[TowerTalk] Outdoor Coax Issue

[Jerry K]

James, we members of this fine reflector have never been known to 
"sufficiently" analyze or engineer anything! LOL...
Jerry W5KP

Richards wrote:
> Golly, fellas, this is only going to traverse 50 feet of my back
> yard.  The only traffic it gets is  Jose and his mower, a few
> marauding neighbor kids, and a squirrel I would like to zap.
>
> Just in case I was not clear before, this is Times Microwave
> LMR 400 ?DB - which I believe is Direct Bury.   I do not skimp
> on equipment or do the junk meet bargain thing.   I know what
> you are talking about there.
>
> I thought it was OK to just bury it.   I expect I may have to
> replace it in a few years.  That is not my concern,... I just
> don't want it to go bad because I let it sit in water all winter.
>
> Last January the wife and I installed my first transmitting
> antennas (in a snow storm so as to enhance reliability)  and
> just laid the coax (some cheap RG-8X) on the ground under
> the snow, and foolishly hoped no one would trip over it.
> In the Spring, I rebuilt them all, and hung dipoles in
> different directions, so the coax can now hand airborne back
> to the deck, and under the deck to the shack, so they are
> off the ground now.
>
> My present concern is the yard has a low area running right to
> left for water drainage and during the Winter and Spring snow
> and rain saturate the soil, and for some time it puddles, and
> the coax will run right through that area up the hill to the antenna.
>
> So, I worry about having coax sitting in saturated soil and
> standing water for several weeks at a time.   Of course, last
> year I had that  cheap RG-8X  in the same situation and it
> still works fine.
>
> Some say to just lay it on the surface and disappear into
> the thatch.  So, if that is OK, then why not bury it about
> 6 inches down?   I thought that would be even better, other
> than the water issue would remain.
>
> I did not consider the electrical code...   maybe I should?
>
> I am not anticipating inspections.   Antenna structures up
> to 55 feet are allowed without any regulation, permits or
> inspections.   Not a very high limit, but total freedom up
> to that height.  Could be worse... as we well know.
>
> Hope that clarifies my situation.   I really appreciate the replies!
>
> ================  James =======================
>
>
>
> Roger (K8RI) wrote:
>
>   
>>> Are you subject to electrical codes?  Or, more to the point, do you 
>>> want to be code compliant?  
>>>       
>
>   > Another question is there any traffic through the area and what kind of
>   
>> soil?
>>     
>
>   
>> Replace coax when it needs it, not by schedule.
>> There are a number of "buriable" cables and then there is "direct bury". 
>>     
>
>    However I'd recommend staying away from
>   
>> the cheap cables often found at swaps.
>>     
>
>   
>> =======================================================
>>     
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