Digging 400' Trench for cable

[Richard001]

Do you have clear line site to the poll that the cable will be coming from ?

If you do, maybe a transmitter put on the poll with a directional antenna and a matching receiver with a directional antenna at you house.

I'm thinking something like this for the receiver:

https://www.amazon.com/Extended-Repeater-Extends-Coverage-Location/dp/B076KRTXQ6/ref=psdc_172504_t2_B07V7MBFJ8

Richard

 

[LD1]

Wow! Lots of excellent info!

We currently have DSL and it's been fine for years but now both my wife and son are working from home and that DSL wire is smoking So we need something faster. I called the local telco about faster DSL and we are at the max right now. But they did tell me that they are running fiber and they will get to out area but won't give me a timeline.

We just got Starlink and have the dishy installed on the roof. Works great but it has a downside. The IP address they give you is private - not public. And this is where I have a problem. We have several servers running here for our personal cloud (files, pics, address, etc). These servers need a public IP address so when we are not at home we have access to our data. I found a way around the private IP address by putting an old laptop at a relatives house(fast cable internet) and then use a reverse tunnel to access our servers from the relatives public IP address. For those that want to dive into this here's an example:

LTE and Starlink ISP - How to access to your LAN from outside

LTE and Starlink ISP - How to access to your LAN from outside. Lars Kienle©

di-marco.net

I started the process of getting cable here a couple years ago because I could see the writing on the wall. And the writing was correct. We need a faster internet connection.
For the time being we'll be using starlink. Then moving to cable internet and moving to fiber when it arrives. Hence the use of the conduit. I could just skip the cable and wait for fiber but I still need to dig a trench for the fiber. So might as well just do it now.

I'm OK with the trench being 2' deep since that will keep the wire/conduit out of the way of any normal farming activity. I don't think I'll run into any underground tile drains as we bought the property from a relative of the farmer that owned the place all his life and we went over the history of the land and any drains in this area.

I'm in total agreement with those that have issues with comcast. I could write a book about all the 'discussions' with comcast. I still don't know if they will do what they have agreed to do - but I will give it a try and perhaps it will happen. But in the end I'll have one and maybe 2 conduits run from the house to the pole at the street and hopefully this will suffice for any future wire/fiber runs.

Cell signal here is weak and I've thought about getting internet via cell phone. The antenna would have to be on the peak of the roof to get a good signal. This is perhaps an option if I find the right equipment. But the cell internet also gives you a private IP address....

I'd give t-mobile a look for the short term then decide if you want the fiber later.

5 min on the phone with them, 2-days later the thing is at your doorstep. And you have 15 days to try it for FREE. If it dont work out, what do you loose? If it does.....you can save quite a bit. And $50/mo is hard to beat.

I guess Im not as tech-savy as some, cause I dont understand what you mean by public and private IP, or what files and cloud data you are trying to share?

Im a google/android guy. I use google drive alot. It has all my pictures I have taken on a cell phone going back about 8 years.....spreadsheets, invoices, estimates, receipts and stuff itemized in spreadsheets for taxes, etc. I can access it all from any computer or my phone just logging into my drive. Beyond that, I guess Im illiterate.

 

[RichNJKubota]

Yeah it's line of sight and I asked if I could use an RF link to go from the pole to the house. The answer was 'no'.
I used to use google products (they work well and are easy to use) but a couple years ago I decided it was time to keep my data out of their hands.

 

[Richard]

Works great until you have rain clouds in the way. I have DirecTV and it goes into satellite search mode during rainstorms. As few as we have, it's still an aggravation

Absolutely correct. (been on DTV for over 20 years, only option here).

I use the satellite search mode as my early warning. If that pops up and the Dogs haven't been out in a while, I know I need to get them out "right now" because in 10/15 minutes, it's going to get REAL ugly.

 

[BoylermanCT]

First of all, F%^& Comcast. Evil, corrupt, incompetent monopoly of a company who routinely violates their promises and raises rates on customers without justification.

