[MRCA] coax recommendation sought

[W2HX]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I have some very solid leads to follow up on.  I should mention that I have two 90 degree elbows in the conduit (one going in and one coming out). Here are some pictures:

Here is the 90 degree bend, it takes about 17 inches to complete the bend, I am not sure what that works out to in inches of radius..
http://www.w2hx.com/x/Antenna-related/Vertical/90-degree.jpg

and here are other pictures of the conduit laid into the trench.
http://www.w2hx.com/x/Antenna-related/Vertical/

these two pictures (which you've already seen if you went through the folder of pictures above) show where the hard conduit comes up into the soffit and into the shack (second floor above garage).  There is another 90-degree bend under the patio flagstone (Same bend as before).
http://www.w2hx.com/x/Antenna-related/Vertical/IMG_20140521_140417_931.jpg
http://www.w2hx.com/x/Antenna-related/Vertical/IMG_20140521_140428_266.jpg

I am concerned about hardline (some folks have recommended) making those bends. But conversely, I am concerned about anything other than hardline just pulling apart under the force required to pull it.

73 Eugene W2HX

From: Ray Fantini [mailto:RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 1:09 PM
To: W2HX; mrca at mailman.qth.net
Subject: RE: coax recommendation sought

Andrew LDF-450 ½ hardline would be my choice, as long as you are using broad sweep turns and have no more than two or three turns you can pull it thru by using a snake first and then a heavy pull line. I have no issues running 1 kW in broadcast service using this type of line with N connectors and they are available at a reasonable price. Think I have at least one or two long coils left over from other jobs or that was stripped from towers that you can have but will have to check the length first. I would also pull a small multi conductor cable at the same time and that way in the future you can build a remote relay at the far end to select different antennas to connect to that line. The problem is once its run you will not be able to fish anything else without pulling everything! Did you use conduit or interduct? Also keep in mind that if it's a buried pathway and if both ends are above grade once water gets in it will be there forever. Bad news for PVC or soft skin coax.

Ray F

From: MRCA [mailto:mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of W2HX
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 11:26 AM
To: mrca at mailman.qth.net<mailto:mrca at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [MRCA] coax recommendation sought

Hello all,

I need to run some coax from the shack out about 160 feet to a vertical. Here's the story. While having a new kitchen built this past fall and winter, I had the workers bury a flexible 2" conduit out to a new antenna site.  It is a flexible conduit and I needed that because it had to meander a little to avoid bedrock and other outcroppings in the backyard.

I am looking for some coax that is flexible so that it can be pulled through the conduit without too much trouble. I need legal limit HF and loss is not a huge issue for me considering its only 160 feet (total end-to-end) or so.  Also there will be a coupler at the base so I am not worried about loss in the coax caused by SWR.

One last point, I need to make sure I can affix either a PL-259 or N connector, I haven't decided yet. Can anyone make a recommendation? I've looked at bury-flex and RG-8X and some others but I am not sure what I should get.

Some other details: I will pull a mule tape through first, and I will grease the cable bundle as it goes through. I plan to run 2 coax and some multi conductor cable. Hopefully it will all fit within 2"

73 Eugene W2HX

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