I'm adding a VHF radio to my sailboat and would like to ask for details
about the antenna cable.

RG-58 is recommended, but the losses in the cable seem staggering!

Is there a better cable for antenna connections???

Richard

Capri 18
Spirit

cavelamb himself wrote:
I'm adding a VHF radio to my sailboat and would like to ask for details
about the antenna cable.

RG-58 is recommended, but the losses in the cable seem staggering!

Is there a better cable for antenna connections???

Richard

Capri 18
Spirit
Use RG-8x or if you have room for the larger diameter use RG-8U
krj

cavelamb himself inscribed in red ink for all to know:
I'm adding a VHF radio to my sailboat and would like to ask for details
about the antenna cable.

RG-58 is recommended, but the losses in the cable seem staggering!

Is there a better cable for antenna connections???

Richard

Capri 18
Spirit

Use RG8 or RG8x

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

On Thu, 07 Dec 2006 09:02:14 -0800, RW Salnick
wrote:

cavelamb himself inscribed in red ink for all to know:
I'm adding a VHF radio to my sailboat and would like to ask for details
about the antenna cable.

RG-58 is recommended, but the losses in the cable seem staggering!

Is there a better cable for antenna connections???

Richard

Capri 18
Spirit

Use RG8 or RG8x


How long cable? Lower loss cable such as RG8 for masthead
installations, but RG58 is quite ok for shorter cables. BTW, make
sure to use good quality connectors and be carefull that connections
are waterproof. Having boating and ham radio experience for 20 plus
years, 99% of problems have something to do with poor corroded
connections ...

Mika


--
----------------------------------------------------
Haluatko lähettää postia? Vaihda osoitteen
eka (vai oliko se toka?) numero vitonen numeroksi
kahdeksan...
----------------------------------------------------

If you are going to the masthead the ultimate in low loss would be LMR-400
or 400UF. Slightly lighter weight than RG-8 with about half the loss at
157mhz.

LMR type coax is real popular with the wifi folks but I don't know why it
has not been better accepted in marine VHF. It is lighter weight and
handles bends with less loss than the regularly used coax.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"cavelamb himself" wrote in message
nk.net...
I'm adding a VHF radio to my sailboat and would like to ask for details
about the antenna cable.

RG-58 is recommended, but the losses in the cable seem staggering!

Is there a better cable for antenna connections???

Richard

Capri 18
Spirit

Mika wrote:
On Thu, 07 Dec 2006 09:02:14 -0800, RW Salnick
wrote:


cavelamb himself inscribed in red ink for all to know:

I'm adding a VHF radio to my sailboat and would like to ask for details
about the antenna cable.

RG-58 is recommended, but the losses in the cable seem staggering!

Is there a better cable for antenna connections???

Richard

Capri 18
Spirit

Use RG8 or RG8x



How long cable? Lower loss cable such as RG8 for masthead
installations, but RG58 is quite ok for shorter cables. BTW, make
sure to use good quality connectors and be carefull that connections
are waterproof. Having boating and ham radio experience for 20 plus
years, 99% of problems have something to do with poor corroded
connections ...

Mika



God is in the details, so they say.

Yes, I'm mounting the antenna on the mast head.
the mast is 24 feet long (hey, it's a Capri 18!).

Add another 10 or 12 feet for routing the cable out of the way in
the cabin...

The antenna is a 3db Shakespear that has a built in cable.
The mounting instructions say the cable can be shortened but must
be at least 3 feet long. I haven't decided whether to coil it up
at the mast head or maybe put a bracket a couple of feet lower to
attach the connectors.

Either way there is a connector at the top of the mast, one at
the bottom (it's a trailerable boat) and one at the radio.

I thought about putting a deck clam near the mast and just
running the cable from the top of the mast to the radio, but
for the fact that we drop the mast to travel several times a year.

I hear ya about connector problems.

