[TowerTalk] Bundling of tower coax and control lines

[Larry Loen]

I live in the low Sonoran dessert (1400 feet above sea level) and UV is
something we worry about around here.

My stuff is too new at about a year in place, but I am wondering a bit
about some of my setup.  I have an MOV box that is discolored (no other
problems; no cracks, etc.) and I have some exposed PVC conduit that is so
far unchanged, except for one slightly darker elbow.

The Home Depot actually suggested that ordinary paint could prove to work
well for cables.  I haven't tried that one yet.  Maybe it buys an extra
year or two before the paint cracks?

I am also wrapping some of my ground level cable in canvas.  I figure that
it is thick enough to block it.  If the canvas dies, it would be cheap
enough to replace.

I haven't though about what to do about the cables hanging from the tower.
I was kind of resigned to replacing them eventually.  My tower is a crankup
and it seems to me that the whole question of covering them with anything
is problematical.  If you come up with an answer, I'd love to hear it.


Larry WO7R


On Sat, Nov 16, 2013 at 6:24 AM, Patrick Greenlee
<patrick_g at windstream.net>wrote:

> Roger, Your UV is not nearly the intensity of the 5000 ft high desert QTH.
> What works for you will not work with the intense UV of the high desert.
>
> Ray, I think the dripline is something to consider. I think it should be
> much more survivable than typical water hoses which the UV eats quickly. I
> have had HD clear plastic tubing turn to sticky goo in under a year. I have
> used some 1/2 and 3/4 inch black plastic tubing in drip systems and it
> lasted with no apparent damage for several years. The black plastic wire
> covering "tubing" (wire loom) with a slit on one side lasts for several
> years.  I always found it necessary to put some tape around it every so
> often or to use a few distributed tie wraps to keep the enclosed wires from
> popping out when the bundle was flexed. Maybe you could ferret out the mfg
> and buy it in longer lengths that the shorter ones at the auto parts store.
>
> Patrick AF5CK
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Roger (K8RI) on TT
> Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2013 2:27 AM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Bundling of tower coax and control lines
>
>
> On 11/16/2013 2:51 AM, Ray Benny wrote:
>
>> The subject of bundling tower coax with a spiral/twist type material was
>> recently mentioned. I cannot seem to find it.
>>
>> I would like to bundle my coax and other cables, hanging from coax arms,
>> to
>> protect them from UV rays. My QTH is high desert, almost 5000 ft elevation
>> and control lines on other towers are starting to be affected. I used non
>> UV resistant cables that I had on hand at the time,
>>
>
> My Opinion:
>
> Because of the cost and work involved, I'd choose to just replace the
> cables.
> There are very few coax cables and rotator cables that are very
> sensitive to UV.
> The only brand name coax sensitive to UV "that I know of" are the
> UltraFlex versions of the LMR series.
> I do have "old" rotator cables that the outer jacket is failing after
> nearly 30 years.
>
>
> If the cables have been up long enough to already show substantial
> deterioration, it's time to replace them anyway.
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>  Does anyone have leads to locate some of this UV resistant material? I've
>> seen this type of material for indoor cables, in 6 - 8 ft lengths. I'm
>> hoping someone makes long lengths, 50 ft or so and of different diameters.
>>
>> Just a thought, has anyone successfully used large diameter black water
>> drip line for this? Seems to cover 2 RG8 size coax cables, a #12/2 copper
>> line and a 3/8" control line would require at least a 1" diameter line.
>>
>> Tnx,
>>
>> Ray, N6VR
>> Chino Valley, AZ
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
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