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11-06-2008, 11:28 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: RI
Posts: 91
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getting the feedline into the MH?
Hi all,
I'm new to RV'ing, but not hamming and was wondering how some of you get the antenna feedline into the RV w/o being too obvious?
I imagine ther would be hours/days of local qrm if the xyl saw me drilling holes in the new class C.
Thanks,
Randy
k8zfj/qrp
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11-06-2008, 11:36 AM
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#2
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Administrator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
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11-06-2008, 11:43 AM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: RI
Posts: 91
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why didnt i think of that !
you came up thru the floor where its less likely for xyl to notice....time for me to crawl underneath & do some investigating.
thanks !
__________________
Randy, K8ZFJ
'08 4WindsChateauSport
Icom 703+;Argonaut 515 plus various qrp homebrew rigs
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11-06-2008, 12:10 PM
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#4
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Administrator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by k8zfj
why didnt i think of that !
you came up thru the floor where its less likely for xyl to notice....time for me to crawl underneath & do some investigating.
thanks !
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Not only through the floor, but behind a cabinet door. Then I put the "computer desk" feed through in the cabinet panelling so I can operate with the cabinet door closed.
My xyl likes it.
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11-06-2008, 01:42 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: RI
Posts: 91
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thanks for the ideas Wade...cant wait for a dry day to go exploring beneath the MH
__________________
Randy, K8ZFJ
'08 4WindsChateauSport
Icom 703+;Argonaut 515 plus various qrp homebrew rigs
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11-06-2008, 05:18 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Mobile, on the road
Posts: 1,139
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I use two routes.. One is up through the floor inside a cabinet right next to where Damon ran some other wires up into the same cabinet.. The other is out via a "Stove" type vent which is also "out of sight" inside the rig.. On the outside it looks just like a stove vent-hood vent (Which it is) That is for antennas I put up and take down
I paid a lot of attention to where I ran the cables.. When I get around to a couple of roof mounts they are going up a wall and out existing openings as much as possible. All hidden
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11-08-2008, 09:06 AM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Full Time RV'er, anywhere USA, usually Canyon Lake Tx in winter, SoPark Co. CO. in summer
Posts: 56
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Radio cabling access
Check out the area where your plumbing dump valves are located. I my motorhome there is plenty of access via the dump valve compartment which is often very close to the bathroom. From there, you can often remove panels under the shower/bath stall to go to other areas of the rig either via cabinets or other unseen areas.
__________________
'73 John
2K Winnebago Adventurer 35U
Icom 7000 w/ Lil' Tarheel, Comet B250,6 Mtr Squalo
4wd Chevy Tracker w/FT7800 & TS-60
Fulltimer-Ret'd 2-Way & Brdcst tech.
APCO - OFWA - SKP's - MSP
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11-08-2008, 11:22 AM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: East Lansing, MI
Posts: 5
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On my motorhome I came through a grommet in the firewall.
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11-19-2008, 10:48 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Gateway to the thumb
Posts: 243
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wd8ovl
On my motorhome I came through a grommet in the firewall.
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Or you could pop the inside engine cover and route it through there especially if you want your rig in the front.
__________________
Dan,
Almost a Marine (Army/Navy)
15 months in VietNam (12 Army/3 Navy)
Love to
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05-11-2009, 05:31 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: RI
Posts: 91
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[QUOTE=Radio;4090]No holes?
Then I might ... like this solution...:
Over this past weekend I figured out how to route the coax from rear hitch mount , under the coach & up thru an existing hole that ended up underneath the dinette bench. I plan to terminate the coax to a SO 239 and mount it to a faceplate where the telephone jack used to be...who uses wired fones nowadays anyways? finally getting "close" to having an expensive mobile ham shack
__________________
Randy, K8ZFJ
'08 4WindsChateauSport
Icom 703+;Argonaut 515 plus various qrp homebrew rigs
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05-11-2009, 10:07 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Belleview,FL
Posts: 2
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Hi When we had a park trailer I ran the cables inthe unused clothes dryer vent!
When we had our Bounder I mounted the "L" brackits to the side so the screws ran into the wall studs ,this gave me a good ground plain and ran the cabels in behind the curtins so they could not be seen . Now with our "c" class I also ran the cables into the back of the cabnets and then out the sides behind the curtins. Good luck 73 Leo K1zek
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05-11-2009, 11:31 PM
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#12
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Administrator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
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I liked the idea of using a tennis ball to keep rain and crud out of the connector.
Neat.
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05-12-2009, 07:48 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: RI
Posts: 91
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio
I liked the idea of using a tennis ball to keep rain and crud out of the connector.
Neat.
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only problem so far with the tennis ball is that the dog keeps trying to get it back !
__________________
Randy, K8ZFJ
'08 4WindsChateauSport
Icom 703+;Argonaut 515 plus various qrp homebrew rigs
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05-12-2009, 08:39 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Wewahitchka, FL
Posts: 1,204
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Good idea Randy. Sounds like a neat install. Good luck with it.
__________________
Jim ~ W4EWA
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05-12-2009, 10:49 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Mobile, on the road
Posts: 1,139
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I have 4 entry points for Coax depending on the antenna
The Cell Phone booster.. 2-way amplifier is in back (main) Bath, in a cabinet, Antenna at the top of the rear cap, cable comes in the real back wall, straight into the cabinet, you don't see it at all less you pull the rear cap
Other antennas which mount BELOW the roof come up through the floor into a cabinet in the Radio room, 100% out of sight
Roof mounted antennas are goign to go through the roof, with proper cable caps, like the one on your Winegard bat-wing. These will likely enter into a cabinet in the radio room, 100% out of sight inside the rig.
