antenna coax for base unit

[FourBee]

Is the narrow .2" RG-8X Coax good enough for a simple 2 Meter set-up from antenna to radio?
At twice the cost there is the .4"  Coax  RG-8A/U braided copper wire.   Also the RG-8U .4" solid copper strand.

I was having a time figuring out which radio, now I'm all tangled up in coax..... help.

4B

[ozarkhillbilly49]

4b, for basic fm work mini 8 will be ok for a 50 to 65 ft. run. if you are going much longer than that stranded rg 8 is better. later on if you get into weak signal work the feedline's get more exotic and expensive!!! if you get on a power trip you can watch 8 dollar a foot feedline go up in smoke.( by the way smoke is the basic ingredent for all electroinc componets. if you let the smoke out of them they don't work no more!!!) think about where your shack is and where you want the antenna's at. try to plan it so you have the shortest feedline possible.also try to avoid sharp bends. coax will coldcut on a fellar. that is where the center conductor drifts thru the insulation and changes position in relation to the outer shield. that makes for a lumpy feedline.(50 ohm for 10 ft 30ohm for 5 foot then back to ohm for a 50 ohm for a few feet and so on.)it can make matching things a real problem!!! if you run hi power into a bad mismatch you can hotcut coax and that happens pretty quick and makes for real excitment in the shack as you try to get the amp down and the welding arc stopped in the output tank!!! not that i have ever been a dumb hillbilly and had such a thing happen to me!!!if i can help any more drop a line back. 73's aa5ez.

[FourBee]

Thanks ozark ~  Glad you put that info out front.   The rest of that electronic jargon had my brain smokin ~    Seriously though, you seem to have an indepth knowlege of the radio world.  

Another question:  Is a SWR Meter necessary ?    If so; how about the little MFJ-812B ?

Thanks again   4B

[ozarkhillbilly49]

a swr bridge is a darn handy item to have around 4b. the little mfj will be fine for a starter. when you pass your general or extra class you will probably want a little more meter. of course you can always build your own. hf bridges are easy to build.homemade may not have all the bells and whistles but they will do the job. if you got a good well stocked junk box a vhf bridge ain't out the question to build. the mfj will be alright to start with tho. mfj has some quality issues once in a while tho. they are usually good about standing behind thier stuff.hope this helps. 73's aa5ez.

[FourBee]

Okay on the SWR Meter.   Called about the Ranger antennas, and they changed my order to the Ranger I which is in stock, so they're shipping it along with the MFJ SWR Meter, and 100' of the .4" (3/8") dia. RG-8 Coax.   Thanks ozark and 73's to you

4B

[ozarkhillbilly49]

your gonna have some fun 4b.getting on the air the first time is a real kick.do you have a power supply for the 2800? if you don't you are gonna need one. a 15 amp 12 volt supply will get you by.73;s aa5ez

[FourBee]

Yep; when I ordered the YAESU FT-2800M, I also ordered the MFJ-4225MV along with it.  Hope I did alright in that area.

4B

[ozarkhillbilly49]

you done good 4b!!!!! hey there are some other ham ops on gb. fer christ sake jump in and give me and these new guys some of your thoughts and idea's. some of my thinking is pretty strange even in the ham radio world!!! 73's to all, aa5ez.

[FourBee]

  ozark; they're probably monitoring you alright, and as long as you're singing in tune they don't want to interfere.   It's been raining most of the day here, can't do any gardening, and I ain't in the mood for cleaning up my shop.  Need to keep after the books, but find myself back in front of this computer.   Think I'd better shut this down until this evening.  73's ozark

4B

[Lead pot]

Ozark your doing good the way you are.
Running barefoot the rg-8 is ok for short 2 mtrs run, double braid would be better with 50' unless your working EME.
All my vhf and uhf is 7/8" hardliner and jumpers are 3/8" hardline and double silver braid Military Surplus feed line with N connectors.
This is just me working EME for all the minimal loss I can get.
When I set up the Antenna array I use a wave strength mtr for tuning the feed line then the antennas, then check it at the antenna connection with a Bird when it is on the tower were the ground effect wont show a mismatch.

But things might have changed in my 15 years or so of inactivity.

[ozarkhillbilly49]

leadpot, you got the eme(moonbounce) covered real good!! that is the best way to minimize loss that i know of.i have never had the pleasure of working moonbounce but it is one of the modes i would sure like to try.4b,and foggy this is where the feedline MUST transfer the most signal as possible!! the signal is travling to the moon and bouncing back. about a half a millon mile trip if i rember right. this is truly weak signal work that requies the best in gear and more importantly operator skill!!! thanks for the kind words leadpot one of these days i hope we can make a eme sked with one another. 73's to all aa5ez.

[FourBee]

Running barefoot the rg-8 is ok for short 2 mtrs run,

Lead Pot; I was running neck and neck with you that far, but from there on out all I saw was dust......
Checking your antenna with a 'Bird' gave me a clue as to why everything you said was Greek to me  

You guys are so far ahead of me the Lord will come before I can get there.  

4B

[Lead pot]

FourBee;

 :)The Bird thing
You wait for a bird to land snear the feed line and then fire up the foot warmer and send out a CQ with the BUG and if you smoke the feathers you got a bad match

[ozarkhillbilly49]

you can do a check that way fellars. the bird ol' leadpot is refering to is a particular brand of wattmeter. it is probably one of the most accurate meters that can be had. it use's "slugs"(inserts) that are made for the frequency and power range you are working with.they also cost a pretty penny.hardline is just what it's name implies. the outer cover is a pipe the inner conductor can be suspended with ceramic beads at close intervals.the use of beads and air for insulation make it the lowest loss coax around. it is joined together of course with fittings like any piece of pipe. for hardline to survive it must be put together very carefully. i am the village idiot more likely to toast "birds". i run open wire feedline on hf with as much as a 10 or 20 to one mismatch. i don't care much about swr on the feedline. i hide it from the rig and maintain balance on the feedline with a kilowatt johnson matchbox.at hf the losses are negligable.now it is leadpots turn!! i am going to go chase a birdie in my reciever!!!!! darn chrip is driving me nutter ever day!!!!!!!73's to all aa5ez qrt sk.

[Lead pot]

  Just having a little fun 4-B 

Ozark is right with the Bird.
His open line feed line is also a very low loss and works very good but you don't want little kids around that might get in contact with it when your keying up the X-MTR.
As far as your RG-8X goes, use it it's ok. SK ..

[ozarkhillbilly49]

aw comeon leadpot, you guys get the shotguns out and help me hunt this birdie in my reciever!! drivimg me batty!!! and i'm already nuts!! the papers i had from the state asylum are out of date!!! i got no way to prove i'm really sane anymore!!when people ask about my antenna's i tell'em i give up trying to talk to the mothership, i'm trying for the homeplanet now!!! i have had people actually run away from me when i tell'em that!!! you guys all have some fun!! that is what this hobby is all about! having fun while being ready to serve our community if need be. mostly fun tho!!!4b get leadpot to tell you what a birdie is in a reciever. he is a sharp fellar he knows!!! if i can help give a shout. 73's to all!!! aa5ez

[Lead pot]

Is it chirpier or peeper
Me be you ought to upgrade that Heath eh??
The Heath I build was a chirper

[kf4ocv]

I been working Weak signal for years and my favorite is LMR 400 By times Microwave  Low loss good up to 440 atleast.  Glad to find other hams on GB.