[TowerTalk] burying hardline

[john at kk9a.com]

I have buried a lot of larger diameter Heliax directly in the ground with no 
issues.  The only reason I could see to put it in the PVC pipe would be to 
provide an extra layer to protection when digging, but it would be really 
stuffed and hard to fish though.  I use thin wall 4" PVC just for my control 
wires.

John KK9A


To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] burying hardline
From: "Mark, K5ER" <k5er at arrl.net>
Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:24:40 -0500
List-post: <towertalk at contesting.com">mailto:towertalk at contesting.com>

         I got through this past contest season with cables laid on the
ground, but now its time to run permanent cables to the towers, so I need
some advice. I plan to run all feedlines and control cables underground,
since they are not compatible with the riding mower. I have access to
enough 4" PVC, so plan to bury it from the shack's SPG to each tower base.

         Tower #1 is 125' from shack, and will either hold antenna, or
connection points for four bands(for now). I will have 4 rotors and 2
switch boxes on this tower. I plan to run 6 control lines and  6 feed lines
to this tower.

         Tower #2 is about 50' from shack and will require minimum of 3
feed lines and 4 control cables.

         I have about 1000 feet of LDF4-50, ON HAND, so I plan to use it,
rather than buy coax, which would be more lossy. Now the question - would
YOU run the hardline inside the 4" PVC, or simply lay it in the trench,
beside the PVC (which WILL house the control cables), leaving extra room
inside the conduit for future runs, if they are ever needed?  For the
record, I'm in North Louisiana, and the soil is a clay/loam mix with no
rocks to damage the hardline. In the Spring/Fall, the ground is moist (not
wet). In the Summer, it is fairly dry.

Thanks!
Mark, K5ER