Help(coax choice)

[daman1]

Hi guys putting together a Dipole soon for a police scanner and I have two left over pieces of coax from other projects one I believe is CB coax and the other is TV(satellite,DISH) coax. can you look at the two pics bellow and tell me witch one would be the better coax?

 

[737mech]

Loss chart

Look at this chart Coax Attenuation Chart that rg-8 is gonna lose more signal strength over 100 feet (half for 50 feet) than the rg-6. If these were the only choice I'd use rg-6. As you can see in the chart coax can lose differently at different freqs so decide what bands you need and make a choice. My best choice would be LMR-400.

 

[muchomorek]

The difference is impedance RG-8 50 ohm v RG-6 75 ohm

 

[737mech]

Mismatch

The op stated he's using for a scanner rx only mismatch 50/75ohm won't matter. Many long posts on that subject in these forums.

 

[daman1]

Im not going to be mismatching im using one or the other,i want to use the 50 ohm wire correct? I just want to know what's better to use these are my only choices.

 

[mciupa]

If you monitor the higher UHF bands (700/800/900 MHz), I'd use that digital satellite coax cable. Pretty durable and made for receiving.

 

[737mech]

Mismatch explained

Im not going to be mismatching im using one or the other,i want to use the 50 ohm wire correct? I just want to know what's better to use these are my only choices.

Not suggesting use both. Mismatch is found between the 50 ohm scanner and probably antenna and a 75 ohm coax. Not a worry with scanners. It will work fine so use the satelite cable. You will enjoy the scanner better when it receives more comms. If you use RG-8 you won't hear as much as you will with RG-6.

 

[daman1]

Not suggesting use both. Mismatch is found between the 50 ohm scanner and probably antenna and a 75 ohm coax. Not a worry with scanners. It will work fine so use the satelite cable. You will enjoy the scanner better when it receives more comms. If you use RG-8 you won't hear as much as you will with RG-6.

Im making a Dipole so ill be monitoring multi band 40-800

Ok thanks so ill use the RG6