wrote:
Im a new ham setting up a tower in my backyard. Eventually, when I
can afford it, I will buy a rotor and a directional antenna. I
wanted to run the rotor cable while I have the PVC above ground, and
im not sure what kind of cable I would need. Would any 8 conducter
cable work? cat cable? telephone cable size okay? I dont want to get
something too cheap, but im running 300 ft.

For a typical Ham-IV rotator, total resistance for Terminals 1 & 2
should be 0.8 ohms
and 2.0 ohms for the other 6. Hy-Gain's manual says:

http://www.hy-gain.com/man/pdf/HAM-IV.pdf (page 4)

Maximum Gauge for Gauge for
Length Terminals 1 & 2 Terminals 3-8

300' (91 m) #14 (1.75 mm) #16 (1.42 mm)

You can mount the motor capacitor at the rotator instead of inside the
control box and eliminate the need for two #16 wires (terminals 3 and
4). In this case you could parallel two of the smaller wires with the
two larger wires for Terminals 1 & 2.

A 300' run of rotor cable is not cheap! Think $360 ($1.19/ft).

http://www.texastowers.com/rotcable.htm

73, Bill W4ZV