That's probably OK if the messenger cable does not attach to the 
tower, and starts several feet from the tower. Of course the best 
thing is to have the cable run underground to the house!

> The aluminum panel will be grounded to the outside metal box with thick
> solid copper wire through a hole in the side of the house which the cables
> will also pass through.

The best place for the bulkhead ground is just outside the building. 
Running the ground wire back out with the cables is not a good 
idea at all. 

The situation is a wide copper flashing straight down from the 
bulkhead to a real good ground that also ties with a very low 
impedance connection into the utility grounds for the house.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com 

List Sponsor: Are you thinking about installing a tower this summer? Call us
for information on our fabulous Trylon Titan self-supporting towers - up to
96-feet for less than $2000! at 888-833-3104 <A HREF="http://www.ChampionRadio.com">
www.ChampionRadio.com</A>

-----
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com