On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 19:23:33 -0500, John Soto
wrote:

I'm planning to run 6 RG11 feeds for my DishTV setup. What is the best
way of making sure the connections are *waterproof* indefinately.

I originally went with RG-11 and found it too unwieldy and went back
to RG-6. You have plenty of signal so unless the cables are *really*
long it's not a problem.


I'm using T&B SNS connectors on the cable and where the connection
meets the LNB, I'm thinking about using some sorta of silicone grease

DC-4 or DC-5 compound works well when used sparingly and *only* at the
one end of the cable.

The problem with using silicon grease is getting anything to stick
afterwards. You have to be very careful with the stuff.

As others have mentioned, coax seal (tm), or the electrical putty, and
liquid electrical tape all work well as does the flooded heat shrink
tubing. The latter makes the neatest and most mechanically sound
connection, but you don't want to put too much stress on that "F"
connector on the LNB. The RG-11 was putting far too much stress on
mine. I have both the DISH Network and C-Band satellite reception and
found even with 200 foot runs to both the big and little dishes the
RG-6 was preferable, at least in my situation.

sealant on the threds, plenty of wrapping with Scotch 88 tape and then
a coat of Skotchcoat.

I prefer simple is better. (on the LNB I just give the F connectors
and cable a couple of coats of liquid electrical tape and a little dab
of DC-4 compound inside) Nor do I use Scotch 88 tape. I have problems
with it in both high temperature and low temperature extremes. In
most cases I've found the "cheap" stuff worked better over a wider
range, but you have to try it first as the quality may vary widely.

One other point, I never flood the connectors in a splice. Only at the
far outside end do I flood the connector. Splices get only the
flooded heat shrink tubing. When shrunk it has a wall thickness about
twice to three times the thickness of the RG-11 jacket. The flooding
compound thoroughly seals the outside of the cable and connectors from
the elements with no additional wrapping.


Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair?)
www.rogerhalstead.com