ECORE EMR-400

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mmckenna

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I'd recommend being vary cautious about a no-name cable that claims to be equivalent. Some of this stuff is out of China and doesn't meet the specs they advertise.

LMR-400 should not cost $1.29 a foot, as that website claims. I've bought it in bulk for 65 cents a foot. Some careful shopping around should get you close to that.

I'd really go with a known product. Since your radio will only work as well as it's antenna, cutting corners on the antenna system is a good way to increase the likelihood of disappointment.

For 1000MHz, you need to be careful on your lengths. LMR400, even the good Times Microwave stuff is going to have a fair amount of loss. In a 100 foot run, at 1000MHz, you'll loose 2/3rds of your signal to feed line losses. If your cable run is short, you'll do better. If you can afford better cable, and plan to do a lot of listening well up towards 800MHz, 900MHz, etc, invest in something like LMR600, 1/2 inch heliax or better. Installation is harder as that stuff is stiff and harder to work with. I've got a couple of 800MHz systems, and the smallest cable we use for even short (< 50 ft) is 7/8th's heliax. The other site uses 1 5/8ths heliax. Of course this is for transmitting, but your repeater is only as good as your receiver. If the budget is tight, you can always do what you can now, and upgrade later.

Belden 9913? Skip it. It's going to be worse than the LMR400, and it can be problematic stuff. The big issue with 9913 is that it uses a hollow dielectric that likes to suck up water whenever it can. Do a search on the internet, and you'll find plenty of hams complaining about the stuff and how they wished they'd installed better cable.
 

kell490

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Thanks for the input I will look at LMR 600 I think ill buy it from Davis RF he seems to be reasonable and has a good reputation. Should I just have them install the ends? I have soldered PL-259 and BNC's on before but I hear these can be tricky and the cost of the ends if you mess them up.
 

mmckenna

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I'd have him install them. I'm not sure they make any solder on connectors for LMR-600. I've always used the crimp on types. If he uses the Times Microwave connectors, they come with a heat shrink that goes over the crimp part and up the cable an inch or so. It's adhesive lined, so it seals everything up really nice.
 

kell490

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What do you think of LDF4-50A Heliax he also has that $2.30 a foot even lower loss then LMR.
 

mmckenna

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Yep, that's 1/2 inch heliax, and would be excellent stuff. It's going to be harder to install, it isn't as flexible, and if you bend it to far and it kinks, you've got to replace the section. LMR-600 is a little more forgiving, more flexible, and likely a bit cheaper.

Good stuff though. Figure in that the connectors, on their own, are going to run you $30 or more each, not including installation. Installing them on your own isn't that big a deal. I've done it with standard hand tools when I've been in a jam.
 

kell490

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I picked p a 120' run of the LDF4-50A Heliax from a guy for $95 on eBay the screw together ends were $21 each at Davis RF. I went with Bury Flex for a 5-10' whip no need to go expensive online calculations show it .476 loss at 10' for 1ghz and .42 for LMR400UF save 50 cents a foot for the Bury Flex I can always change that whip out later. The guy at HRO gave me a great tip for an ATT mast using 10' chain link fence section at Home Depot has crimped ends so you can double them up for $9 each. Doing good so far as long as the eBay guy comes though for me he got me for $35 for shipping but still not bad for Heliax.
 
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mmckenna

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Yeah, 120 feet of heliax is likely the "reel end", or the stuff left on the reel after they use most of it. You can usually get it cheap. Shipping is expensive not only because of the weight, but because it can only be rolled up to a certain diameter. So, bulk plays into the shipping costs. $35 isn't bad at all for the shipping. When it shows up you'll see what I mean.

I've got a lot of 1/2" heliax laying around at work, but it's from old in-building cellular BDA systems, and it's all plenum grade cable. It won't last long outdoors due the UV, and it's hollow core, so moisture issues. I usually just scrap the connectors off of it and recycle the copper.
 

kell490

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The guy is probably getting from a place he works at end of the reel stuff. My company had to put a stop to guys taking scrap home after 2 got into an argument over some junk file servers so company said everything goes to E salvage company. Oh by the way do you know does anyone make a good antenna switch that goes on the roof I'm thinking about making a 2M J Pole I can switch the cable over so I don't have to run 2 cables.
 

mmckenna

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I don't know who makes a "good" one, but I know that MFJ (mighty fine junk) makes one.

What exactly are you planning? 2 meter J pole on one side, what is on the other?
 

kell490

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Right now I have the DPD Productions air Omni UHF/VHF I'm going to put on top later I might add something else like a J Pole not sure if Ill just put another Mast up or what. I want to put a weather station up there too.
 

dksac2

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You can use 450 ohm ladder line and a 9 to 1 balun on each end. It's far cheaper on long runs and there is maybe 1 db loss in a 200 foot run. It has to be kept away from anything metal. A short piece of coax attaches to the end of the balun to bring the signal into the shack.
It can be a little problematic in the rain and snow. If you use LMR 600, you will need special fittings just made for it and they are expensive. Some people adapt regular fittings to hard line. Just make sure it's waterproof.
Do some study and figure what you can live with as far as loss goes.
It's best to keep the antenna fairly close to your shack if possible. That way the loss is kept to a minimum.
You can always use more power to overcome the loss, but it does not help you hear better.

John
 
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kell490

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I was able to find LDF4-50A Heliax hard line 120' for $95 it's far better then LMR and a lot cheaper. The ends I got from Davis RF they are compression fit so easy to install. I plan on going up to 1.2gig so not sure if 450 ohm ladder line will work but it sounds interesting.
 

LtDoc

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If you found Heliax for that price, was it used?
- 'Doc

(all connectors for 'hard-line' are compression fittings.)
 

kell490

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I don't think it was used it looks like off an end of a real maybe they guy has some left over from a job he did I don't know. I got it from eBay if you search for LDF4-50A you will find some. Shipping was $35 120' of this stuff is a large winding up can't bend it much it came in what looks like 2 3.5' cardboard taped on all sides with the cable in the middle.
 

markroskowske

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I work for the company that makes and distributes EMR-400 and EMR-240. I can send samples and specs to anyone who is interested in checking it out.
 
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