I purchased an OmniX antenna and 75 feet of SureCall SC 400 coax. Did I make a good decision? I already receive the coax but the antenna won't ship until next week because they are waiting on parts.
Question about antenna and coax
- Thread starter medziatkowicz39
- Start date
- Status
I looked around quite a bit for the important specs on this coaxial cable, such as velocity factor or loss per foot at a given frequency. Found nothing. At VHF and especially UHF frequencies 75 feet of coax can have a lot of loss depending on it's quality of construction. You would want to use the minimum length required at these frequencies.
As for the antenna I don't have any knowledge of the OmniX. Someone else likely will.
As for the antenna I don't have any knowledge of the OmniX. Someone else likely will.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
SureCall makes consumer cellular bi-directional amplifiers. It's unlikely they make their own coax. It's probably a copy of Times Microwave LMR-400. Very likely it's a super-flex variant as those tend to be more popular with consumers trying to do their own installs. I'd expect the specs to be similar but slightly below that of Times Microwave LMR-400UF.
Probably decent stuff and good enough for hobby use. Since installing your own connectors can take special tools that many don't have, there's value in getting pre-terminated coaxial cable like that. You'll be reasonably assured it's been assembled correctly and will work right out of the box.
Just make sure you properly waterproof all your outdoor connections.
Probably decent stuff and good enough for hobby use. Since installing your own connectors can take special tools that many don't have, there's value in getting pre-terminated coaxial cable like that. You'll be reasonably assured it's been assembled correctly and will work right out of the box.
Just make sure you properly waterproof all your outdoor connections.
CanesFan95
Analog already is interoperable.
Installing coax connectors is a pain in the ass.
majoco
Stirrer
Practice, practice and practice - and the right tools. Don't be scared of it and get the good connectors. Find the installation diagrams with the dimensions and use a bench magnifier to get right down to the details. Don't solder the centre pin - when you've completed the job and it looks good, take it apart, cut the coax down an inch or so and do it again.
I spent a few years terminating rigid solid coax with screw "C" long back connectors that had to be done right the first time to preserve phasing at 330MHz frequencies on airport glidepath installations. The solid copper outer had to be cut and splayed out with a craft knife - couldn't use a pipe cutter as the indentation made an impedance bump.
I spent a few years terminating rigid solid coax with screw "C" long back connectors that had to be done right the first time to preserve phasing at 330MHz frequencies on airport glidepath installations. The solid copper outer had to be cut and splayed out with a craft knife - couldn't use a pipe cutter as the indentation made an impedance bump.
Installing Times EZ connectors on LMR cable takes about 1 minute starting from a bare end of coax and the connector in the package and they come out perfect. You just need to have the right tools on hand.
I still have my LMR400 LMR600 strippers and RF Industries crimpers.
They are not designed to be done with a pocket knife and wire pliers.
They are not designed to be done with a pocket knife and wire pliers.
where can you buy these at?
I buy most of my Times EZ connectors surplus on Ebay cheap. I got one Times CST-400 prep tool for LMR400 at a ham swap meet for $40 and a CST-240 for LMR240 on Ebay cheap.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
The right tools make all the difference.
Unfortunately the right tools are usually out of the range of most hobby budgets.
I haven't tried that method yet.
I get good reception that way, but my scanner gets jealous
Middle of the road crimpers for common hobbyist coax sizes aren't terribly expensive in the scheme of things especially given what some hams spend on a decked out HF system. Would they hold up to the daily activities of a pro installer? Not likely. I have purchased crimpers on Amazon that I use at home and they work fine for the hobbyist application.
On a different but related note. I like the crimpers much better than soldering. Dropping molten solder on my bare foot is exactly the "pain in the ass" mentioned above but it hurts none-the-less.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Yes, absolutely. I have a <$100 set of crimpers and strippers at home that work great.
At work, using LMR series and Heliax, it's a different story, but that's out of the range for most hobbyists.
Hams confuse me. They'll spend several thousand dollars on an HF rig, then $25 on a BaoFeng, then complain about the high cost of tools and connectors.
Ah, memories from my childhood. Same applies for welding. I only welded once while wearing tennis shoes.
I like the Omni-X a lot. Well made and works very well for me, in my area with my scanners.
- Status
Similar threads
