• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Rotator cable?

D

DXER1

Guest
I am going to get a rotator for my TV antenna, The only problem I have is that I need more than 100 ft. to reach from my antenna to my TV. What do I need to do in order to connect two or more 100 ft. rolls of rotator cable to another?

<P ID="signature">______________
"I'm a gonna go to hell when I die!" Connan O'Brien

"yay boo, yay boo, it's lots of fun to do, if ya like it holler yay, and if ya don't ya holler boo!"

Connan O'Brien
</P>
 
> I am going to get a rotator for my TV antenna, The only
> problem I have is that I need more than 100 ft. to reach
> from my antenna to my TV. What do I need to do in order to
> connect two or more 100 ft. rolls of rotator cable to
> another?

First find out how much cable the rotor will allow you to use.
Go too far and the copper loss might reduce the voltage reaching
the top to a point where it won't work.

If you do find it workable I'd suggest avoiding connectors:

1. Obtain a couple of feet of shrink tubing of sufficient diameter
to slide over the cable.

2. Obtain a couple of feet of shrink tubing of appropriate diameter
to cover one (insulated) wire within the cable.

3. Side the larger tubing over one of the pieces of cable to be
joined and get it back a few feet so it isn't inadvertantly heated
too soon.

4. Separate out the conductors from each of the cables to be joined.

5. Slip a smaller piece of the thinner shrink tubing over each and
slide it back out of the way.

6. For neatness, cut back the individual wires so they are staggered;
not all the splice points right up against each other.

7. Strip back the wires; twist and solder each matching wire.
We'll hope each wire is color coded but, if not, just
be careful to get a visual match. Typically one wire might be
tinned and the others not or one might have a small ridge on
the insulation. If so, just be sure to first match up the
"marked" wires and keep the others in proper rotation.

8. Slide up the heat shrink to cover each soldered splice; using a
heat gun or hair dryer, shrink the tubing. Let it cool.

9. Slide the larger diameter tubing up over the several insulated
splices and heat to make a good tight seal.

10. If you want the splice to outlive you, over-wrap the tubing with
old fashioned self-vulcanizing rubber tape and then over-wrap it with
two courses of U/V resistant plastic tape.

11. Use stand-off brackets (as you should for the entire run) placed
immediately above and below the splice so as to minimize the chance of
it whipping in the wind.


May have seemed obvious to some but many, these days, would start messing
with expensive connectors that will just cause trouble in a year or two.
<P ID="signature">______________
Artificial intelligence is NO match for natural stupidity!</P>
 
...and now what we actually do:

1) strip wires with teeth
2) twist together the wrong pairs
3) cut apart the other end to fix the wrong pairs and don't document that you've changed it
4) there is no step 4
5) profit!!!<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> > I am going to get a rotator for my TV antenna, The only
> > problem I have is that I need more than 100 ft. to reach
> > from my antenna to my TV. What do I need to do in order to
>
> > connect two or more 100 ft. rolls of rotator cable to
> > another?
>
> First find out how much cable the rotor will allow you to
> use.
> Go too far and the copper loss might reduce the voltage
> reaching
> the top to a point where it won't work.
>
> If you do find it workable I'd suggest avoiding connectors:
>
> 1. Obtain a couple of feet of shrink tubing of sufficient
> diameter
> to slide over the cable.
>
> 2. Obtain a couple of feet of shrink tubing of appropriate
> diameter
> to cover one (insulated) wire within the cable.
>
> 3. Side the larger tubing over one of the pieces of cable
> to be
> joined and get it back a few feet so it isn't inadvertantly
> heated
> too soon.
>
> 4. Separate out the conductors from each of the cables to
> be joined.
>
> 5. Slip a smaller piece of the thinner shrink tubing over
> each and
> slide it back out of the way.
>
> 6. For neatness, cut back the individual wires so they are
> staggered;
> not all the splice points right up against each other.
>
> 7. Strip back the wires; twist and solder each matching
> wire.
> We'll hope each wire is color coded but, if not, just
> be careful to get a visual match. Typically one wire might
> be
> tinned and the others not or one might have a small ridge on
>
> the insulation. If so, just be sure to first match up the
> "marked" wires and keep the others in proper rotation.
>
> 8. Slide up the heat shrink to cover each soldered splice;
> using a
> heat gun or hair dryer, shrink the tubing. Let it cool.
>
> 9. Slide the larger diameter tubing up over the several
> insulated
> splices and heat to make a good tight seal.
>
> 10. If you want the splice to outlive you, over-wrap the
> tubing with
> old fashioned self-vulcanizing rubber tape and then
> over-wrap it with
> two courses of U/V resistant plastic tape.
>
> 11. Use stand-off brackets (as you should for the entire
> run) placed
> immediately above and below the splice so as to minimize the
> chance of
> it whipping in the wind.
>
>
> May have seemed obvious to some but many, these days, would
> start messing
> with expensive connectors that will just cause trouble in a
> year or two.
>
Would it be safe for me to run the cable under a window or will that hender the preformance?

Thanks for all the help
DXER1<P ID="signature">______________
"I'm a gonna go to hell when I die!" Connan O'Brien

"yay boo, yay boo, it's lots of fun to do, if ya like it holler yay, and if ya don't ya holler boo!"

Connan O'Brien
</P>
 
> Would it be safe for me to run the cable under a window or
> will that hender the preformance?

I think you mean you want to open a double-hung window, put the cable through, then close the window on it. Correct?

