Diamond x50 vs X50na ?

[Mountaineer304]

I’m waiting to know the difference all I can find is one has a N shape connection? What is that will I need to buy any special adapters etc ? Or just screw my rg8x right in? It claims it has a Type N, female connector... Just curious what's so different between it and the sub models? Will my rg8x screw directly into the type n female? Or do I need the x50a so cofused. KE8ODY

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[BC_Scan]

don't be confused , when I read this the difference is N connector or so239 your choice , depends on you coax
rg8x i dont think is a great choice compared to other coax out there , unless its just a pigtail ?

 

[Mountaineer304]

don't be confused , when I read this the difference is N connector or so239 your choice , depends on you coax
rg8x i dont think is a great choice compared to other coax out there , unless its just a pigtail ?

Okay could you recommend a coax? N connector or so239 neither have a advantage? One I'll need a adapter with correct one my coax will screw in

 

[BC_Scan]

depends on a variety of factors
type of transceiver ?
distance of where antenna is . ie on a mast etc how high ?
alot of people here recommend LMR400 or LMR 600 and appropriate connector to the type of radio , adaptors not neccesarily the best depending on your need or installation
lots of opinions out there
we need a bigger picture view of your needs

 

[Mountaineer304]

depends on a variety of factors
type of transceiver ?
distance of where antenna is . ie on a mast etc how high ?
alot of people here recommend LMR400 or LMR 600 and appropriate connector to the type of radio , adaptors not neccesarily the best depending on your need or installation
lots of opinions out there
we need a bigger picture view of your needs

Well I have a yaesue ftm 500 usuing as base this Antenna will be 30/40 feet high... I'm just confused about the connector is all the female vs thr uhf or what. I don't think nornal coax will screw into the female n connector

 

[Mountaineer304]

Well I have a yaesue ftm 500 usuing as base this Antenna will be 30/40 feet high... I'm just confused about the connector is all the female vs thr uhf or what. I don't think nornal coax will screw into the female n connector

Just was curious the female n type costs more so I thought maybe there'd be a advantage lol

 

[BC_Scan]

so transceiver should have female connector as will have antenna , so you need appropriate length coax with two male ends on either end , can be premade etc looks like web you posted shows choices on coax for that need (best you can afford) will work wonders
if you are new at this you can ask a ham club member to assist in making a coax up with correct ends based on your need

 

[mmckenna]

Just was curious the female n type costs more so I thought maybe there'd be a advantage lol

UHF - PL239 connectors are essentially shielded banana plugs. Back when they were developed, "UHF" meant something different than it does now. They are not truly a 50Ω connector, but "close enough". UHF connectors are fine for ham use. They are easy to install and will work fine on 70cm.

N connectors are higher spec, actually designed as a coaxial cable connection. Lower insertion loss, actually 50Ω connector. Installation of the connector on the coax can be more difficult if you don't have the right tools and experience.

There would be a very slight benefit to using the N connector model.

Use which ever one you feel most comfortable with.

As for which coax cable to use, that depends on your budget and how easy it is to run the cable. There are a lot of options and the prices can go really high. You do want to avoid connecting the larger/stiffer cables direct to your radio as that will put a lot of stress on the antenna jack. Common procedure is to install the thicker cable to your radio and then use a smaller, more flexible cable (RG-58) to make the final connection.

 

[Mountaineer304]

UHF - PL239 connectors are essentially shielded banana plugs. Back when they were developed, "UHF" meant something different than it does now. They are not truly a 50Ω connector, but "close enough". UHF connectors are fine for ham use. They are easy to install and will work fine on 70cm.

N connectors are higher spec, actually designed as a coaxial cable connection. Lower insertion loss, actually 50Ω connector. Installation of the connector on the coax can be more difficult if you don't have the right tools and experience.

There would be a very slight benefit to using the N connector model.

Use which ever one you feel most comfortable with.

As for which coax cable to use, that depends on your budget and how easy it is to run the cable. There are a lot of options and the prices can go really high. You do want to avoid connecting the larger/stiffer cables direct to your radio as that will put a lot of stress on the antenna jack. Common procedure is to install the thicker cable to your radio and then use a smaller, more flexible cable (RG-58) to make the final connection.

Right now I'm running rg8x 50 watts max.

 

[mmckenna]

OK,

So, 50 feet of RG-8X cable is losing 4dB of signal at 445MHz. The 50 watts out of your radio is only about 20 watts by the time it gets to the antenna. 20 watts isn't a big deal, but remember that loss is the same on the receive side.

If you are going to buy a new antenna, consider upgrading your coaxial cable at the same time if your budget allows. Since a lot of the -real- cost is in the labor, it may make sense to do it all at the same time.

You can play around with different coaxial cables and the impact they have using this page:

Coax Calculator

DON'T get hung up on dB numbers. A fraction of a Decibel won't be noticed. But you may want to consider upgrading your cable.

 

[Mountaineer304]

OK,

So, 50 feet of RG-8X cable is losing 4dB of signal at 445MHz. The 50 watts out of your radio is only about 20 watts by the time it gets to the antenna. 20 watts isn't a big deal, but remember that loss is the same on the receive side.

