[Elecraft] Co-ax for the K2

[Don Wilhelm]

Art,

I would use the RG6 coax which is commonly available at Home Depot and 
Lowes.  If you want to use PL-259 connectors, the adapters for RG59/RG8X 
will normally fit.

Even though it is 75 ohm, and in a 50 ohm system will operate with an 
SWR of 1.5 - if you look at the loss figures carefully, at 30 MHz, the 
loss in 50 ft. of RG6 is only about 1.6 dB and the SWR mismatch will add 
only another 0.1 dB for a total loss of 1.7 dB.  That is much less loss 
than you will have from any RG58 and also better than most of the RG8X 
coax (except for Belden 7810A or TMS LM240).  My source for loss 
characteristics is the chart in the 2005 ARRL Handbook page 21-2.

This is a little known fact - 75 ohm coax has less loss than comparable 
50 ohm coax, and even with a 1.5 SWR, the increased loss will not be 
sufficient to bring the total loss to that of the 50 ohm coax.
Besides, the 75 ohm coax is usually available at a *much* lower cost.  
Often cutoffs from really good quality 75 ohm coax.

73,
Don W3FPR

Art Horne wrote:
> Greetings,
>
>  
>
> Can anyone recommend a WHITE coax for antenna lead of about 40-50’ ?  My XYL
> is very fussy about wires showing and black sticks out like a sore thumb.
> Would the coax used by TV cable installers work ok?  I’m only running 100 W
> max.  That’s the only white coax I’ve seen.
>
>  
>
> Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
>  
>
> 73’s,
>
>  
>
> Art K6KFH
>
>
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