Chipmunks got into my conduit (3" PVC) between my shack and my tower and
did a job on cable insulation. They shorted several wires in the SteppIR
control cable (blowing driver chips in the controller) and even ate bits of
the SHIELD from several places in several coax cables. (There were
different types of coax, and the chipmunks worked on all of them. No one
type, such as the direct burial cables, was immune.)
I am replacing the controller cable and the main coax to my beam. I cut out
the bad parts of other coax and spliced them (using proper plugs and the
short barrel connectors) -- these are for 80/40 antennas and now check OK
when measured going to a dummy load.
I'll do a better job of blocking the ends of the conduit.
QUESTION: Will moth balls in the conduit help? Will they harm the coax
outer cover? (Unfortunately, the neighborhood cats are too well fed ---
they usually just watch the chipmunks.)
Bill - W2WO
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