If you are going to buy a new antenna, consider upgrading your coaxial cable at the same time if your budget allows. Since a lot of the -real- cost is in the labor, it may make sense to do it all at the same time.

You can play around with different coaxial cables and the impact they have using this page:

Coax Calculator

DON'T get hung up on dB numbers. A fraction of a Decibel won't be noticed. But you may want to consider upgrading your cable.

I absolutely wanna upgrade I don't want that loss what do you recommend

 

[mmckenna]

I absolutely wanna upgrade I don't want that loss what do you recommend

Good RG-8 and Times Microwave LMR-400 are both good choices for UHF at these lengths.

LMR-400 is a bit stiff and may be hard to run in a residential application. It'll also be more expensive.
RG-8 is more flexible, and the good stuff will be very comparable to LMR-400 loss wise.

Whatever you do, make sure you consider the cost of the connectors, especially if using N connectors. You can buy pre-terminated cable from some dealers.

 

[Mountaineer304]

I'm gonna go uhf connections mainly working 2m 70 cm

 

[mmckenna]

I'm gonna go uhf connections mainly working 2m 70 cm

That'll be fine, and easier to install for most hams. No reason to make things difficult for a fraction of an improvement.

 

[videobruce]

N connectors 100% for use above VHF and VHF is even questionable if old school SO-239/PL-259 connectors are ok.
The "A" I would assume is Amateur.
Also, I don't know why cable types came into the discussion. There are N connectors for more than one cable type, just like old school 239.259's.
I been slowly switching over to 'N' for a few years now and I have made large and small diameter cables up with N. I'm ditching as many 'old school' connectros as possible since I only work VHF (140MHz) and up.

 

[kk9h]

I have the X-50NA version on my house. N-connectors are fairly waterproof in their basic form which is a plus eventhough I did tape it carefully. Secondly, on UHF frequencies and to a lesser degree on VHF, the N-connector is more of a 50 ohm design that will avoid an impedance bump at your connection point which means there will be a little less loss in your antenna system. When I installed my antenna I used 55 feet of LMR-400 with an N-connector on one end and nothing on the other end since I had to feed it through a wall. My radio, like all typical ham rigs, has an SO-239 connector on it so I had to install a PL-259 for it on the LMR-400. Personally, I wish our radios commonly used N-connectors as many of them do in the commercial world. You could argue that my installation is a bit of overkill, and I wouldn’t disagree with you especially since I had to use a PL-259 at the radio end, but this installation has performed reliably for me for over ten years.

 

[PewPewChris]

I just purchased a Diamond Comet X-300a for my new/first setup. I'm fairly confident that I bought one that is too long for my needs. I've got an HOA so I have to get a little more creative on where I mount. Once I get an electrician to call me back I'll figure out if I need to run back to Ham Outlet to exchange for the 4.5 foot version (x-50a), still TBD...Hell, I'm still trying to figure out the ends and outs of where I mount it and what I need to accomplish to insure a good signal.

I know I need to get the antenna above my roof line as best I can...but does that mean the radials on the base of the vertical antenna also need to clear my roof line? These are things I'm starting to read up on...but still a little overwhelmed with it all.

Good luck with getting your setup in order!

 

[mmckenna]

I know I need to get the antenna above my roof line as best I can...but does that mean the radials on the base of the vertical antenna also need to clear my roof line? These are things I'm starting to read up on...but still a little overwhelmed with it all.

In an ideal world (no HOA), you'd want the antenna up as high as you can safely get it. VHF/UHF ~mostly~ work line of sight, so the higher the better.
The antenna above roofline is a better option for you if you can do it, especially if you have metal siding or roofing. If the radials at the bottom of the antenna are below roofline, that'll be fine. Depending on the antenna design, they are either a ground plane, or the act to decouple RF off the coax shield.

As always, this is a hobby, so we do the best we can with what we have.

 

[videobruce]

The term "constant impedance" comes into play with 'N' connectors unlike old school 239/259 connectors. At below 140 MHz VHF Lo Band and HF, it doesn't seem to matter, at UHF it does. (Feel free to dispute that if it is incorrect)

I had a X50N and the center pin was recessed into the fitting excessively causing poor return loss readings. I checked the male connector and even changed it out to no avail since that wasn't the issue.
Just a FYI.

PS; how anyone (who isn't up in age or with medical conditions) want to live in a HOA prison is beyond me. i shovel snow and cut grass all the time and I'm in my 70's.

 

[mmckenna]

The term "constant impedance" comes into play with 'N' connectors unlike old school 239/259 connectors. At below 140 MHz VHF Lo Band and HF, it doesn't seem to matter, at UHF it does. (Feel free to dispute that if it is incorrect)

I wouldn't say it's incorrect. I'd suggest that it is probably of little consequence on UHF.
A lot of commercial LMR UHF mobile radios still use UHF connectors.
A lot of older UHF duplexers use UHF connectors.

Does get more important as you go up in frequency. The Kenwood 800MHz mobiles I use at work all have N connectors on them. Their matching VHF and UHF models all have UHF connectors.

Absolutely, though, N is a better connector. It is just harder to install and that can be a roadblock for some hobbyists.