I'd be more concerned with animals eating at it. I never run mien on the 
ground so can't say for sure on moisture though have known people to have 
that problem, but I'd think animals eating at it would be a bigger problem 
and ruin it a lot faster.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "tom behler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2010 8:50 PM
Subject: coax feedline question


> Hi, again, folks.
>
> I have a question regarding my new Alpha Delta DXCC installation, that I
> need some honest feedback on.
>
> Today, when my help installed the RG8X feedline for the antenna, they did 
> it
> in a way that makes it necessary for about ten to fifteen feet of the coax
> to lie on the ground.  This portion of coax runs  between my house and the
> garage, on which the center of the antenna is mounted.  This is not an 
> area
> where people walk, so I don't believe it is an undue tripping hazard.
>
> However, having the coax run on the ground concerns me for another reason.
> Am I correct in suspecting that, over time, the part of the feedline which
> is lying on the ground will absorb moisture, and eventually fail?
>
> My dilemma here is that I don't want to be ungrateful or overly demanding,
> but I don't want to create problems for myself later on.  At the same 
> time,
> if running the coax along the ground is something that many people do
> without problems, maybe I should just leave well enough alone.
>
> The coax run I'm using may have enough excess coax so that we could run 
> the
> coax overhead between the house and garage, but I am not totally sure of
> that at this time.
>
> I suppose I could also get a piece of conduit and run the coax through it,
> but that is harder to do now that the feedline is already installed 
> between
> the antenna feed point and my ham shack window feed through pannel.
>
> Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