Above-ground multi-dish wiring support ideas...

[radio]

Years ago, the feedline for our radio station was above ground on a "cable ladder' from building to a single tower. Today, I found that one of my buried cables for my FTA, going to 72-west dish had an issue, and ran a temporary one above ground.

So, I'm trying to find a (classy, nice) way to support cables (above ground) along a minimum of 7 dishes, (maybe more to come) which are in a not quite straight line, but general East-West direction.

One man who works with us suggested just a "fence" on which we can string them. Perhaps chain link with the cable woven IN to it but not too tightly and not too frequently would be good, my thought is having them quite a few inches apart so you can replace, extend, change as needed. (obviously in back of the dishes, though low in front could work.

Another suggestion is making some kind of "telephone pole" mini version with conduit in back of the dishes along their length.

All feeds go to a fiberglass box below the movable birdview, (where the 8 place diseqc resides.)

Thoughts on "over the ground" classy, neat ways to run cables to a central location? Oh, and inexpensive is also a consideration!!

3 pictures attached so you get the idea...

 

[fred555]

All my dishes are along my northern fence line facing south.
I fasten the cables along the top of the fence and let the honeysuckles conceal the wires.

Why not just use PVC conduit laying on the ground or an inch or two below ground.
It cant get any classier than not seeing it at all.
A 10 foot piece of 1 inch conduit is only about $3.00.

That's how I get the cable from the fence to the dishes.

When its in conduit, bad cables are easily replaced.

 

[primestar31]

On my first C-band dish back in the mid '80's, I ran a line of wooden stakes out to the dish, and had the wire mounted on the tops of them. Just high enough above ground to get a push lawnmower under it for mowing. That was around a 100ft run. Worked fine.

 

[migold]

All my dishes are along my northern fence line facing south.
I fasten the cables along the top of the fence and let the honeysuckles conceal the wires.

Why not just use PVC conduit laying on the ground or an inch or two below ground.
It cant get any classier than not seeing it at all.
A 10 foot piece of 1 inch conduit is only about $3.00.

That's how I get the cable from the fence to the dishes.

When its in conduit, bad cables are easily replaced.

I also am using PVC conduit, 3/4" holds 3 runs of RG6 (tightly), and 2 1/2" will hold 2 runs of "ribbon cable" (one to use and one for spare). The conduit is very good protection from damage by lawn mowers and weed eaters and makes a neat looking installation. Yes, it does have some cost. I did it one run at a time to spread the cost out over time. Like fred555 says, I have mine an inch or so below ground, just below the roots of the sod, so it doesn't interfere with the growth of the grass.

 

[Bongu]

Use concrete blocks to support some appropriately sized pvc conduit along the path. The blocks keep things above the ground and allow a trimmer to control vegetation.

 

[radio]

I'm thinking you just hit the nail on the head! There's no "real" easy way to do this when there's a movable dish in the middle, and the farm keeps growing, but I like that idea of combining the blocks (buddy of mine suggested that yesterday, even running the conduit IN the holes, not just setting on top) for wire, and if combined with the tubing, it could be easily repairable, traceable, and safe!

 

[armadillo_115]

I would avoid putting coax on a metal fence.Metal fences can draw lightening strikes and static electricity from the air.My limited knowledge comes from CB Sideband radio though,not Satellite applications.I have ran long wire antennas in the past... a static charge would build up on one that could knock you down if you didn't drain it to ground first. And that with no thunderstorm around! Just my 2 cents.