Cable difference for mobile install

[RADIOGUY2002]

Telfon
Telefex
RG-8X


Other then price what has the lowest loss and makes more sense for a mobile installation. I want to see the overall opionion, I have my own. But, I like to what the general assumption is.

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They will be used for uhf and vhf operations, mobiles, respectfully at 45W and 50W.

 

[Thayne]

You only mentioned 1 "RG" designation of coax, and several dielectric materials used in various ways, so your question is impossible to answer except to say in the lengths needed for mobile use at those frequencies, it won't matter hardly at all. When you are talking about 800 or above it becomes more of a consideration.

 

[VernM]

RG-8X M/M from the WireMan (www.thewireman.com). More rugged and better shield than anything else.

 

[N1BHH]

Teflon or Teflex are low loss and work fine. They are both similar. I have several mounts with this cable and work very well.

 

[RADIOGUY2002]

Well here's the deal

The mounts in place (3/4 th's) hole mounts are suppiled with RG-58 a/u which is not very effective from my experience. Their twist and corode faster then others I have seen. While, only one of the mounts is bad, the install was goofed at some levels. The scanner antenna ( a quterwave) has way to long of a run as its dead center roof and proabily has five ft over run with slack still left. Their 17 ft run's. I plan on moving the uhf antenna from the trunk lid to the roof top, dead center front. And reducing the feedline to somthing like 12 or 14 ft instead of 17 ft. The one bad mount on the trunk will be replaced out by me, but my question was for the uhf new line, new hole what should I use-rg 8x etc. The one on rear trunk lid is used for vhf, in any case I'll have an open mount, one will have a quterwave antenna and the other will support a 5/8 wave vhf whip for distance communications, where I can switch the connctor if need be.

I was thinking rg-8x as opposed to rg-58 a/u for the new one and the replacement, but was seekking general opioion. Mind you that the 5/8 wave whip will go on the rg 58 a/u mount where the uhf antenna is to make up for some loss.

see picture below to understand what im talking about

 

[smokeyjones666]

I installed a pair of NMO mounts in the trunk lid of my honda using LMR-200 and I'm quite happy with the results. I wonder if you might consider whatever the Times version of RG-8X is - LMR-240 I think it's called.

 

[RADIOGUY2002]

Times Version?

Times version, LMR-240 where did you buy these at?

 

[smokeyjones666]

Yeah, Times Microwave makes a cable called LMR-240 with the same diameter as RG-8X but with lower loss per foot - which is kinda neat because you can (theoretically) use the same fittings that work for RG-8X.

My experience is with LMR-200 which has the equivalent diameter of RG-58 (with the exception of a slightly larger center conductor).

Anyway, I ordered mine from Universal Radio. Their prices seemed a bit cheaper than most, but to be honest the next time I order radio parts I'm going to order them from one of their competitors that just might have a little more respect for me as a customer.

However, I'll feel free to reference Universal Radio's cable chart: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/cable/coaxperf.html. (Perhaps that'll make up for the BNC fittings I ordered from them and never received.)

 

[fineshot1]

Yeah, Times Microwave makes a cable called LMR-240 with the same diameter as RG-8X but with lower loss per foot - which is kinda neat because you can (theoretically) use the same fittings that work for RG-8X.

Yes - LMR240 works well but it is more rigid than 8X and care must be taken when routing it through a vehicle from the nmo mount to the radio. I made my own nmo mount using LMR240 for 1.2ghz ham usage and it works well. Also - special care must be taken when soldering the 240 cable to the nmo mount so as not to over heat and distort the cable(there is a foam dielectric that easily distorts if it melts). You are also going to need to order the appropriate crimp connectors for the 240 cable radio end. I mounted it in the center roof position down to the rear trunk area and have about 11 feet of it run from the nmo mount.

 

[Alliance01TX]

Also just be mindful that some of the LMR products (ex: LMR 400) have a larger 'bend radius' and thus in some auto-truck installs you can hose-up (kink) the cable without knowing and cause issues later and have to trouble-shoot the loss/leakage and especially in some higher freq's...just an fyi and ensure you really get the proper connectors as well.....

 

[code3cowboy]

Use RG-108, if it works well in a repeater, it will work well for your truck.

 

[AK9R]

Use RG-108...

Huh? Isn't that a 75 ohm twinaxial cable?

 

[code3cowboy]

Huh? Isn't that a 75 ohm twinaxial cable?

Yup it is. I meant to say use RG141.