Source for 4-conductor antenna rotator cable?
aemeijers
carry twinlead any more, much less 4-conductor outdoor-rated ribbon
cable. One place had crappy rather overpriced 3-conductor cable from
China, in small coils, which is apparently the modern standard. I could
fake it with 2 runs of outdoor-rated landscape light zip wire, but that
would look crude. I looked online, but didn't find 4-conductor. When I
was a kid, every hardware store had a big reel of it, and you bought how
much you needed.
I'm trying to do a low-buck backup TV signal source, and with stations
in 3 major directions, I have to repoint antenna to feed my converter
box. I was all set to buy a flying-saucer omni antenna, but tripped
across (literally) this rotor and control box for 2 bucks at a garage
sale. It works (on the ground at least), but the cable is too short for
my roof, and in pretty nasty shape.
Rotor box says 'colormaster lc100a' on it. Looks to be a clone of the
channel master my family had when I was a kid.
Anybody know if all 4 wires are really needed, or can I combine 2 of them?
--
aem sends...
Ralph Mowery
"aemeijers" <aeme...@att.net> wrote in message
news:GKv4m.102975$d36....@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
Look here for the wire:
http://www.thewireman.com/rotorp.html
It is $ .24 per foot for 100 feet or more. Product number 308. It has 4
number 20 wires.
I have not seen an TV that has a 300 ohm twinlead hookup in years. That is
probably why you did not see it in the stores. With the switch to digital,
I doubt any tv or converter will have the need for the twinlead. Maybe a
few rare cases.
Colbyt
"aemeijers" <aeme...@att.net> wrote in message
news:GKv4m.102975$d36....@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
It has been a long time and I do not know if all 4 are needed.
Radio Shack has this 3 wire cable:
http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=rotor%20cable&origkw=rotor%20cable&sr=1
Happy shopping.
Colbyt
Bob F
> Subject says it all, almost. Checked the local Borgs- they don't even
> carry twinlead any more, much less 4-conductor outdoor-rated ribbon
> cable. One place had crappy rather overpriced 3-conductor cable from
> China, in small coils, which is apparently the modern standard. I
> could fake it with 2 runs of outdoor-rated landscape light zip wire,
> but that would look crude. I looked online, but didn't find
> 4-conductor. When I was a kid, every hardware store had a big reel of
> it, and you bought how much you needed.
How about sprinkler cable? Often found near the sprinkler heads, etc inb the
plumbing dept.
Available with different # of conductors.
BQ340
I have been using 4-conductor telephone line on mine for the past 13
years with no problems.
MikeB
EXT
Use "thermostat" cable.
mm
> I could
>fake it with 2 runs of outdoor-rated landscape light zip wire, but that
>would look crude.
Twist them around each other every six inches or so and they won't
spearate and you can tell people it's frappage or domage or whatever
they call artwork with ropes. Or you can say it's to prevent
induction of voltages due to lighting strikes. Like they run
twisted pairs for burglar alarm sensor wires (because they are long
runs I think) and they twist twin lead.
I used phone line for my burglar alarm sensor wires and after about 18
years, my control panel smoked to death. But I don't know why.
Or use teleophone wire like BQ says.
KC
You need all 4 wires - 2 for the syncro & 2 for the power.
Radio Shack has what you are asking for:
http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2032238
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049618
KC
aemeijers
happen to have a partial box of cat3 sitting in the basement that I
bought for a couple bucks at a garage sale a couple of years ago. I can
unreel 25 feet or so, and try a smoke test on the ground before I string
it. I guess if it acts unhappy, I can always do 2 runs, and double up
the conductors.
Did I mention I'm trying to do this on the cheap? (Just on general
principles- I can afford a new one, but doing it for next to nothing
would please my inner cheap SOB, and honor the memory of my late EE
grandfather, who was also a cheap SOB.)
Now all I need to scrounge is a short stick of mast and a couple of U
bolts....
--
aem sends....
Tony Hwang
Two things come to mind. 4 or 6 wire thermostat hook up cable or a pair
of twisted pair cable.
mm
>mm wrote:
>> On Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:26:30 GMT, aemeijers <aeme...@att.net> wrote:
>>
>>> I could
>>> fake it with 2 runs of outdoor-rated landscape light zip wire, but that
>>> would look crude.
>>
>> Twist them around each other every six inches or so and they won't
>> spearate and you can tell people it's frappage or domage or whatever
>> they call artwork with ropes. Or you can say it's to prevent
>> induction of voltages due to lighting strikes. Like they run
>> twisted pairs for burglar alarm sensor wires (because they are long
>> runs I think) and they twist twin lead.
>>
>> I used phone line for my burglar alarm sensor wires and after about 18
>> years, my control panel smoked to death. But I don't know why.
>>
>> Or use teleophone wire like BQ says.
>>
>>> I looked online, but didn't find 4-conductor. When I
>>> was a kid, every hardware store had a big reel of it, and you bought how
>>> much you needed.
>>
>Thanks, all- if I get motivated this weekend, I'll try phone cable. I
>happen to have a partial box of cat3 sitting in the basement that I
>bought for a couple bucks at a garage sale a couple of years ago. I can
>unreel 25 feet or so, and try a smoke test on the ground before I string
>it. I guess if it acts unhappy, I can always do 2 runs, and double up
>the conductors.
Motors don't use much current, but I don't know how much or the gauge
of Cat-3. Frankly, if the gauge is too low, the voltage available at
the motor will be too low and the motor won't turn fast enough. So
pay attention to that. If it doesn't turn at all, I guess the motor
can overheat and burn out. All the energy that would go into motion
will turn into heat, plus whatever heat it would normally have in the
motor. That second part shouldn't be much when they only run for less
than a minute, right. Ten or 20 seconds?
It seems to me there is no way you will burn out the wire you are
about to use, or almost any wire, because the excess heat will be
distributed along 20 plus feet. It won't even get warm to the touch.
>Did I mention I'm trying to do this on the cheap? (Just on general
>principles- I can afford a new one, but doing it for next to nothing
>would please my inner cheap SOB, and honor the memory of my late EE
>grandfather, who was also a cheap SOB.)
That's important. I agree with you. And your father would be proud.
And I'd rather be cheap and never run out of money.
Steve Stone
might want to check to see if you have a chance of picking anything up
by going to www.tvfool.com.
300 ohm twin lead usually doesn't work out well with all the broadband
noise in todays world.
RG-6 coax is a much better choice if you find some in your price range.
aemeijers
cousin to the 4-conductor flat I was looking for, and used to be right
beside it at the hardware stores. I can get the stations (well, all but
the PBS station) if the antenna is aimed right, which the roof antenna
currently is not. I've been playing with a V-shaped RV antenna hung with
a spring clamp in the front window, and it does pretty well, but I have
to keep moving it to get all the stations. So I know the signal is out
there, and most of them are within the 40 miles my roof antenna is rated
for. The signal drop itself will be commercial-grade RG-6 quad with the
fancy compression connectors, that I rescued from a dumpster at work.
--
aem sends....