[Elecraft] Marking cables.

[riese-k3djc at juno.com]

thought this thread was closed   ??

Bob K3DJC



On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 16:52:02 GMT "k3hx at juno.com" <k3hx at juno.com> writes:
> I've found the Brother "touch system to be inadequate.  The labels 
> fade very quickly in sunlight and fade (albeit much more slowly) 
> indoors.
> 
> For cables both inside and outside, I prefer coloured tape.  Scotch 
> 33 is available
> in standard colours for this purpose and can be purchased at a real 
> hardware store
> or "big box" retailer.
> 
> To differentiate between cables, I make the first colour 1.5 times 
> the width of the
> roll and subsequent colours standard width.
> 
> For example: cable 45 vs cable 54.
> 
> Cable 45 would have a wide yellow band and a regular width green 
> band.
> 
> Cable 54 would have a wide green band and a regular width yellow 
> band.
> 
> I do not use black or grey tape as they do not contrast well against 
> black or grey
> cables.
> 
> I do not use the same colour more than once so the colours can be 
> distinguished.
> 
> My experience is that violet tape does not stand up to outdoor use 
> as well as the other colours.
> 
> I use an arbitrary classification system so: Note that there are no 
> same colours
> on the same cable so there are no lines 22,33,44,55,66,77,88,99.
> 
> 1x series  Lines to HF antennas   
> 
> 2x series  Lines between equipment (rig to antenna tuner, for 
> example)
> 
> 3x series  Control lines         rotor, remote antenna switch, 
> remote antenna tuner
> 
> 4x series  DC power
> 
> 5x series  AC power
> 
> 6x series  Grounds
> 
> 7x series  Lines to VHF-UHF antennas including repeaters
> 
> 8x series  not used yet
> 
> 9x series  not used yet
> 
> Should you need additional lines for a specific classification, it 
> is easy to add
> a 3rd digit with another normal width piece of tape.  For example, 
> another HF
> antenna line could be line 125:   wide brown, normal red, normal 
> green.
> 
> Signal direction of travel can be indicated so: 
> At the source, place the wide band right up to the connector, at the 
> load, place the narrow band(s) right up next to the connector.
> 
> I made up a table to indicate what goes where: (partial example 
> below)
>      CAPITALS indicate wide band.
> 
> LINE    COLOURS          FROM              TO                NOTES
> 74      VIO - yel        IC-7000  HF out   6m beam           8214 
> 64' new 7-2013
> 
> 75      VIO - grn        IC-7000 VHF out   2m beam           8214 
> 56' new 8-2012
> 
> I've found it important to date each iteration of the Line sheet to 
> keep track of
> changes like adding another antenna.
> 
> In each junction-remote tuner box, there is a waterproofed line 
> sheet copy.
> I used a laser printer and then spray the sheets with Krylon matte 
> clear until the
> paper is soaked and then let it hang-dry.  I've had good results 
> with this. Inkjet
> printing will run when it gets wet or even humid.
> 
> For labeling outdoor objects, metal Dymo tape is hard to beat.  The 
> catch is
> that it is wildly expensive and takes vast amounts of money to 
> purchase the specially constructed die-cast metal lettering tool.  I 
> spent half-vast sums of money for mine at a hamfest.  The metallic 
> tape comes (came?) in aluminum and stainless steel.  UV proof and 
> the adhesive is quite strong.
> 
> For permanent writing, use a paint-based marker as the common "magic 
> marker" ink
> is subject to quickly fading. 
> 
> Markal (company name) makes a line of high-quality paint markers as 
> does Nissen.  
> If you state permits it, the xylene-based paints work better than 
> water-based.
> Check with WW Grainger or Fastenal. 
> 
> These paint markers mark on metal quite well but will flake off 
> anything that
> flexes.
> 
> The "Sharpie" metallic markers are suitable only for inside work.  
> I've not had
> much experience with their "Sharpie" paint markers. 
> 
> 72,
> 
> Tim Colbert  K3HX 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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