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Old 10-29-2017, 03:37 AM   #1
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1979 28' Ambassador
2014 27' FB Classic
Port Townsend , Washington
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Looking for ideas how to get antenna cables into the Airstream

I have a 2014 27FB Classic Limited that I am full timing in. Just foot my General ticket and want to setup an all-band radio. Trouble I'm having is figuring out a good way to get the antenna cables inside. Wife says no holes but I'll need to do something.

Idea so far is to source some Furrion port covers like the TV/Sat connection uses and mount them in the same area using bulkhead N connectors and fish the internal cable to the radio. Think that would look the best. Downside is I think I could only fit one N connector per cover and I'm looking at 3 antennas (80/40 inverted V, 10-20m cobweb, and VHF/UHF antenna).

I don't want to leave the fridge access door open or hack into it. That was my only other thought. Anyone have suggestions? Pictures would be great.
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Old 10-29-2017, 05:56 AM   #2
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Florence , Alabama
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First off, you’re going to have a lot more flexibility if you invest in a crimper and run the cables without N connectors on them. That will help a lot.

Secondly, I think you’re gonna find most people use the fridge vent to get from the roof down, and then make entrance inside in the vicinity of the fridge.
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Old 10-29-2017, 06:50 AM   #3
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If you don't want to make holes in the skin of your trailer (which is generally not the best way to go) you have two basic choices:

1. Use the fridge vent, or
2. Use either the grey or black tank vent

The choice between 1 & 2 above is often driven by which side you want the cable/wire to enter the rig.
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Old 10-29-2017, 08:47 AM   #4
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Looking for ideas how to get antenna cables into the Airstream

Or try what I did. Install a solar system, use the combiner box to cover the necessary hole in the roof, add an extra stuffing tube/gland for coax on the roof as needed.

My rig does not have a fridge vent. I also have connections inside the upper fridge door that can be patched for other antennas. In the Southwest heat, I often open the fridge vents to get more airflow.
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Old 10-29-2017, 09:19 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rdepas View Post
I'm looking at 3 antennas (80/40 inverted V, 10-20m cobweb, and VHF/UHF antenna).
I have room to feed smaller 50 ohm cables through the hole for the 7-pin cable, break-away switch, etc.

We mount a Hi-Q screwdriver HF antenna on the front using a bracket mounted as far forward on the tongue as you can to keep the antenna away from the trailer body.

For the VHF/UHF antenna, mounting on the roof results in additional height, ~ 14 ft. Otherwise, you must fold it over. We use a small telescoping mast mounted on the tongue nearer the trailer body. This gets the AR270 dual-band Ringo just above the trailer height (~10 ft.). We remove these antennas before traveling.

73/gus
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Old 10-29-2017, 10:47 AM   #6
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gklott brings up a good point I didn’t mention earlier. You can use an underwheel flagpole holder under the tongue jack, and an extensible flagpole to hold a pretty decent sized antenna and get it 15-20’ up. The best approach there would be to run wire out the front access used for the battery cables and 7pin plug. You would store the cable wound up neatly in the battery box or propane cover.
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Old 10-29-2017, 12:21 PM   #7
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1973 31' Sovereign
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First question that I have.. is whre are you going to operate your ham radio set ?

Second question is.. how much power are you going to run...

Third... how mechanical are you...

I wrote a article about putting a 5BTV on the back of the 73 AS... go to EHAM and look up articles posted by... WA6CDE... their you will see some pix of where we found it doable... I re-vised the article and included some drawings of what to make to have a quick setup and take down...
I use the 5btv for a vert pole as well and can put the inverted V for 40 meters and up... by putting a insulator on the threaded stud at the top... and then use a small non-conductive pulley (west marine) at the top...
When it was orgin written.. the 5btv folded down on the street side roof of the trailer... but for my new one.. I made the 5btv in sections... and keep it in the locker at the rear... it only takes a few min to put it togeather and in the bag or out... and made the mounting pole fold over across the back of the trailer....

I have one mounting pole for the HF and one for UHF/VHF... and they are on the back of the trailer... I ran the coax.. in through where the power/water/sewer hookups did.. but yours will be a twistlock plug on the side... so you would not be able to use that...

However... if you put a conector plate (coax connector thru ones) down on the underside of the belly pan... making sure its not where the spray of wheels would be... I also have seen where others went through the wheel pan.. on the frame side... to get inside...

Your trailer should not have any insulation in the under pan.. thus you could get into it by a small door/plate at each end... sealed up when done... to run the coax right through the frame...

Good luck... G.M>

So you have to use your imagination.. and not put holes in the visual part of the airstream... also... I would stay away from runn'n the coax through the refrig... area...