In conclusion, F%$k comcast, may they rot in hell, and good luck to you.

Tell us truthfully, how to you feel about Comcast?...!!!

 

[LD1]

Absolutely correct. (been on DTV for over 20 years, only option here).

I use the satellite search mode as my early warning. If that pops up and the Dogs haven't been out in a while, I know I need to get them out "right now" because in 10/15 minutes, it's going to get REAL ugly.

How frequently does that happen to you?

I agree about using it as an early warning thought....lol. same here. 2-3 times a year that it happens......I know it's about to get real nasty.

Now the dish at my shop....not near as secure. So it happens more often. Combination of wind, and heavy clouds....it's more frequent. But it's mounted with lag screws to OSB sheathing.....with two of the 4 lag bolts hitting a 2x6 stud. Even secure and tight.....I can wobble the mount as easily as someone can wiggle a fence post.

Had similar issues at the house when they mounted a dish to a metal pole they drove 2-3' in the ground. Constantly lost signal.

My house is poured concrete basement. I asked them to mount it to the foundation walls. They wouldnt mount anything to a structure. Too much liability for damage/leaks.

I asked if I mounted the bracket to the wall if they would hang the dish. They said no problem. So I ran to my shop and grabbed 4 wedge anchors and hammer drill

 

[Topzide]

To access your "own severs", can't you create a VPN to access then? I know there are ways since companies have this type of setup.

 

[RichNJKubota]

Yes, I am using a reverse ssh tunnel to forward ports from a relatives house (fast internet) to my servers here at home thru starlink. Been setup for a few days now and testing to see how it works. The tunnel is started here at my house over starlink.
So the public IP address is that of the relatives house.

Update on comcast - I sent an email and left a phone message with the person who I've been speaking to at comcast. I have heard nothing back now for a few days. I don't think comcast is really interested in new customers. This is the type of thing that has happened now several times over the years. I contact them. They come up with a plan. One option is that I dig the trench. I choose that option and then the communication ends.
The other option they have is to pay them money to do the trench. That amount as been (in chronological order): $4700, $4800, $4022, $7300, $6800, $7800. I really think they pull numbers out of the air ( or somewhere else . That they are not based on anything real - like cost per foot.

For those that don't understand the tunnel thing...
Starlink and cell carriers give you a private IP address as opposed to a public IP address. A public IP address gets associated with a URL. For example (could change at any time), one of google.com IP address is 142.251.32.110
This is a public IP address and if you use it with your browser it will take you to google.com
A private IP address can not be used like this. It is private to starlink or the cell company. If I put my private IP address into a browser it does not point to my server at home.

So how do I get a public IP address for my starlink? I can use any number of hosting services or in my case I use a relatives IP address that is public. The tunnel forwards the requests from the relatives computer to my computer over the tunnel.
The tunnel is started from my computer over starlink to the relatives computer. If you try and start the tunnel from the relatives computer it won't work because my IP address is private and unreachable.

Everyone who has an internet connection has an IP address. You can find your ip address by websites like this one:

https://whatismyipaddress.com/

If you have a public IP address and type that into your browser it will send the request to the router in your house. At this point the router will stop the request from going any further unless you have configured the router to send the request to a computer/server on your network.

 

[ning]

Don't expect DSL to last much longer. They're turning it off around here.

While I'm strongly pro-put-conduits-everywhere-you-build-just-in-case at home, personally I wouldn't run conduit if direct burial is even slightly cheaper - I highly doubt anything in the future is going to use that conduit from the utility to your house.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

There used to be a rodent-proof cable used for phones. That's what was installed way back when they ran my 400ft. line about 25 years ago. They did it with a vibratory cable installer. The cable has some sort of bitter jell just under the outer jacket. It's supposed to be to rodents like the worst bitter alum is to us. Just a small taste deters gophers and such. Ask if their direct bury cable has that. Otherwise, 2" conduit is needed so they can't get their mouth over it to bite it.

I don't know, some of those cable guys have big mouths.

