coax antennas

[kc5uta]

OK....I just received approx. 1000ft of 75 ohm coax. FREE I think it's rg6 not too sure. But it is a solid copper center conductor and probably the aluminum shield braid. The big question is....what now? I was wondering if anybody has tried using it as a long wire antenna or some variant? Im looking for something different than maybe the ole bazooka or double bazooka. Like I said ...it was free!

 

[zz0468]

Sell it and use the money to get some rg213. The aluminium shield will prevent you from doing anything interesting with it.

 

[ab5r]

I have to disagree with zz0468. Simply connecting the brad to the center conductor will create an insulated long wire for reception or transmission, if an impedance matching transformer is used. GOOGLE around for COAX ANTENNAS.

 

[kc5uta]

yeah I did that seen a few designs, that were OK...the cage dipole was interesting

 

[Blackswan73]

The double bazooka is an excellent antenna to build from RG6. I built one for 40m out of RG6. You can also make a sloper, or inverted v as well

 

[hotdjdave]

Bazooka Antenna

Check out the Bazooka antenna. It is designed to be tuned to a specific frequency of your choosing based on the length.

Here is a link to several videos on YouTube on how to make them:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bazooka+antenna

 

[zz0468]

So, what did you guys do about the bi-metal contact with the aluminum shield and the copper (probably copper clad steel) center conductor. The only good connection to the shield is a compression contact, i.e. a crimped F connector.

I suppose you could make a bazooka dipole out of it, but I don't advocate applying transmitter power to a bi-metalic contact like that.

I stand by my recommendation to get rid of it, or just use it as is as a 75 ohm transmission line for receivers. The OP has a lifetime supply of it.

 

[Rred]

Anything you can do with crimping the shield to the center conductor, you can do cheaper and better with a single wire. Instead of screwing around trying to use it, and screwing around with F crimps, I'd also vote for selling it. CL or eBay or local hamfest, offer it in 50' or 100' lengths and say that you will supply up to 1000' uncut if someone wants longer runs.

Unless you're wiring up apartments for cable tv...it is just stuff that will be around forever to haunt you, unless you sell it off.