[TowerTalk] Routing Coax on a Crank Up Tower

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/9/2008 1:28:38 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:

>  Since I started erecting my tower I have requested advice  from this group
and received excellent guidance. 
 
    You came to the right place!
 
>  Now the tower is up and I need advice on
how to rout the  coax on a crack Up Tower. When lowering the tower what is
the neatest and  safest way to route the coax so that when extending the
tower the coax will  easily "unwind" again. I am hoping for some good ideas
as I could not come  up with a single one - hi! 


    My preferred method is to tape the bundle of  cables every foot or so 
into one bundle. Secure the cables from the rotator  and down the mast to a 
rotation loop to the top-most coax standoff. Then  have the cable bundle run thru 
the subsequent standoffs to act as guides on  the way up and down. The cable 
bundle will coil onto the ground as it come  down and the reverse is true as 
well. Some guys like to collect the cable  bundle into something; e.g. garbage 
can, big fishing net, kiddie's swimming  pool. 
 
    An alternative is to secure the bundle to each  standoff. This 
necessitates a lot of farting around running the tower up and  down to get the lengths 
right and IMO doesn't buy you much. 
 
    The even more important aspect of this question  is to ALWAYS BE STANDING 
AT THE TOWER WHENEVER IT IS IN MOTION! A cable can  catch on something, 
something can break. If you're not watching it with the  kill switch within easy 
reach and you're not watching it, you're courting  disaster. 
 
    Love those crack up towers. 
 
Cheers,
Steve    K7LXC
TOWER TECH -
Professional tower services for hams
Cell:206-890-4188








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