[TowerTalk] Cables up the tower

[Fred Mott]

1.	I have Andrews 7/8 Helix from the shack to the tower top.  What coax
(with type N connectors) would you recommend to go up the mast to the
antenna? 

 

2.	I can install my rotor and SteppIR control cable up the inside of
the tower either with 1 inch plastic conduit, which would be ½ inch from the
tower legs so the plastic conduit will be free to move up and down with
temperature and weather change.   Or I could secure the cables directly
inside the tower secured with SS hose clamps over rubber tape and or Scotch
88 tape.   I read some time ago that running the cables inside the tower
framework next to one of the legs would add act as a faraday shield which
would help protect the lines from EMP (nearby lightning).  The problem with
it secured directly to the tower leg would cause the SteppIR control cable
to turn color and maybe have a premature life.  The plastic conduit is the
type that is UV protected.  I would only have to have a small nylon rope
taped to it every so often to prevent the cable from stretching from its own
weight.  The nylon rope would be secured in a conduit box at the top of the
tower.  I prefer the conduit but what if lightning does hit, will the cables
have the same protection inside the conduit verses secured directly to the
tower leg inside the tower.  What do you think or prefer assuming that the
extra work and cost were not a variable? 

 

Fred Mott, AB8AH