 

[m7040]

I had a problem with Comcast line hanging low on the poles and big trucks would not clear under it and they refused to do anything. Next discovered that the middle pole was actually mine and not owned by the utility so told them consider that pole gone and what are you going to do? They buried it including going under a paved road. About 4 or 500 ft

 

[dstig1]

Interesting discussion. On the chance that you do conduit some advice is that home centers often only have 10' sticks but the contractor supply places can get 20' sticks, so half the number of joints. That helps a lot. Plus they can deliver if you don't have a long trailer.

Also make sure you get conduit with a bell end on one end as that eliminates the need for additional couplers - fewer joints once again. Though this is pretty much normal, it pays be be sure. It also helps to decide which direction to point the bells so that you pull more easily. Another tip is to debur the inside of the non-bell end of the stick before you put glue on as that eliminates a sharp edge that can damage insulation or catch while you are pulling. Then make sure the pull direction is INTO the bell to further reduce the chance of catching on the end of the stick glued inside the bell. And this is always a 2-person job and is not fun but should be very doable.

 

[Fixastuff]

You need one of these! Pulling it in straight off the 2500ft reel.

 

[BackRoad]

Spectrum here. Similar situation, 800 ft direct burial.

Called 811 for flagging anything underground along the path.

I rented a Dingo stand-up trencher for ~$200 a day. Dug it in 3 hours.

I have scattered fist to head sized rock, but was able to get it to dig 18" down.

Spectrum had already pre-delivered the coax, rolled out along the path, already inside a 2" conduit. I flopped it in the trench and covered it up. Key was the pre-delivery of the cable, which made it simple and timely.

Spectrum came back and connected the ends about 2 days later.

 

[1428v]

I am also in the “don’t trench” camp. Comcast is the evil empire. We have one cable/hard-line internet provider in our rural county (the Empire). They have the absolute worst service and keep jacking up the rates—about $75 more per month than a few years ago. We recently went with Starlink satellite service for internet. Much less expensive per month, faster connection, superior in every way.

 

[Stevehogan]

We've lived here for nearly 30 years. Contacted local cable company(comcast). They say if I dig the 400 foot trench from the pole at the road to the house, they will install the cable. A contractor hired by comcast showed up and drew a map. On the final plan they say direct burial or I can provide a 2" conduit. Trench will be 18-24" deep - straight from the pole to the house.

It's taken 2 years of phone calls, emails and visits to their office to get this far. So I don't want to make any mistakes.
They will put a pedestal at the house. A pedestal is a green metal 'can' or box about 8" diameter and a foot or so high.

I called the 'call before you dig' phone number and got some info on when to call - 3 to 10 days before digging. And then I have 45 days to complete the job.

The trench is going straight thru a hay field. No underground obstructions that I know of. But the power is coming down the pole and then underground to the house. The power trench goes off at an angle to the other corner of the house so we won't be near it except by the pole. I understand I have to dig by hand for 2 feet by any underground wiring, etc.

I'm inclined to install the 2" conduit. They are supposed to be here within 2 days after I complete the trench to install the cable but if they are late and it's raining alot... the trench may fill with water and may collapse in some areas that will need to be hand dug to clear the dirt.

Any advise to make this go with no problems is well appreciated.

First thing I would check out is if your state requires dig safe be called to locate any underground utilities. Gas, electric, phone etc. most states have this law in effect. if you don’t call and have an incident you are personally are on the hook for any & all repair costs. Just one call to Dig safe and they will coordinate all utilities to locate their equipment. Usually they have one week to respond and all you have to do prior to them showing up is to mark out the proposed digging route.
Secondly once dug and conduit installed it’s easy to pull a string through it. Tie a partially inflated baggie to twine insert baggie into one of conduit and suck through the baggie & twine with a vacuum cleaner. Once this is done you assure no obstructions exist in the run and ditch can be back filled. Eliminating hazard of some one or animal stepping into it. Cover the ends to prevent rain / debris entering conduit. Sit back and wait for Comcast to complete the install. Good luck!
One thing to consider if your only looking for an internet connection. You may want to investigate whether there is a wireless provider available such as Trail Runner or such. This type provider uses cell phone technology to provide internet service as opposed to cable. I use this type of service at my off grid camp and works remarkably well. With this service I have access to Wi-fi, phone and streaming services.
Hope this helps.

