[OKDXA] Plan C - NOT placing coax in plastic pipe

[Nelson Derks]

Yokay... We're talking RX only and that simplifies the situation as we 
can think about RG-59 and 3/4" PVC. If you run the coax elevated you're 
looking at a vertical support every 40' to 50' and on a run that long... 
Especially if it isn't a straight line... That would require a fair 
amount of tension on the coax to keep it mostly horizontal. The vertical 
supports would tend to be pulled from side to side as they zig and zag. 
On 10' PVC you'd want about 2' in the ground lest some of them try to 
fall over. I'd be concerned about how much pull the coax could take, ice 
storms, fallen branches, etc. Your net height would be in the 8' range 
with less between the vertical supports and anything that hangs less 
than 7' up makes me nervous. I'm thinking high maintenance with enough 
visual impact to make an elevated run worth reconsidering.

Not having seen the property but being familiar with the joys of digging 
a trench near trees and cutting roots to do it, I'd be very tempted to 
run PVC on the ground through the wooded areas and shallow trench it 
anywhere that might see a lawn mower. Next time you're at the handy guy 
store price out the bundle price on 3/4" gray PVC conduit. Generally 
they'll have a 10 stick bundle discounted from the usual per-piece price 
and one end is flared so you won't need couplers. If it's on the ground 
there's not much need to glue it and having the pieces jam-fit together 
will simplify your life when it's time to thread the coax through the 
pipe. If you're concerned about the pipe being kicked around or 
otherwise moved, once it's wired and ready to RX there's nothing that 
says you can't spike standard half-round electrical clamps to the ground 
with large nails to stabilize the run. As for water intrusion, shouldn't 
be too hard to figure out where the low spots are and drill a weep hole 
or three so it can drain. Dig a shallow pit under the weep hole(s) and 
bring it back up to level with some gravel to reduce the risk of 
standing water until the gravel packs up with organic debris. I'm 
assuming this area does not see livestock, ATV's or dirt bikes. (?)

The other advantage to laying the PVC on the ground is that if you 
decide to rip it out in the future you're looking at an afternoon job 
instead of a weekend job. If it looks funky, rake some dirt over the 
pipe or just wait. Mother nature will provide plenty of ground cover and 
the medium gray tends to blend. If all you need is a single run of coax, 
3/4" PVC is big enough for RG-59 through RG-213.

BTW: In the fall poison ivy has a reddish-brown stem. Look for a fairly 
sturdy vine growing in shaded areas with three leaf clusters. It loves 
to climb trees and wiggle around inside bushes. The leaves are teardrop 
shaped and unique in that no two leaves are exactly alike. Some will 
have a notch on one side, both sides, smooth edge, serrated edge, each 
leaf is unique unlike other plants where all the leaves are identical. 
I've been fighting poison ivy on the north side of the house for several 
years and this year the soil is going to get nuked with a broad spectrum 
herbicide as soon as I pull the plants I want to save. Damn stuff will 
light me up about 3-4 days after exposure so whenever I think I missed 
the bullet... Fooled again. Got me good twice this summer. ;)