[Towertalk] Cable purchase source info requested

[EUGENE SMAR]

TT:

     Sorry for the confusing posting.  To clear things up - my response,
directed at K0QE's original posting,  was to agree with Jerry's and Mark's
recommendations to use PVC conduit, rather than hard-to-find direct-buriable
cable.  (I know Pres sells Buryflex, but Dave was looking for control and
phone cable, too.)  End of point one, I hope.

    I did NOT make a recommendation on buriable cable.  The reason I
suggested Dave should use conduit :  no need for buriable cable in that
case.  (Point two.)

    Point three - In my conduit system I drilled several half-inch holes in
the bottoms of the three low spots (trust me - there are three.)  I did
cover the holes with the aforementioned plastic material to keep varmints
out.  What I did NOT mention (at least in this thread) is that I dug a
little sump pit underneath each low spot/conduit hole and filled it with
broken concrete pieces (left over from the tower foundation pour; one could
also use gravel) so that the drained water would percolate into the ground.
If K0QE's water table is perpetually near the surface maybe this wouldn't be
a satisfactory solution for him.  But in my case when I last used the pull
rope to pull the control cable for my antenna switch through, the rope was
dry as a bone.  At least for me the hole/sump arrangement works.  I can't
rely on evaporation to keep the ends of the conduit runs dry - the conduits
come above ground into a sealed steel box at both ends and is not exposed to
abient air.

     BTW - this sump in the low ends of conduits is also used by electric
companies (I used to be an engineer at one) to drain the accumulated water
from their underground conduits, too.  Must be something to it.

73 de
Gene Smar  AD3F
P.S.  Yesterday I tried shunt-feeding the Trylon on 80M with no success.
I'll try a different technique some time later and report on both.  Still
works like gangbusters on 160, though.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark <AA6DX@pacbell.net>
To: towertalk@contesting.com <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 10:45 PM
Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Cable purchase source info requested


>Hmmm .. Gene .. errrr---where is your suggestion on the type of cable to
>use?  Or ... did you get sidetracked, as some others of us did, getting
>enthralled with the PVC conduit idear?   I was responding to a response,
not
>the original query necessarily.
>As to the hole in the pipe ... totally disagree.  That's asking for
>disaster.....the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out ... far better idea,
>put a "rise" at/near center of conduit run, so the moisture runs OUT of the
>system, not sitting under it like a septic tank leach system!  Engineer it
>more better! IMHO ..Mark  AA6DX
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "EUGENE SMAR" <SPELUNK.SUENO@prodigy.net>
>To: "Jerry Kincade" <w5kp@swbell.net>; <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 7:21 PM
>Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Cable purchase source info requested
>
>
>> Dave K0QE (the originator of this thread):
>>
>>      I concur with everyone's recommendation on the PVC conduit, but make
>it
>> bigger than you think you'll need initially.  Being hams, we inevitably
>WILL
>> change something someday.  But I'd add that you ought to provide a drain
>> hole in the underside of the conduit at its low point(s).  As Jerry said,
>> water WILL get in and you have to deal with it.  You might also want to
>wrap
>> some plastic material that's used in flower gardens to keep weeds down
>over
>> the drain holes.  This way the varmints don't get in but the water can
get
>> out.
>>
>>      The advantage of a conduit system, besides protecting the cable and
>> allowing for changing it, is you don't need to buy direct-bury jacketing
>for
>> your cables.  (How many responses to your direct question on buriable
>cable
>> have you received so far?)
>>
>> 73 de
>> Gene Smar  AD3F
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Jerry Kincade <w5kp@swbell.net>
>> To: towertalk@contesting.com <towertalk@contesting.com>
>> Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 8:32 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Cable purchase source info requested
>>
>>
>> >Certainly good advice, but on the plugging of the ends, I'd recommend a
>wad
>> >of fiberglass window screen material instead. That allows the conduit to
>> >breathe, because no matter what, it WILL have water in it.
>> >73, Jerry W5KP
>> >
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "Mark" <AA6DX@pacbell.net>
>> >To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>> >Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 12:54 PM
>> >Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Cable purchase source info requested
>> >
>> >
>> >> I certainly concur with Jim ... and, while you are at it ... run some
>> >spare
>> >> "fish lines" too .. and use conduit large enough to allow easy
>> replacement
>> >> through the years, and I suggest plugging the ends with OAKUM, which
>> keeps
>> >> moisture, rodents. etc. out of
>> >> your underground system ... it's available in a well stocked hardware
>> >> store's plumbing department.  Looks like a horse's tail, but dirtier
..
>> >> smells bad ... but, worky worky!  73 -- Mark, AA6DX
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Towertalk mailing list
>Towertalk@contesting.com
>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk