Help with Antenna Cable Grommet

[James Baines]

My boss (She who loves life’s little luxuries) presented Me with a Comag mini satellite system so that She can watch TV when we are tied up at our current mooring. When we are out at sea, we get ten gazillion digital channels with our standard TV antenna but when in Hamilton Dock, Lowestoft, we get very poor to none radio or TV signals depending upon the weather.
I did a very untidy test of the satellite system last weekend to confirm that it would work (It does, amazingly well) which means that now, I need to run a satellite antenna cable from the cockpit to the satellite receiver down below.
I can’t run it thru the existing large diameter “Sealed Cap” fittings because they are too far aft and I don’t want to use a large sealed fitting because I want the cable connector to be placed just behind one of my chart plotter screens mounted under the sprayhood and I want it to be unobtrusive.
But I’m damned if I can find a suitable grommet that I could use to run a Sat cable through.
All I’m looking for is a small, single flanged grommet of any length over ½” that would fit a standard satellite cable and be easy to seal in place but my searches have left me devoid of answers.
I can: Drill the smallest possible hole, force the cable through and seal it with silicone, or, if I could find the appropriate grommet, I could do the job properly, or, if I had to, I could install a small antenna connector box (Not the preferred option).
Which leads to my question; Does anyone out there know where I can find such a simple part? My searches have come up with nothing but I’m sure there must be exactly what I’m looking for out there someplace if only I knew what to ask for.
So I’m asking for your help, any ideas?
Thanks,
James

[btrayfors]

What diameter is the satellite cable?

[James Baines]

Hi, and thanks for your reply, I just measured a Sat cable and it is 0.26" or 6.6 Mm in diameter. So, the "Grommet" would need to be close to that inside diameter and not overly large on outside diameter.
Do you have something in mind?
Please advise,
James

[btrayfors]

James,

Sure. A simple 5/16" thru-deck s/s waterproof fitting designed for RG-8X coax.

West Marine carries them, though I can't find one at the moment on their website. Lots of other outlets carry them also.

Here's a pic:

Earmark, Inc.*::*MARINE*::*Accessories*::*Thru-Hull Fittings, Connectors & Grommets*::*Coax Cable Deck Fitting - 5/16"

That will take your cable nicely.

Bill

[James Baines]

Thanks Bill, I'll look for something similar here in the UK.

I really appreciate your help,

James

[Patrick_DeepPlaya]

I have been using these Blue Sea Cable Clams on my mast and on the deck and so far after a year they are working great.

CableClams - Blue Sea Systems

[James Baines]

Thanks for the tip, I'll see if they are available in the UK then figure out which to go with. In an ideal world, I could ask "She who watches TV" to set it up but it doesn't seem to work that way on my boat...