In article ,
JB wrote:

I don't know if you have seen CATV hardline with a tank strapped to the
utility pole. That keeps water out by pressurizing the hardline.

Shameful. Just *imagine* the effect of all that nitrogen leaking out
into the atmosphere! What won't those cable guys try go get away with
next? (grin)

CATV
systems DO have problems with corrosion all the time. With all that cable
though, the cost to get it up and running is enormous, and they would rather
be complaint driven instead. They also use circulators so that the stuff
people do in their house doesn't feed back into the system and screw all the
other customers up.

The 2m people, most business PLMR and the Cops don't get it so they complain
about jammers so you get irate service calls. But you can't talk to them
because if you talk technical, they cover their ears, scream LALA LALA!!
accuse you of lying, and they won't pay for the cure anyway (remember, if
you have to think about the answer, you're lying).

Heh. You haven't met the senior hardware guy (Scott N6NXI) on our
2M/220/440 repeater project. He's the staunchest opponent of using
foil/braid cable on a repeater that you're ever likely to meet, and
insisted on all of our stuff being done to solid commercial-grade
standards (circulators, bandpass filters on the auxiliary radios,
etc.). Most of the cables inside the rack are custom-cut/routed .25"
heliax.

It was a lot of work (and more money) but it has paid off in
reliability. We've got 3 repeaters and their duplexers in a single
rack, right next to one another, and no crosstalk or intermod or
desense problems... and we share the site with a powerful
paging-service transmitter and a bunch of public-service radio gear.

We do use LMR and 9913
for cheap simplex ground level base station installs because it is cheaper
and easier to route. Don't use it around your rotor though. The foil will
tear up.

Good point - thanks - I'll remember to use a braid-cable jumper when I
put up a hexbeam later this year.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
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