[TowerTalk] Rotator cable

[Phil Camera]

For my AlfaSpid installation, which is over 500 ft from the shack, I used the following.

>From the controller in the shack to the lightning arrestor (ICE type) just outside the window of the shack I ran regular multi conductor rotator cable (#12 for the power and used the #14 for the positioner).  From the arrestor out to the base of the tower, the longest run, I used #10 UF rated Romex (yes solid) and fire alarm cable (2 - #18),  the run up the tower (120 ft), was transitioned back to regular 8 conductor rotator cable.  With this type of wiring and rotating a 3el 40M beam, 32 ft boom, I've had to back off on the voltage supplied to the system to 12 v at the shack (I installed a 5 amp variable voltage supply since I was worried about voltage drop and slow rotation when designing the system over three years ago and initially thought I'd have to supply more than 12 volts.) because any higher voltage results in the antenna rotating too fast and making me cringe when I stop it and it shakes a bit.  Hope this helps.  Phil  KB9CRY

-------------- Original message -------------- 

> > Where do I find rotator cable with 2 x #14 (#12 would be better still) 
> >> and 2 x #18 (or smaller) conductors for an AlfaSpid? 
> 
> Many people have suggested (both on the reflector and in individual 
> emails) Romex. 
> 
> Now that I think about it, I can't see why the right kind of Romex 
> wouldn't work -- the kind that's intended for wet locations and is UV 
> resistant: "UF-B" ?? 
> 
> But Romex uses solid conductors, whereas all the stuff that is sold as 
> being for rotator use (e.g., the various Belden cables with conductors 
> of two different sizes) is stranded and therefore more flexible. Why 
> specify a flexible cable when nothing below the rotator should be moving 
> around and requiring flexibility? 
> 
> I'd thought of using the stuff they sell for low-voltage outdoor 
> lighting systems. It's available with stranded conductors of various 
> different gages and is claimed to be UV resistant, but has only two 
> conductors, so I'd need two separate runs. Anybody see anything wrong 
> with this? 
> 
> Alan NV8A 
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