The only local source for cable and connectors is Radio Shack(!)
(PL-259 is spec)

Where do I look (and what am I looking for) in regard to connectors?

Richard

BTY, pics of my boat at:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cavel...rit.htm#spirit

Glenn Ashmore wrote:
If you are going to the masthead the ultimate in low loss would be LMR-400
or 400UF. Slightly lighter weight than RG-8 with about half the loss at
157mhz.

LMR type coax is real popular with the wifi folks but I don't know why it
has not been better accepted in marine VHF. It is lighter weight and
handles bends with less loss than the regularly used coax.

What glen said! LMR (Times Microwave) has the LMR series coaxial cable
in a range of sizes that will replace RG-58, RG-8, or any other commonly
used coax. And it outperforms all of the "old standards" by the specs
and in my experience.

http://www.timesmicrowave.com/wireless/index.shtml

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA (jackerbes at adelphia dot net)
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine dot com)

Jack Erbes wrote:
Glenn Ashmore wrote:

If you are going to the masthead the ultimate in low loss would be
LMR-400 or 400UF. Slightly lighter weight than RG-8 with about half
the loss at 157mhz.

LMR type coax is real popular with the wifi folks but I don't know why
it has not been better accepted in marine VHF. It is lighter weight
and handles bends with less loss than the regularly used coax.


What glen said! LMR (Times Microwave) has the LMR series coaxial cable
in a range of sizes that will replace RG-58, RG-8, or any other commonly
used coax. And it outperforms all of the "old standards" by the specs
and in my experience.

http://www.timesmicrowave.com/wireless/index.shtml

Jack

Will check it out.

The recomendation from BoatUS was PVC jacket and tinned internal
conductor (ratehr than bare copper). And to avoid foam filled cables.
http://www.boatus.com/boattech/antennas.htm

So?
PVC jacket, tinned stranded internal conductor, and..
What kind of insulation? Air?


We do occasionally swim in the salt...

Richard

cavelamb himself wrote in news:4hXdh.7885
:

RG-58 is recommended, but the losses in the cable seem staggering!

Is there a better cable for antenna connections???

Richard

Capri 18


"Staggering"? RG-6 would be much better at about the same price. It's
only a hair bigger diameter, available at any marine store selling
electronics. With a 40' run of RG-6 you still get 75% efficiency.

If you must:
http://shop.electro-comm.com/ac/Prod...=19707&view=24
LMR-1700-DB, double-shielded, direct burial, waterPROOF will give you
97.9% at 156.8 for 40' but noone will notice it on the air, only in your
pocket book at $10/ft plus some pretty impressive connectors. Way
overkill. It's 1 1/4" diameter...not good. RG-6 is better.

The Icom M802 on Lionheart has about 70' of RG-6 to a Metz Manta 6 at
55'. Savannah is 100 miles from here. I hear them all the time and I
know they can hear me because they called me...(c;



Larry
--
If we eliminate religion, will they stop murdering each other?

OOPS...belay my last!....RG-8X

I been spending way too much time fooling with wifi crap....(c;

sorry


INCOMING! HEAD FOR THE SHELTER!!

It should have read:

"Staggering"? RG-8X would be much better at about the same price.
It's
only a hair bigger diameter, available at any marine store selling
electronics. With a 40' run of RG-8X you still get 75% efficiency.

If you must:
http://shop.electro-comm.com/ac/Prod...=19707&view=24
LMR-1700-DB, double-shielded, direct burial, waterPROOF will give you
97.9% at 156.8 for 40' but noone will notice it on the air, only in
your
pocket book at $10/ft plus some pretty impressive connectors. Way
overkill. It's 1 1/4" diameter...not good. RG-6 is better.

The Icom M802 on Lionheart has about 70' of RG-8X to a Metz Manta 6 at
55'. Savannah is 100 miles from here. I hear them all the time and I
know they can hear me because they called me...(c;





Larry
--
If we eliminate religion, will they stop murdering each other?