On 7/26/12 6:12 AM, K8RI wrote:
> On 7/25/2012 11:11 PM, Jim Lux wrote:
>> On 7/25/12 6:34 PM, K8RI wrote:
>>> On 7/25/2012 9:23 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
>>>> On 7/25/2012 1:15 PM, Steve Jones wrote:
>>>>> Do I need a separate CAT 5 cable for each antenna's Remote Driver, or can
>>>>> a
>>>>> single CAT 5's four pairs handle two SteppIR antennas?
>>>>
>>>> CAT5 is great cable, and has great noise (and RF) immunity if you use a
>>>> pair for each signalling (or control) circuit, BUT it's pretty small
>>>> gauge,
>>>
>>> And solid so it's pretty fragile.
>>>
>>
>> what you want to do is terminate it in a decent punchdown block or
>> similar terminal block at each end that doesn't move. Once you install
>> the wire, you should never need to move it, so the fragility isn't a big
>> deal. Millions of miles of cat 5 are installed this way with very few
>> problems.
>
> Between the shop and the house with 5 computers I have roughly 600 feet
> of the stuff. (Part CAT-5 and part CAT-6) I use the RJ45 connectors.
> I've never had any fail, but as you say, it doesn't move once installed.
> When I see it used for the antenna control I think of being on the
> tower, out in the elements, and moving with antenna rotation.
>
Yes.. you'd want to get a different kind of cable for that part of the
application, but the run from house to tower, CAT 5 would be just fine.
There are flexible, exterior rated flavors of Cat 5. I'd check with a
company like L-Com, who have lots of different cables and termination
hardware.
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