Antenna feed thru trailer wall - Open Roads Radio forum for Ham, Amateur Radio and RV camping

ke0me · 10-09-2014, 09:47 PM

I will hopefully be picking up our new fifth wheel next week. :-)

I talked to another ham in AZ who had installed a SO-239 feedthru unit in the wall of his trailer.

Anyone done something like that ? This would be like the TV coax feedthru, but with the UHF sized connector instead.

Also, how do I convince wife to let me drill a hole in a brand new unit? :-(

Dick

electricflyer · 10-09-2014, 10:40 PM

I don't know what kind of 5r you are getting but rather than put a hole in a wall how about bringing a coax up through a basement/storage compartment and roll you coax up in there and when you want to hook up just lay it out.

W5DOK · 10-10-2014, 06:03 PM

I have a friend with a fiver that mounted the pass thru beside the steps going to the top bedroom. The coax is routed thru the floor in the front compartment to the SO239 beside the steps. Looks neat and he didn't tell his wife until after the job was completed. She thought it was part of the trailer until he told her. Just shows, that sometimes better to ask forgiveness that ask permission.
Doc

Radio · 10-10-2014, 06:37 PM

I would leave the walls alone and go through the floor. Here's what I did in our 5th wheel.

http://www.openroadsradio.net/forums...highlight=pass

There are no cables involved. It's just a weather proof tube through which I can run any type of cable I desire, coax, twin lead, power, battery, whatever. It never goes obsolete, and I never have the wrong kind of cable/wire.

The tools involved cost more than the materials. It was pretty cheap.

ke0me · 10-10-2014, 10:14 PM

Guys,

Thanks for the ideas, I don't have the unit until later in October, so will start to look for places then.

The 5er is a Chaparral Lite 25IKS fifth wheel. The outside storage compartment in the slide has been designated only for radio equipment :-)

wa8yxm · 10-12-2014, 06:00 AM

Anhone install a bulkhead connector in their bulkhead? (I translated the question)

Yes, I have... Now there are two ways

First, Measure thickness of wall, then buy a bulkhead connector (Double SO-239 feed through) long enough to make the trip.

Or

Cut a "Vent" like a stove vent into the wall, NOTE> most stove vents are not quite 'Deep" enough so...

Glue the flapper shut, then in teh BOTTOM HALF drill holes for your bulkhead connectors and apply them and nuts, on the outside put right angle adapters. .

Works rather well (now I did it only I drilled too high )

NN5I · 10-12-2014, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ke0me

Also, how do I convince wife to let me drill a hole in a brand new unit?

Your wording should be about as follows:

Sweetheart, I need to punch a few holes for cables for my ham radio hobby. Ham radio is a really neat hobby. There aren't many habbies as neat as ham radio. Maybe ten or twenty at most, certainly not as many as fifty. I would hate to try to find another hobby.

Right here in Fort Collins, though, there are over fifty thousand women.

That ought to convince her.

Radio · 10-12-2014, 10:38 AM

Of course there is always the option of stuffing cables out via the slide out seal.

No holes, drilling, mistakes, or ugly words with the wife.

And of course a licensed wife is a wonderful thing!

TXiceman · 10-28-2014, 10:38 PM

My operating station is the cabinet in the bedroom. I brought up two coaxial cables from the propane tank area into the basement and under the cabinets. I found a place in the basement where the water lines came up and had room to push the coaxial cables.

Ken

wa8yxm · 10-29-2014, 08:15 AM

SO-239 feedthrough install is very easy, You drill a Hole (i think it is 1/2 inch) and measure the thickness of the wall, tape over it for now (Gorilla tape, Duct tape, Even scotch tape)

Get a proper length bulkhead connector at your local ham radio swap or supply.

Put it in , On the part that goes into the wall put some sealant (Dicor or GOOP both work well) tighten the nut, let sit a while (I really like GOOP, a while with Goop is like an hour) and hook up.. You can get a cap to go on the outside when traveling.

What I did

I got a stove vent, this is like the vent on the wall behind your range hood, Installed several bulkhead connectors in the "Flap" and glued it shut, Right angle connectors under the hook is where I connect my coax to outside.. inside connects to assorted RF switches, and a P-touch labeler lebeled them so I always hook up properly.

NN5I · 10-29-2014, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

You drill a Hole (i think it is 1/2 inch) ...

Five eighths.

N3LYT · 10-29-2014, 05:55 PM

Shoot whats an 1/8" a hammer will fix that!

electricflyer · 10-29-2014, 07:03 PM

My old saying is "if it doesn't go easy, force it". Something similar for tightening screws or bolts, "tighten it until it strips and then back off 1/4 turn.

wa8yxm · 10-30-2014, 08:34 AM

Another option is the wet-bay option (on a motor home, works on trailers too but bit tricker)

Find where the fresh water pipes go from inside to outside, follow the same path with your coax and you end up either next to the dump valves or fresh tank (Different sides on my rig) or next to the dump line on a trailer... Surface mount there, no hole in wall.

AE5TE · 11-16-2014, 12:28 PM

Yeah these things have enough places to leak as it is, I would be inclined to go out the bottom.

wa8yxm · 11-17-2014, 08:32 AM

Another option....

Now understand my house is a motor home so there may be some difference on a trailer.

You can run the the cable into the plumbing channel, then you can route the cable into the tank bay where the water lines go through the floor, Now you can likely route it outside very easily with narry a hole drilled.

Coil it in the storage compartment or put a barrel connector there.

Job done, no drill (Or just an internal drill through a carpeted panel that will hide the hole when the cable is removed) route power the same way.

N1XSS · 07-31-2016, 11:56 AM

I know this thread is a bit old but others like me are always searching for new ideas: I posted this to a facebook gobox page.
We us our camper as net control for a few public service events as well as field day. I do enjoy combining two of my hobbies, Ham Radio and Camping. The new camper does have an office/ radio room / dog room. The Vermont 100 is a 100-mile ultra-marathon that requires 30 hours of net control and over 40 hams for a successful event. Net control Is a two ham job for the entire event, we are always looking for assistance on the 3rd week of July here in Southern Vermont. Contact me if you are interested. Here is the link to the hatch http://amzn.com/B007HRTSBG

wa8yxm · 07-31-2016, 02:16 PM

Yes installing a feed through of that type is just like the "F" connectors for TV

However it might not be nccessary..l If you get into the utility channel (normally a step like riser on the side or at least one side, of the RV) you can sneak a coax out via the holes that already exist either vai the WET bay or via the electronics bay.. (If you have a detachable shore cord as I do use the wet bay) NO DRILLS NEEDED.

Wa2yly · 06-18-2018, 05:23 AM

I also have a new travel trailer and have thought about how to bring coax thru wall.I stopped at rv dealer and bought the exact cable feed box with the F connector in it.removed f connector and drilled larger hole for pl259 barrel.
Havent drilled hole yet,but will soon.if i remove panel under converter i can see cable going to outside cable box.my problem is how to route cable inside and where to mount my old ts440.
Bob

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