[TowerTalk] Introduction

[Clay Autery]

So are y'all saying that large diameter coax is just going to disappear
from existence, or just the cheap ends.

______________________
Clay Autery, KY5G
MONTAC Enterprises
(318) 518-1389

On 2/4/2017 5:36 PM, Jim Thomson wrote:
> As KK9A mentioned, the surplus market for 7/8" and larger coax will be 
> gradually drying up in the future. Virtually all new cell site builds 
> are utilizing tower top radios connected via fiber. 1/2" is still used 
> and will continue to be used for jumpers between the radios and 
> antennas, although we also are currently using "Air" antennas which have 
> the radios built in.
>
> Since the cell market has been the major source of well priced surplus 
> Heliax style cable...get it while you can.
>
> -Steve K8LX
>
> ##  agreed, heliax .875 inch and larger, has gone the way of the do-do bird. 
> I retired from the local telco back in nov 2009, and several months b4 that, 
> I was at a cell site one day, and saw em installing fiber optic cables to the top
> of the freestanding 90 ft tall concrete tower.   Tower originally had 4-5 huge
> microwave dishes on it for a heavy route system.
>
> ##  I think G3 cell service was just being rolled out  prior to my retirement.
> Several other cell carriers had ants on our tower, and one of em went the
> fiber optic route 1st.   Everybody else followed.   No coax used at all on any cell tower
> these days.    Now whether the old heliax was  removed is another matter.  A lot of times
> its just left in place.  No budget for removal and shipping and disposal.  No time  either.
>
> ##  It might get eventually removed..at great expense.   We went through semi trailer loads of
> the larger heliax.  Cell sites being slammed in every week at one point. 
>
> ##  If u see it surplus, buy it if its in good shape.   But dont expect continuous runs of much more
> than 150 ft.      Earlier days they used N connectors, then later to 7-16 DIN.  If u see the surplus
> 7-16 dins, snag them too.  1.125 inch heliax was used quire a bit as well, depending on freq used, 
> and length involved.  
>
> Jim   VE7RF  
>
> fo/towertalk