 

[afritsche]

We've lived here for nearly 30 years. Contacted local cable company(comcast). They say if I dig the 400 foot trench from the pole at the road to the house, they will install the cable. A contractor hired by comcast showed up and drew a map. On the final plan they say direct burial or I can provide a 2" conduit. Trench will be 18-24" deep - straight from the pole to the house.

It's taken 2 years of phone calls, emails and visits to their office to get this far. So I don't want to make any mistakes.
They will put a pedestal at the house. A pedestal is a green metal 'can' or box about 8" diameter and a foot or so high.

I called the 'call before you dig' phone number and got some info on when to call - 3 to 10 days before digging. And then I have 45 days to complete the job.

The trench is going straight thru a hay field. No underground obstructions that I know of. But the power is coming down the pole and then underground to the house. The power trench goes off at an angle to the other corner of the house so we won't be near it except by the pole. I understand I have to dig by hand for 2 feet by any underground wiring, etc.

I'm inclined to install the 2" conduit. They are supposed to be here within 2 days after I complete the trench to install the cable but if they are late and it's raining alot... the trench may fill with water and may collapse in some areas that will need to be hand dug to clear the dirt.

Any advice to make this go with no problems is well appreciated.

If you’re crossing a field that mi

We've lived here for nearly 30 years. Contacted local cable company(comcast). They say if I dig the 400 foot trench from the pole at the road to the house, they will install the cable. A contractor hired by comcast showed up and drew a map. On the final plan they say direct burial or I can provide a 2" conduit. Trench will be 18-24" deep - straight from the pole to the house.

It's taken 2 years of phone calls, emails and visits to their office to get this far. So I don't want to make any mistakes.
They will put a pedestal at the house. A pedestal is a green metal 'can' or box about 8" diameter and a foot or so high.

I called the 'call before you dig' phone number and got some info on when to call - 3 to 10 days before digging. And then I have 45 days to complete the job.

The trench is going straight thru a hay field. No underground obstructions that I know of. But the power is coming down the pole and then underground to the house. The power trench goes off at an angle to the other corner of the house so we won't be near it except by the pole. I understand I have to dig by hand for 2 feet by any underground wiring, etc.

I'm inclined to install the 2" conduit. They are supposed to be here within 2 days after I complete the trench to install the cable but if they are late and it's raining alot... the trench may fill with water and may collapse in some areas that will need to be hand dug to clear the dirt.

Any advise to make this go with no problems is well appreciated.

I would do conduit. if you’re crossing a field or road that may be plowed, you should bury it 24”. 400’ is a long run and although you said it is a straight run you may want to consider a mid point pull box. Also conduit allows you to pull the old coax cable out and run fiber optic cable, or whatever comes next. I would install it myself and own it so you can control who/ what gets installed in the future. Always add a pull string!

 

[Morning Wood]

I would always do conduit. And I’d add an extra conduit for future use to be safe. 2” for a coax seems a bit overkill. Definitely use 20’ pieces.

 

[Loaderman22]

For mine they did pretty much exactly as Fixastuff and Backroad posted. They dug with trencher and buried the orange continuous conduit and wire all at once. They ran it up the pole and to the house on the other end, I just had to be there to discuss path. They had to do the conduit because in one of the fields there is bedrock he couldn't cut through so the conduit is maybe only a foot down or so, instead of the recommended 18-24". It's orange for visibility.

 

[jghflys]

I would use conduit or preferably, the continuous pipe. In the future your phone company will offer fiber optic cable and that can go down the same pipe. I live in a rural area and just got fiber optic cable for internet and phone. Fiber is cheaper, faster, and stable. Streaming is easy. Our rural phone company put in 600 feet of fiber for no charge. They are going 100% fiber. Maybe check with your phone company.