"John Grabowski" wrote in message news:4a970b03$0

stuff snipped

Thanks for the input, John! Any relation to Marilyn Grabowski, the
famous
Playboy photo editor?

*I know of her, but we have never met to discuss genealogy. It seems
Grabowski is the Polish version of Smith.

Oops! I can't help myself from asking. I've met the niece of the inventor
of the transistor and the great-great grandson of one of the pioneers of
submarine warfare by asking. Of course, there have been many more misses
than hits.

I found a local (enough) rental place that rents trenching equipment and
found a few possibilities:

Ditch Witch 1230
4 HOURS$ 75.00
DAY$ 125.00

Ditch Witch 1820
4 HOURS$ 100.00
DAY$ 150.00

Ditch Witch 3700
DAY$ 295.00

Ditch Witch RT40
DAY$ 325.00

Cable Plow
DAY$ 200.00
WEEK$ 700.00

It's hard to tell which model will do the best job. The more expensive the
rental, the larger the machine, the more wheels and more things sticking out
of them. I'm still inclined to look for a trenching contractor who could
zip in and do the job in less time than it would take me to fill out the
rental form!

I've been Googling sprinkler installation stories and many first time
renters report these machines are heavy, hard to get from the rental store
to the house and back, and have lots of surprises for the amateur, my
favorite of which was the guy who found a buried clothesline with his rented
trencher. Having once sucked an extension cord into a snowblower, it
brought back less than fond memories. Another interesting report talked
about the small trenchers digging such a narrow trench that they had to be
widened by hand. The search continues . . .

Good luck with project. I forgot to mention in my earlier post of a
company
called Clifford in Vermont. They specialize in telecommunications cable
and
tools among other things. If there is such a thing as direct burial CATV
wire they would have it.

Thanks - I've heard of them. I'll give them a look-see.

--
Bobby G.