New to Ham, Need some help

[Montana Bauman]

Hey guys I am new to HAM. I was wondering what the default antenna ports was called on Hand held radios. I believe its coax, but when I look up coax cables the connectors look quite large. So is there different size coax connectors like Type-1 or Type-2? I own a Yaesu VX-8DR "Witch I Love". Im asking this because I want to run an cable from the radio unit to my antenna. Like 3 Footer to put my antenna on the side of my bag through the pals webbing to hide it/ get it out they way.

Thanks In advance,

Montana

 

[2RT307]

That's an SMA connector. There are also hand helds with BNC connectors. Most Baofeng's use a female SMA, but looks like your Yaesu is a male. Tons of adapters out there to run coax to one, and it's best to use smaller, thin coax to your heavier stuff to avoid damaging the radio's SMA connector. You will probably need a barrel connector to put the two together.

Here's some stuff from Amazon:
Amazon product ASIN B00COWHKYQ
73,
Brett

 

[Montana Bauman]

Thanks man for the help. Your amazon links did not come through. Try posting them again.

 

[2RT307]

Not able to make it work for some reason. Just google SMA to PL-259 cable, and you should get some results.

73,
Brett

 

[Montana Bauman]

ok cool ill try that. thanks again that clarify a bunch of stuff.

 

[BJ radionut]

https://squareup.com/market/the-rf-adapter-guy

 

[Montana Bauman]

thank you BJ

 

[BJ radionut]

Have purchased many items from him over the years...ALL quality stuff...including the HT Adaptor cords....Yes you can find cheaper...but you won't find any better.
He is located in Wisconson. I see him at Midwest Hamfests often.
I tried to get a fellow ham to buy his for his HT....NO he said cheaper at this other table....couple months later he had to buy another...mine still going strong after couple years.
WELCOME YOUNG JEDI
We are here to help
All the Best
Gary/W9FNB

 

[Montana Bauman]

thanks great to know man. by the way i made another post in the radio equipment section. regarding how to make a proper sma coax extension cable. i just need to make one to get my antenna on the outside of my bag through the palls webbing. got any recommendations. I dont want to do buy a prefabbed one because im going to end up trimming it if its too much anyways. Im guessing i wont go past a 3ft cable. and Robb recommend dipoles for my application.

 

[Paul-W5lz]

If you're still monitoring this...
What will your purpose for this radio be, band / mode / etc? I would think that a vertical antenna would probably work okay. A typical 'rubber-duck' antenna something on the order of an 'electrical' 1/4 wave length. It's easy to make that into a '1/2 wave' antenna just by adding a 'rats tail' to the antenna connector or the chassis of the radio. That 'rats tail' is simply a wire about 18 - 19 inches long. That improves that little 'shorty' antenna's performance quite a bit. (Unfortunately, a 'rubber-duck's performance is really bad at best. Making it a '1/2 wave' with that 'rats tail' HAS to improve it.
Paul

 

[rabbiporkchop]

Pasternack carries a full assortment of sma adapters.
https://www.pasternack.com/sma-adapters-category.aspx