Can I cut the ends off of old cable TV coax and add PL-259 connectors

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It dawned on me I quite a bit of old coax around





Right now I'm in in infancy stage of antenna the goal at the moment is to at least get something outside so no it's not gonna be the ultimate end game set up and of course I like to learn as I go along.

I'm sure many facepalm moments will ensue

Thanks

Oh yeah I reckon there is more than one type of PL-259 I watched this video seemed reasonable

 

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I had a tough time finding these screw together types


But they are available like from a place called max gain

Do you guys like these screw together or the crimp type

 

[AudioShockwav]

Technically, yes you 'can' use 75 ohm TV coax....
There was a member here years ago that used commercial 75 ohm cable to feed a antenna several hundred feet up the side of a mountain because that's what he had and it was extremely low loss.
But
Your radio and antenna and everything else wants to see 50 ohm coax and it will work best to stick with that if you can.


That is the simple answer

If you do some Internet searches on radio antennas and feed lines it will help you understand how you can feed different antennas with different types of feed lines.


73
Jeff

 

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Ah yes sir
First facepalm moment achieved
Thanks

 

[brandon7861]

Let us not forget the golden rule of coax transmission lines. At half wave multiples, the input impedance equals the load impedance regardless of what impedance the coax is. So yes, if you make it electrically a half wave or multiple and the antenna is 50ohm, it will work excellent.

How about a worst case situation, 450 electrical degrees of RG-6/U connected to a 50ohm antenna. SWR2.2 and power into load is 78.1% (simsmith).

I'd say, if your goal is to get on the air, do it!

There are plenty of ways to match the impedances too.