[TowerTalk] Rigging Dipoles and Growing Old

[Keith Dutson]

>What I do is lace the cable with rope just like you would a wire harness
with string. That rope then holds the dipole insulator and balun as well as
the feedline. That keeps the weight off the junction where the cable
attaches to the dipoles, and doesn't let the joint flex so much.

This is a critical part of the design.  Without it, the coax will separate
from the connector over time in bad weather.  It happened to me from 150
feet.  In my case, I had not planned for the hanging coax but the plastic
ties holding it to the tower broke, one-by-one, over a year of bad storms.
Tape over the plastic would have prevented this.

73, Keith NM5G

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Tom Rauch
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 8:24 PM
To: Lee Buller; TowerTalk Reflector
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rigging Dipoles and Growing Old

> Can I let the coax (RG8 - Type) hang down fairly low to the bottom of 
> the tower (say 10 feet or so).

I have 160 feet hanging from a 80 meter dipole since 1999, and I used to
have 300 feet plus hanging from 160 antennas for a few years that were on my
318 ft tower. What I do is lace the cable with rope just like you would a
wire harness with string. That rope then holds the dipole insulator and
balun as well as the feedline. That keeps the weight off the junction where
the cable attaches to the dipoles, and doesn't klet the joint flex so much.

>What is the pitfalls of allowing the coax to hang freely.

It blows around in the wind a little.

I've never had a single problem, ever.. and I've had hundreds of feet of
cable dangling from various towers and antennas over the years...some even
350 feet high. I can't imagine 50 feet being any sort of headache.

73 Tom

_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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