RG-8 and RO2096

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BCJ2

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Hey guys is this a good wire to use with a Pro 2096 scanner? I just bought 2 50ft or RG-8 and a PL-258 Coupler to connect them. The Radio Shack in the Pueblo Mall had the RG-8 50ft for $9.95 I was like dang i better jump on that I know it was a grreat wire on older scanners just would klike to know how good it is for the digital 800 we are using now? I am using the discone antenna from radio shack to. thanks for any info :)
 

jimmnn

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BCJ2 said:
Hey guys is this a good wire to use with a Pro 2096 scanner? I just bought 2 50ft or RG-8 and a PL-258 Coupler to connect them. The Radio Shack in the Pueblo Mall had the RG-8 50ft for $9.95 I was like dang i better jump on that I know it was a grreat wire on older scanners just would klike to know how good it is for the digital 800 we are using now? I am using the discone antenna from radio shack to. thanks for any info :)

For what frequency range?

Your going to have lots of loss over 100 feet thats for sure if it's for 800Mhz. Maybe it was onsale for a reason. And why a discone for 800 why not a directional yagi to give you between 10 and 15 db of gain?

Jim<
 

BCJ2

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I am using that antena cause some is still using the 155. frequencies and I can also pick up Pueblo police real good here in Rocky Ford I may just use one of the 50ft just make my antena lower just a little so I can have enough with the 50ft thanks for the info
 

Spud

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Fort Collins, CO
Cable for 800 MHz

BCJ2 said:
I am using that antena cause some is still using the 155. frequencies and I can also pick up Pueblo police real good here in Rocky Ford I may just use one of the 50ft just make my antena lower just a little so I can have enough with the 50ft thanks for the info

RG-8 coax will have a loss of around 12 db for every hundred feet at 800 MHz.
Every 3 db of loss cuts the signal in half.

If you are only running about 15 or 20 ft from the receiver to the antenna, then RG-8 may not be the best but it is probably acceptable. If you need to go farther and want to use 800 MHz, you need to go to a much better feedline.

I am in west Fort Collins using a four element yagi at 15 feet above ground pointed south with a 12 db preamp at the antenna and 55 feet of 1/2 inch hardline into the house. I can receive most all of the Denver mountaintop towers solidly as well as some of the ones east of Denver like Deertrail.

If you have any real interest in the 800 MHz activity, don't skimp on the antenna or feedline unless you are on a mountaintop yourself.

73,

Spud
 

k0pwo

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I think you said you bought the rg8 from radio shack. If I was you I would run right back and give it back to them. Their coax is junk unless they have changed suppliers in the last year or so.

I would order it off line from anixter or beldin if I was you. It cost more, but its 100 percent better coax. If you are going to run the stuff, at least run good stuff so it works.

Dave
 
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