If so there are some things to think about:

1. Is your cable flat or round (cross-section)?

2. If flat, it may be thin enough that the window will still close properly with the cable under it. BUT....especialy if the window has a metal frame, it could do old Doctor Guillotine proud and cut your cable. Not just stop the rotor from working, maybe destroy it! You might be able to use a sharp knife to "relieve" a little room for the cable (same for round) but you're landlord will not be amused unless your work is very, very subtle.

3. If round cross-section, you could very carefully remove a few inches of the outer insulation and flatten out the conductors then protect them with a thin
wrap of electrician's tape. But, again, beware the possibility of cutting the wires.

No matter what, if the window is regularly used, you're gonna damage the insulation. So, if you resort to these tricks, keep an eye on the cable
and tape over any damage before it causes grief.

Since there's no "signal" on rotor cable even a metal frame (that doesn't cut it) should have no effect on operation. Different story if you start with twin-lead, though, as a metal windowframe would turn the length between the window and the TV into a sort of stub-filter. Might not hurt; might actually filter out any FM stuff that might be bleeding in.


<P ID="signature">______________
Artificial intelligence is NO match for natural stupidity!</P>
 
> I am going to get a rotator for my TV antenna, The only
> problem I have is that I need more than 100 ft. to reach
> from my antenna to my TV. What do I need to do in order to
> connect two or more 100 ft. rolls of rotator cable to
> another?
>

the simplest and most obvious solution is to figure out how much you need, then order a sufficient-length roll of the appropriate cable from Newark, Mouser, etc.

there will always be a use for the left-overs
 
> > I am going to get a rotator for my TV antenna, The only
> > problem I have is that I need more than 100 ft. to reach
> > from my antenna to my TV. What do I need to do in order to
>
> > connect two or more 100 ft. rolls of rotator cable to
> > another?
> >
>
> the simplest and most obvious solution is to figure out how
> much you need, then order a sufficient-length roll of the
> appropriate cable from Newark, Mouser, etc.
>
> there will always be a use for the left-overs
>
Hey guys a freind of mine who happens to be an engineer suggested that I go to Home Depot, Radio Shack or any other store that sells wire, and buy seperate wire, so if my rotator uses three wires, get three wires in three different colors in what ever gauge the rotator uses. He also sugessted using solid wire vs. strand wire. I am just getting several opinions and suggestions before I go and get the cable and find out that an idea doesn't or wouldn't work.

Thanks
DXER1<P ID="signature">______________
"I'm a gonna go to hell when I die!" Connan O'Brien

"yay boo, yay boo, it's lots of fun to do, if ya like it holler yay, and if ya don't ya holler boo!"

Connan O'Brien
</P>
 
> >
> Hey guys a freind of mine who happens to be an engineer
> suggested that I go to Home Depot, Radio Shack or any other
> store that sells wire, and buy seperate wire, so if my
> rotator uses three wires, get three wires in three different
> colors in what ever gauge the rotator uses. He also
> sugessted using solid wire vs. strand wire. I am just
> getting several opinions and suggestions before I go and get
> the cable and find out that an idea doesn't or wouldn't
> work.

I wouldn't recommend solid wire for that application. If you nick it when you strip it, even ever so slightly, it will eventually break at that point due to vibration caused by the wind. Stranded is much less likely to fail when it is flexed. Never underestimate the power of the wind to vibrate your rotor and antenna.

Be sure to get adequate gauge wire for the run. This is low voltage, and small wire will result in a significant voltage drop. How many conductors do you need? Three or four conductor stranded power cable is quite common at electrical suppliers including Home Depot. For the run you are doing, I’d recommend at least #16 and maybe #14 wire, all in one jacket. SJ, SJTO and other flexible cable types should be fine. You could also use what is commonly referred to as “Boat Cable.” It looks a lot like gray Romex, but is stranded, thus flexible. It is intended for low voltage applications such as yours. Another choice might be the flat cable that is used to wire trailers. I think it comes up to seven conductors. All one piece is nice too, since any splices are going to eventually be potential problem areas.
 
> > > I am going to get a rotator for my TV antenna, The only
> > > problem I have is that I need more than 100 ft. to reach
>
> > > from my antenna to my TV. What do I need to do in order
> to
> >
> > > connect two or more 100 ft. rolls of rotator cable to
> > > another?
> > >
> >
> > the simplest and most obvious solution is to figure out
> how
> > much you need, then order a sufficient-length roll of the
> > appropriate cable from Newark, Mouser, etc.
> >
> > there will always be a use for the left-overs
> >
> Hey guys a freind of mine who happens to be an engineer
> suggested that I go to Home Depot, Radio Shack or any other
> store that sells wire, and buy seperate wire, so if my
> rotator uses three wires, get three wires in three different
> colors in what ever gauge the rotator uses. He also
> sugessted using solid wire vs. strand wire. I am just
> getting several opinions and suggestions before I go and get
> the cable and find out that an idea doesn't or wouldn't
> work.
>
> Thanks
> DXER1
>

1) Solid wire is a definite 'NO' here

2) # 16 minimum

3) 'sunlight resistant' insulation needed

how many wires do you need ?

E
 
> ...and now what we actually do:
>
> 1) strip wires with teeth
> 2) twist together the wrong pairs
> 3) cut apart the other end to fix the wrong pairs and don't
> document that you've changed it
> 4) there is no step 4
> 5) profit!!!
>
Sounds like all my wiring.......lol<P ID="signature">______________
I've been listening to your show on the radio, and you seem like a friend to meeeeeeeee</P>
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom