How do you get coax inside your camper

[JoshuaHufford]

Wife and I just bought a new camper, this one is completely hard sided, before we had a Pop-Up, then a Hybrid, it was always easy to route the coax inside under one of the flaps of the bed canvas.

No longer have that option, just curious if there are any other camper users out there who like to setup an antenna while camping. How do you get your coax inside?

Thanks!

 

[N8IAA]

Wife and I just bought a new camper, this one is completely hard sided, before we had a Pop-Up, then a Hybrid, it was always easy to route the coax inside under one of the flaps of the bed canvas.

No longer have that option, just curious if there are any other camper users out there who like to setup an antenna while camping. How do you get your coax inside?

Thanks!

Do you have an external jack for a dish, or extra antenna? You could even use your crank up TV antenna. Worked great for me when I had a 24' camper.

 

[mmckenna]

Fridge vent runs from roof to underside if you want to try that (at least on mine it does). Then come up underneath through the floor.

 

[bill4long]

Like any good camper: drill a hole

 

[TailGator911]

I used the conduit pipe for the AC unit on the roof. I carry a few extra BNC jumpers for when around the campfire and moving antennas around outside the camper. I have 6 antennas on the roof of my Winnebago Via. A DISH network satellite dish, a mini Diamond 220R discone for scanners, 2m/440 mini transmit vertical tx, small vertical scanner antenna, CB vertical, and a weather probe. It was a too tight of a fit with the other coax in that small conduit, so I strapped 2 lines to the outside of the pvc feed pipe. Haven't had the opportunity to play with my W6LVP magnetic loop around the campfire. I'm beginning to think an Icom R30 would be a lot of fun with that loop outside the RV

JD
kf4anc

 

[n0nhp]

Second vote for the Fridge vent.
My fridge has a small cabinet above it that has turned into the radio cabinet with power and 4 coaxes coming in through coax sized holes drilled into the vent space.
Extra length of coax to reach the dining table for hands on operation of the HFXCVR or whatever.
Solar panel frames permanently mounted to the roof are antenna mounts/ground planes. Solar power wires also share the vent space.

Bruce

 

[JoshuaHufford]

Thanks everyone. I won't be drilling any holes until this thing is at least past the warranty.

The refrigerator vent is a really good idea, I'll check that out first.

 

[laidback]

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[prcguy]

I've got a Casita brand trailer, which is a fiberglass shell about 3/16" thick with carpet glued to the inside and no hollow walls. I knew there would be cables visible on the inside so I went to my local marine hardware store and bought a through hull wire bushing thingee like this: WEST MARINE Two Hole Wire Caps | West Marine

I installed it on the roof which slopes and put the opening on the down facing side then made a drip loop in my antenna and solar panel cables. There are many versions of these and they are very water tight. On the inside of the trailer I used stainless steel cable clamps with rubber bushings to run the wire straight down a wall behind some cabinets and off to their destinations.

Thanks everyone. I won't be drilling any holes until this thing is at least past the warranty.

The refrigerator vent is a really good idea, I'll check that out first.

 

[W5lz]

I wouldn't have a problem drilling a hole for that cable. If it's done right it doesn't have to be visible or obtrusive at all. Sealing that hole is a biggy, but I don't think I'm telling you anything you haven't already though of. Using existing vents/ports/holes is certainly possible, but how practical is it? Will that cable 'fit'?

 

[Blackink]

If you run the cable down through the fridge vent from the roof, make sure you keep it away from the vent/area for the propane burner assembly that is housed down below. Things might get a bit hot around that vent if the fridge is running on propane.

 

[jaspence]

I used a heavy piece of plexiglass to replace one pane of my basement window to route my end fed antenna with this coax pass through.

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It has been in use for several years without any problem. When you get ready to sell or trade the camper, just put the glass back in.