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Best Coax?

7

717seemore99

Member
Dec 6, 2008
7
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11
Whats the best or most commom high end coax to run 100ft for a basestation CB?

I have LRM-400 running 100ft for my base scanner. Is this a respectable CB coax?
 

I would say that the best cable one can buy is the 9913.
But I doubt very much that you need that much quality. A 100' run of that would cost about $135/+tx including the PL-259 connectors. If you had a HAM setup running on the 2m/70cm band where you are dealing with VHF/UHF, then yeah, it would need to have extremely low-loss cable with those frequencies.

Getting 100' of RG8/U Foam is about $30 less - or about a dollar a foot - and that would be best to use for low-loss on the CB/11 meter bandwidth at $100/+tx. That would be my choice.

If you got the RG213 you would be paying about $15 more for that 100' run - $115/+tx. Better than RG8/U Foam? No, but at CB frequencies you still wouldn't realize any gain. Actually, it is as bad as the next one. Now if you use the narrow RG8X Mini; that would be the cheap stuff - about $60 for the 100' run. But then you would have a cable loss at that length of run that some would consider unacceptable. I wouldn't use it for 100' foot length; and only maybe for a short mobile run of 18'. I think that is the one you should avoid if you want a quality setup if 100' is your need.

Cost vs freq usage vs length?
The RG8/U Foam would be best when all is considered - IMO.
You can spend the extra $35 for the 9913; but you won't see any - or little - benefit.
 
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belden used foam for the insulator originally in their 9913 coax and had water/moisture problems . they use a different insulator now and all is well . the new belden product is 9913F7 , its written on the cover of the coax .

i doubt anyone could tell the difference between LMR-400 or Belden 9913F7 or Davis Bury-Flex . all are great coax and youd have to go to hardline or the higher grades of times microwave coax using very expensive connectors to do any better .

heres some info on coax for ya ,

The Ultimate Guide to 11 Meter CB Antennas

if money is very tight and youre running a 4 pill or less you could use rg-8x coax . no one will ever tell the half DB difference . but use the good stuff if at all possible .
 
id personally go with the UF (ultra flex) version . much easier to work with . but if youre running huge power the solid core would be a stronger option .
 
Assuming that $80 is for new coax, I think I night be interested. But, it wouldn't be used for 11 meters or any HF stuff. For all practical purposes, RG-8u would work just fine. Slightly more loss than the higher priced/quality stuff, but that amount of loss isn't noticeable at all on HF.
- 'Doc
 
is that 80 bucks for the solid core ? i couldnt find the 400-uf stranded for less than $130 . :(

BTW , how much power are you gonna run ?
 
W5LZ said:
Assuming that $80 is for new coax, I think I night be interested. But, it wouldn't be used for 11 meters or any HF stuff. For all practical purposes, RG-8u would work just fine. Slightly more loss than the higher priced/quality stuff, but that amount of loss isn't noticeable at all on HF.
- 'Doc
Click to expand...
Always a breath of fresh air Doc. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Switch (that goes for the rest of you's as well :) )
 
http://www.timesmicrowave.com/content/pdf/lmr/22-25.pdf

Here are the LMR 400 specs right from the company's own mouth. It says that it can handle up to 1.6 kw. So, you could run up to a 500 heater on AM and 1500 PEP on SSB. That could work, if that is your requirements.

The eBay deal seems like a pretty good deal - too. I might buy some myself. Problem is, it has 'N' connectors on it. I don't know if you are using the 'N' thing; but you could put PL-259's on it and still make it work.

The Velocity Factor look xlnt; and I might use it for my 2m/440 Mhz radio. I could cut the cable in half, and use one piece for the CB (and replace the N connector w/PL-259's) and the other half for the 2m. I'd be saving money and making a better connection with both radios. This just might work out for me too.

EDIT:
What about the Jefa Tech site that appaently has better specs than the Times brand - cheaper too.
http://www.jefatech.com/c=9nlsZVM6R...ct/LL400B/Low_Loss_400_Coax__By_The_Foot.html

Hmmm...
Good find.
 
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The description says it "attenuates signal 4 db", without specifying the frequency this is based on. I'd want to know.

I assume it's at 1 GHz, where Times Microwave specifies 4.1 dB loss per 100 feet, but if this stuff isn't Times Microwave brand name (stamped on the jacket), all bets would be off.

There's also no need for them to advertise it as "black". ALL real LMR coax I've ever seen is black.
 
I think it's what is typically advertised as "Times Microwave Type LMR400".:thumbdown:

Mine is plainly marked.


 

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