Most of us use less than 500 watts... so good old RG-58 or 8X is enough... and that is only a 1/4-3/8 hole for each...
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Old 10-29-2017, 11:40 PM   #8
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Welcome ,i ran 8x in under the front of my 80 caravelle.hygain 10-80 vertical.am putting a dual band on the fridge vent. I am building a 8 gang n connector pass through that will be under curb side bellei wrap,just forward of the door. This will alow me to connect behind the dinnet. I'll have 2 meter,220,430,900,and dipoles for 20,40,80 meters. Good luck. Kurt
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Old 10-30-2017, 02:20 PM   #9
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Here is the 5btv install on the 30 ft As
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Old 10-30-2017, 02:25 PM   #10
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1973 31' Sovereign
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Yep you can run RG8 under the bottom of the trailer and make the turn up ... using adel clamps and self tapping sheet metal screws... to hold it at the bottom... RG8 will give you some protection from rocks and moisture exposure... that way you don't have to get inside the trailer etc.. except for where the coax come too... just another idea... but make sure you ground only at one point... and use the body of the AS as part of the ground plane... etc...
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Old 03-28-2018, 10:58 PM   #11
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Can you use the satellite or cable coax connection that already exists on the outside of the RV?
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Old 03-29-2018, 08:20 AM   #12
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2013 25' International
Boise , Idaho
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Blue Sea Cable Clam

I just ran LMR400UF into my trailer for my mobile internet setup. I used a Blue Sea Cable Clam - these are made to run cables into boats roofs/transoms and are specifically built to take cables with large connectors already on them. Installation was easy, and just for safety's sake I put some Sika over the entire clam shell.

Keep us posted,
Adam
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Old 03-30-2018, 12:00 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by esloser View Post
Can you use the satellite or cable coax connection that already exists on the outside of the RV?
No it won't take the transmit power...

Recommend that you use RG-58U for up to 500 watts transmit on UHF/VHF or HF.

I didn't like the Blue Sea hole seal when we put them on the boat... let alone cutting holes in the outside skin of the A/S above the floor line.

We found that unless you can get access to the inside side baseboard wall... run'n coax works better from the underside of the trailer... and using existing holes ... such as the propane lines to appliances... although some of the others have opened up the underpen pan... putting access covers in after gaining access to the frame area.

About the only problem you have going down that area is snaking around the water/holding tanks... but, it can be done...

If you go in through the refrig vent.. make sure you keep the coax on the op side of the refrig that has the heated section... try to stay away from that area as the propane heat is at a higher temp than the elect element... and the coax will eventually harden up...due to it.. working on the foam core... etc... so be careful...
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Old 04-03-2018, 12:12 PM   #14
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2016 25' International
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Go to this site: https://www.gigaparts.com/comet-antennas-ctc-50m.html
This accessory allows one to run an antenna feed through a closed window or door.
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Old 04-03-2018, 04:46 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GM Airstream View Post
No it won't take the transmit power...



Recommend that you use RG-58U for up to 500 watts transmit on UHF/VHF or HF.



I didn't like the Blue Sea hole seal when we put them on the boat... let alone cutting holes in the outside skin of the A/S above the floor line.



We found that unless you can get access to the inside side baseboard wall... run'n coax works better from the underside of the trailer... and using existing holes ... such as the propane lines to appliances... although some of the others have opened up the underpen pan... putting access covers in after gaining access to the frame area.



About the only problem you have going down that area is snaking around the water/holding tanks... but, it can be done...



If you go in through the refrig vent.. make sure you keep the coax on the op side of the refrig that has the heated section... try to stay away from that area as the propane heat is at a higher temp than the elect element... and the coax will eventually harden up...due to it.. working on the foam core... etc... so be careful...


Is it possible to swap out what is there for something that can take the power? I’m thinking it might be possible to run an updated cable and connector to that same point. There’s already a hole in the Airstream and it would ge a clean install.
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Old 06-12-2018, 01:44 PM   #16
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2017 30' Classic
2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle , Pennsylvania
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scout1 View Post
Go to this site: https://www.gigaparts.com/comet-antennas-ctc-50m.html
This accessory allows one to run an antenna feed through a closed window or door.
Hi

Sitting here looking at my AS .... that will work for the door. On the windows, the screen gets in the way of deploying it.

Bob
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Old 06-12-2018, 02:15 PM   #17
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Our rig has the radio main unit in the wardrobe closet right next to the refrigerator space. We ran two SO-239 extensions (all threads) through the wall of the wardrobe into the upper fridge access door area. This lets us extend coax from the radio out the fridge door to whatever we set up portable alongside the AS. No issues handling full power out of the FT-857 system on HF and VHF/UHF and getting to a long wire, or whatever. I plan to add an FC-40 tuner inside near the door just for the heck of it.

For mobile use, yet another coax exits at the solar panel combiner box already on the roof, and goes to an ATAS-120A on a lift and lay mount for instant setup. The other coax run the same way is for a dual band VHF/UHF whip bolted to the side of a solar panel mount. Yeah, we're not afraid of drilling holes in the roof for antennas, or anything else for that matter...

And, of course, since the ATAS-120A is a screwdriver omnidirectional shorty vertical antenna, it radiates and receives equally poorly in all directions using the AS roof as a ground plane...
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'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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Old 06-13-2018, 12:19 PM   #18
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Hi

Would be nice to hear from the OP ... maybe we scared him away

A lot of this very much depends on what you are trying to do. There is only just so much room in an RV. You do have to make decisions about what goes where. How does the rest of the crew feel about converting the eating area into a ham shack? How much room does that 40' crank up tower and 40 meter three element beam take up? Where does the 2KW linear plug in? Different folks will very much have different answers to all this. I've seen people with a dozen antennas on their AS and cables out all over the place .... Indeed that trailer was essentially a mobile ham shack with a bed, a fridge, and a toilet ... . Probably will be out somewhere for Field Day.

Bob
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