[KYHAM] Coax Question's

[WA4QAL]

How do you define best?  Is it the lowest loss?  Lowest cost? 
Greatest durability?  Smallest size?  Most flexible?  Power
handling ability?

For 25 feet at HF, loss is unlikely to be a concern.  

If properly supported, durability shouldn't be a concern.  

RG-58 should be good for a couple of hundred watts, so power
handling capacity shouldn't be a problem.

For flexibility, a stranded center conductor will probably
be best, although coax with stranded center conductors tend
to be marginally more expensive.

All RG-58s should be the same size, although there are smaller
coaxes, and larger coaxes. 

Personally, I usually buy mine from R&L (http://www.randl.com),
in Hamilton, Ohio, and I usually get RG-8/X (also known as Mini-8).  
It's a little larger than RG-58, and has a little lower loss, but 
it's quite a bit more flexible than RG-8, and it comes with a 
stranded center conductor.  Oh, and it uses the same reducers for
a PL-259 that RG-59 would use, so they're easy to obtain.

Dave
WA4QAL

Jim Simmons wrote:
> 
> Hello to all of you,
> 
> I have a few questions and would appreciate your input!
> 
> Which of the RG-58's do you consider the best to use for HF transmission?
> Total cable length is 25ft.
> 
> Which coax cable would be best to use with a roof mounted, base loaded,
> vertical antenna?
> 
> Where would be the best place to buy cable and have it shipped to you?
> 
> Jim
>