[Boatanchors] Question

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

The reference to coaxial cable came from an earlier comment concerning how to 
pass a balanced line through a wall.  One suggestion was to use two stubs of 
coax to get through the wall without having to cut a large rectangular hole.  
My assumption was that the spark plugs were to be used as insulated 
feed-throughs with built-in spark arrestors.  Which as it happens wasn't the idea.

In my case here, the wall through which the antenna leads must pass is in an 
unfinished corner of what was once upon a time called a garage.  I used 3" 
diameter bowl insulators.  But all of my antennas are like utility shipboard 
antennas, single wire fed or coaxial cable fed.

In a message dated 8/5/2008 7:30:56 PM Central Daylight Time, 
n9zsv at magtel.com writes: 
> The spark plug method is used on balanced lines not co-ax.  There are 
> plenty of co-ax arrestors on the market but people who use twin lead or open line 
> have to make their own.  It's good to find out about the lawn mower plugs.  
> You would circle the top of the plug with the open line or a striped section 
> of twin lead and the bottom of the plug would be threaded into a copper 
> plate which was grounded.  Some plugs have a top fitted to a threaded stem which 
> could be removed and a  circular lug placed over the threaded stem and a nut 
> and washer installed.  Then the lug would be crimped to the open line.  Of 
> course you would need two plugs.  I wonder if several plugs for each line 
> starting with a wide gap and narrowing to the smallest gap that would take the 
> power would be a better idea?  I think you would need to cover all this to 
> prevent rain and snow from shorting it out.  
> 73  Gary
> 
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480