LMR 400 vs LMR 600 Cable?

[DUSTINLEE]

I will need about 50ft of cable ,The antenna will probably be from ground to tip about 34or37 ft. Currently I am using a radioshack mobile antenna it works fair but It sure could use improvement...I live inside the mountains (In a vally) so height is probably what I need unless advised otherwise...

 

[W6KRU]

I will need about 50ft of cable ,The antenna will probably be from ground to tip about 34or37 ft. Currently I am using a radioshack mobile antenna it works fair but It sure could use improvement...I live inside the mountains (In a vally) so height is probably what I need unless advised otherwise...

According to a chart on this site, you are probably talking about less than 1db of difference between LMR-400 and LMR-600. The difference is only .15db at 100 MHz and a real rough guesstimate could be ? .6db at 800 MHz.

 

[Lowa2]

http://www.osburn.com/amateurradio/lmr-cable-type.pdf

just to give you an idea of what your dealing with. We use hardline on anything that is outside, and LMR for anything that is inside. The connectors for Heliax are more rugged.

And you will NEVER notice 1.5 dB. I recently did a complete re-cabling of a site, where RG214 WAS used, and we used LMR400 this time (diff>3dB), and the air traffic controllers said they notice absolutely NO difference. So the extra pain in the bum to route the cable, and extra cash is not really worth it. Just get a good antenna and LMR400.

 

[zguy1243]

I just ordered a run of LMR600 for a discone I have. When I get it in next week I will do a little side by side test of LMR400 vs. LMR600 at around a 60 foot run with a weak UHF signal. I predict you will notice the worth of the LMR600 in weak signal situations. I will post it up next week in a youtube link....

 

[radiopro52]

I just ordered a run of LMR600 for a discone I have. When I get it in next week I will do a little side by side test of LMR400 vs. LMR600 at around a 60 foot run with a weak UHF signal. I predict you will notice the worth of the LMR600 in weak signal situations. I will post it up next week in a youtube link....

Neat. I look forward to that, cause I've been wondering the same thing.

 

[ckinerd]

The LMR600 has less loss than the LMR400. However, you have to decide if it is worth the extra cost. Here is a little comparison:

150MHz Loss
LMR400: 1.5dB
LMR600: 0.964dB

450MHz Loss
LMR400: 2.7dB
LMR600: 1.72dB

900MHz Loss
LMR400: 3.9dB
LMR600: 2.5dB

So far, LMR600 has better loss characteristics. Now lets, look at the pricing for the coax and connectors:

List Price Per Foot
LMR400: $0.70
LMR600: $1.00

N Male Connector (EZ Style)
LMR400: $9
LMR600: $16

So you are looking at an extra 40% or so cost for saving about 1.4dB on a 100 foot run at 900MHz. Plus add in the fact that LMR600 is just that much harder to work with than LMR400. For my money, I would go with LMR400 and be happy.

I sell custom LMR400 jumper assemblies if you decide to go with the LMR400.

Jeff

Jeff, I am looking into putting in a cell phone repeater system, covering the 900 Mhz and 1900 Mhz bands, 175 ft. of run to the outside antenna to the repeater amp and about 50 ft to the inside antenna. LMR 400 would do fine for the inside run, would LMR 600 be a better choice for the run to the external antenna?

 

[ckinerd]

According to a chart on this site, you are probably talking about less than 1db of difference between LMR-400 and LMR-600. The difference is only .15db at 100 MHz and a real rough guesstimate could be ? .6db at 800 MHz.

DDan, I am looking into putting in a cell phone repeater system, covering the 900 Mhz and 1900 Mhz bands, 175 ft. of run to the outside antenna to the repeater amp and about 50 ft to the inside antenna. LMR 400 would do fine for the inside run, would LMR 600 be a better choice for the run to the external antenna?

 

[LtDoc]

At that distance and frequencies, use 'larger' hard-line instead.
- 'Doc

 

[davidgcet]

yep, you want hard line for the 1.9. at least 7/8 but preferably 1 1/4. when we install cell sites anything over 150' gets 1 1/4 and over 300 gets 1 1/12. you want the large hard line to run as much end to end as possible, just use a short jumper on each end and run the hardline inside.

next time, please start a new thread instead of digging up an old one too.