antenna

[rdrunner252]

I will be installing my 796D uniden scanner in my ford explorer and the only thing I monitor is the Connecticut state police which are 800mhz ditigal trunked . The question I have what type of antenna cable would be best for this install?

Thanks Dom..

 

[kb2vxa]

Uh, the cable that comes with the antenna?

 

[jonny290]

Well, LMR400 would be best at 800 mhz, but it's almost a buck a foot and a half-inch in diameter.

I've been using LMR240 a bit, it's a good compromise - LMR performance but in a smaller cable. it's not bad at all

 

[trooperdude]

Lmr-400

You can get spools of LMR-400 that's swept to 2 ghz on Ebay for 0.29 per foot, but it's not
suitable for mobile use.

For mobile use I would use a good quality low-loss Teflex-cabled NMO mount from
Antennex.

 

[kf4lne]

I use RG223/U. Its an RG58 sized coax that has a dual shield and the stuff I have has a tinned shield and center conductor. Its good stuff and I use it with all of my mobile antennas. At 900MHz it has a 13.8db/100ft loss compared to the nearly 20db/100 ft loss of regular RG58 and is sized right for mobile use. LMR400 would be great but that stuff is too large to seriously consider for mobile installations. My standard suggestion is to go to your local Motorola or other two-way radio shop (not a CB shop) and ask them for the same hardware they use for their clients 800MHz radio systems.

 

[jonny290]

I've actually decided to try lmr400 in my blazer for my 144/440 antenna. Yeah, it's not flexible, but I've got a pigtail on the back of my radio and the antenna is going to be mounted on the spare tire carrier, so I can have a nice curve on the cable.

anybody know minimum bend radius for LMR400? I go by the guideline of 10x cable diameter = minimum turn diameter.