[HCARC] COAX Support On A Crank Up Tower

[Gary and Arlene Johnson]

On Tower Talk they have been discussing ways to support the excess Coax Cable when the tower is cranked down.  The problem is that the coax takes a sharp bend over the stand offs when the tower is cranked down and this sharp bend degrades the coax at the bend point.  There have been several solutions of which here are three:

1.  Let the coax slide freely through the stand offs so that it coils on the ground when the tower is retracted.  Problem then is the Coax is being supported only from the top most attachment point.

2.  Use some special stand offs that have a 1/3 circle support where the Coax is attached to so when the coax folds over the standoff the sharpness of the fold is held open.

3.  Take a three foot section of old garden hose and run your Coax through it for each stand off support position the garden hose so that half of it is on each side of the stand off.  The garden hose keeps the Coax from bending too tightly and solves the problem.

So far #3 sounds the best is the cheapest.

Gary J
N5BAA
HCARC Secretary 2013