I saw this video recently about how a roadie (backstage helper at a concert) would reel a cable without introducing twists. After testing I’m convinced that it is the best way to coil coax or antenna wire for mountain top deployment. I thought you might all enjoy it. I bet a few of you will already do this, but I had never seen it!
It’s how I coil my 50m random long-wire and 30m ultraflex all the time, and my fellow hams wonder why they never get knotted. I tried to teach them how to coil this way, but it seems difficult for them.
Disclosure: I worked as best-boy/gaffer in TV/film so I had to learn it, hi.
73, Martin
Great advice from a professional.
Without this technique, the setup/tear-down on a 40-venue AC/DC tour, or similar, would likely take notably longer, and trash more cables.
Equally valid for hams, depending on how much ‘love’ you have your coax.
Though not relevant for SOTA Activators, this approach could become difficult with 40+ metres of RG-213, without rather large hands.
In this case, a coiling technique, akin to the way you reel-up a garden hose-pipe, has worked well for me. Tape the first turn onto the main cable to set the required diameter; thereafter just keep reeling using both hands.
YMMV
73 Dave
My technique is similar, though rather than under / over, I roll the cable between my thumb and the two fingers nearest to the thumb as I wind it which rotates the cable into alignment. Maybe I’m doing it all wrong, but it works for me with my 5D-FB cable and others.
It’s a kind of reflex; twist one coil one way, the next coil the other, and gather them up just so. Does my head in trying to explain it, though, when there are rookies helping tear-down.
this approach could become difficult with 40+ metres of RG-213, without rather large hands.
You can use the figure-8 method for that. That’s how we coil the long camera cables.
73, Martin
G4OIG, then you should watch the movie carefully. The way you do it works for short cables. Correct winding also ensures correct unwinding afterwards.
73, Peter - HB9PJT
Indeed, I’m only winding a short length of semi-rigid, certainly no more than 5m.
It’s how we deal with LDF 4-50 type cables when contesting.