[TowerTalk] Two questions

[wa5zup]

I see that you got several responses on the conduit run question.  Going
with bigger conduit where good ones.

What I did not see was much on the second question, which is what I was
interested in seeing what came back, for my own information on what I am
doing.

I can also recommend Online Metals. I have used them several times. They are
not exactly cheap.  But everything on their site they have, they will cut it
to any size you want, and it ships out usually the next day.

A 24' x 36" 12 gauge panel from OnLine Metals is $492(13 gauge). Copper
strap, such as what Polyphaser sells, is 26 gauge I think. A 24" x 36" 24
gauge sheet from OnLine is $104.  A big difference in price!  You would, of
course have to use some sort of backer board material with the thinner
copper.
 
I guess I just do not see why a aluminum panel, for mounting lightning
arrestors to, would not suffice.  Would copper be better--sure.  But it is
cost versus return. Copper to aluminum connections are done all the time in
the electrical industry.  That is what Noalox compound is made for.

I would like to see someone else's input on that.

John
Wa5zup

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Peter Dougherty
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 10:07 AM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Two questions

Hi all,

As part of getting some yard work done this year, I'd like to run 
some cable about 100 feet underground to my inverted-L feedpoint. 
Currently I'm using direct-bury Davis-RF coax in a shallow (6") 
trench. I'd prefer to put in a conduit and run everything through 
there instead. I'm thinking of 3 coax runs to accommodate my 
inverted-L, a 40/80 Butternut vertical and maybe one more for 
expansion purposes later.

The question here is should I run solid PVC for this (plumbing white 
or electrical-grey), or should I be using flexible plastic drainage 
line with slots cut in it do drain moisture?

Also, does anybody know a source for sheet-copper? I'm putting my 
single-point ground panel together in the next few weeks and the only 
one sold commercially for that purpose (Polyphaser's) seems 
prohibitively expensive. I'm thinking 24 x 36" or so, 12 gauge thickness.

Could I substitute aluminium sheeting instead of copper? Stainless, 
perhaps??  I will be running 2" copper strap to the bonded ground 
system outside, so I'm thinking "galvanic action" between copper 
strapping and aluminum sheet.



Regards,

Peter,
W2IRT 

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