That leaves me with the tempory antennas. the ones I put up and take down,
I cut a vent opening (Standard stove vent) the "Flapper" is now sealed shut, and has five feed throughs in it. I'll use it, sealed, looks good (epically when not in use) looks like a factory installed vent in fact. Right angle connectors on the outside, and assorted switches (jumper connected) on the inside
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05-12-2009, 01:28 PM
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#16
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ex-K6YDW
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Tulare, CA
Posts: 62
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Interesting post.... well I recently mounted my antenna mount on my 5th wheel, using the ladder, like most I would gather. Because the horizontal part of the ladder at the top was at about 15 degree angle, I decided to use the vertical part of the ladder to be "square" (this is the engineer in me, hi). Coax comes down vertical ladder rain using zip ties. Had to take pix on the wrong side because sun was directly behind if shot from correct side, hi.
At the base of the ladder, I placed a ground strap onto the ladder since it wasnt grounded to the RV frame. Didnt have any big strap or even some large coax braid, so just used a piece of RG-58/u with the center conductor and braid shorted together at each end, then soldered on a connector. I know, it isnt KOSHER, but it does work.....sofar!
For the entrance, I ran the feedline under the trailer abit, using zip ties onto existing wiring loom and then came out next to the slider, using acouple of cable clamps screwed into side of RV body, then thread the coax through the rubber gasket on the slider into the living quarters area.
This method is "quick and clean" at the same time. XYL didnt even notice it until she moved the lounge chair, and then saw this cable. I told her it was for the Satellite, but she knew I was fooling, ha... This setup came through a rain when at the coast afew weeks back, with no water coming in, along the cable.
__________________
Head Wrangler John W6ZKH
Chief Cook/housekeeper Connie
Mess makers Bailey & Gretchen (dogs)
2002 Dodge 3500 Diesel-Dually
2011 Forest River Wildcat 313 5th wheel
Icom IC-2800 Dual-bander in truck
Yaesu FT-1900R 2M Xcvr in RV
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05-12-2009, 04:25 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Wewahitchka, FL
Posts: 1,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by W6ZKH
For the entrance, I ran the feedline under the trailer abit, using zip ties onto existing wiring loom and then came out next to the slider, using acouple of cable clamps screwed into side of RV body, then thread the coax through the rubber gasket on the slider into the living quarters area.
This method is "quick and clean" at the same time. XYL didnt even notice it until she moved the lounge chair, and then saw this cable. I told her it was for the Satellite, but she knew I was fooling, ha... This setup came through a rain when at the coast afew weeks back, with no water coming in, along the cable.
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That's the way I do mine but you are much neater.
__________________
Jim ~ W4EWA
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05-13-2009, 10:31 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Mobile, on the road
Posts: 1,139
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Looking at ZKH's mount I'd like to type a warning here.......
IN Michigan, and I suspect other states, bridges are normally at least 16' above the pavement when you drive under one.. Any bridge lower will have a clearance signe, IE: 15'6"
13'
11'
The bottom of the traffic signal is likewise 16' above the road (or more, but usually not much more)
If your antenna sticks up 18' it's gonna suffer damage..
My roof is 11' as I recall (Measured it) might be 12, 12.5 feet to top of rig, unloaded
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05-13-2009, 01:57 PM
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#19
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ex-K6YDW
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Tulare, CA
Posts: 62
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wa8yxm
Looking at ZKH's mount I'd like to type a warning here.......
IN Michigan, and I suspect other states, bridges are normally at least 16' above the pavement when you drive under one.. Any bridge lower will have a clearance signe, IE: 15'6"
13'
11'
The bottom of the traffic signal is likewise 16' above the road (or more, but usually not much more)
If your antenna sticks up 18' it's gonna suffer damage..
My roof is 11' as I recall (Measured it) might be 12, 12.5 feet to top of rig, unloaded
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I hope you dont think I would be stupid enough to leave the antenna in place while traveling, do ya??? That mount has a Quik-Connect on, so I can switch antennas, or place/remove said antennas at will. I might be a SENIOR CITIZEN, but I havent quite lost my mind yet, hi hi.. !!! (although I am beginning to wonder at times) I picked those Quik-Connects up at the DX convention last month in Visalia, Ca (10 miles away), 3 for $10. Aren't the best quality, as abit sloppy, but they still work fine. Male goes into 3/8"x24 thread on mount, and the female goes on the antennas. Actually, I have 1 spare male left.
Also read my thread "Novel MH Mount" that I placed today here on the forum.
__________________
Head Wrangler John W6ZKH
Chief Cook/housekeeper Connie
Mess makers Bailey & Gretchen (dogs)
2002 Dodge 3500 Diesel-Dually
2011 Forest River Wildcat 313 5th wheel
Icom IC-2800 Dual-bander in truck
Yaesu FT-1900R 2M Xcvr in RV
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05-14-2009, 05:22 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Wewahitchka, FL
Posts: 1,204
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I've got a couple of those Quick Disconnects. They work well and you don't have to spend a lot of time up on the roof ladder changing out antennas. I just ordered 2 more this week from HRO. They are rather expensive. The ones I ordered are stainless (catalog # QD-2), the female end is springloaded and snaps on in a quarter turn. Those things have gone to $19.95 each. I leave the male half attatched to the ladder as you do.
Talking about the overpasses on the highways. I had a good friend lose his "Texas Bug Catcher" that way. Just forgot it up there. "Spat" !!!
I think the highest point on our 5er is about 12 ft. I need to measure it again. The problem is when you are going down the Interstate, by the time you are close enough to read that height sign, "it's to late". I have to admit there have been a few times when the level of my "pucker factor" has increased dramatically. Hi Hi
__________________
Jim ~ W4EWA
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