[TowerTalk] Coax and control lines in same PVC (Steve Jones)-Option

[Jim Lux]

On 6/17/13 11:51 AM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
>
> You still need to provide +12V to switch the relays plus power for the
> WiFi receivers *and* protect the sensitive receivers located at the base
> bottom of a huge lightning rod from damage from both water (rain) and
> lightning.
>

yeah, but those "sensitive receivers" these days are <$20 and it would 
be fairly easy to build a "lightning proof" box that passes 2.4GHz (slots)

Actually, you might want to look into something like aircable, which is 
a long range bluetooth type interface.



> Copper control cables with proper lightning protection and relay output
> controllers are far more reliable and damage resistant than small signal
> (WiFi boxes) devices.

For the cost of hundreds of feet of multiconductor wire and those 
protection devices, you can probably buy a lot of WiFi interfaces.

I'm not sure what the most cost effective architecture would be.

And if you are running copper the whole way, then Ethernet (using fiber) 
might be a good approach.

You still need power, as you point out, but I would send 110V out, and 
put a power supply at the base of the tower.