[TowerTalk] Feed Line Entry

[Pete Smith]

At 08:33 AM 10/23/03 -0500, you wrote:
>I have just bought a new house and am faced with decisions. Any and all 
>input would be appreciated. Trying to decide which way to bring the coax / 
>feedline / ground into the shack. ( One of the bedrooms )  It's like a new 
>vehicle, you don't want to drill any holes. My choices are to go through 
>the floor, through the wall or through the window. I'm thinking some kind 
>of plexi glass box in the window. I'm located in NW MO. where I understand 
>the winters can be rather harsh. I've been following the group since I 
>moved here. There is a wealth of information here, just have to 
>ask..................Tom N4RS


Tom, this subject has been covered A LOT on Towertalk.  Suggest you go to 
www.contesting.com, select the Towertalk archive and use the excellent 
search engine there to look for info.

You don't mention whether the shack is 1st or second floor (I assume not 
the basement, or you would have said).

My personal solution in a second floor bedroom was to fabricate an aluminum 
panel with bulkhead connectors and various plugs and sockets for rotators, 
etc. -- mostly Jones plugs.  I "boxed" the aluminum panel in 1x6 lumber, 
such that it sits on the window sill and the window closes on it.  In 
really cold climates some folks have backed the aluminum with rigid 
insulation board.  I had a storm window made locally - not expensive - to 
close the gap between the box and the top of the window opening, as well as 
a screen for summer.

One advantage of this approach is that the aluminum panel can serve as a 
ground reference for the entire station, including -- though I don't use 
them myself -- individual lightning suppressors for the coax and control 
leads.  I got a heavy sheet of aluminum free by going down to the local 
highway department and begging one of their taken-down signs (I didn't use 
the part with the bullet holes).

73, Pete N4ZR
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