[Lowfer] Coax Type?

[Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX]

Peter Barick wrote:
> 
> LowFERs,
> 
> For my new 22Mtr dipole, I chose an outdoors balun setup under the 300
> Ohm down lead. The local cable co. "supplied" me with the coax for input
> to the basement shack.The coax is the type for burial I believe: having
> only a telephone insignia and no nomenclature on the hardened outer
> cover. Inside is that sticky stuff on the shielding. Before affixing the
> F-connectors I cleaned off the goo w/ alcohol.
> 
> So the question: Is this stuff any good? as good as that for regular
> cable drop lines (I'm using 50 feet)? I assume it is 75 Ohm, yes?


Peter,

The cable will work great for you.  We, my son and I, have several UHF
repeaters on the air.  One of the best performers has 200 feet of 1/2
inch cable TV coax on it.  

Here's a quote from a recent post on a microwave reflector made by an
expert, Dick Kandle, K2RIW:


"        DON'T OVERLOOK 70 OHMS -- Cable TV companies use 70 ohm cable
because it
has lower loss.  Excess loss to them means money spent on more
amplifiers
per mile needed to overcome that loss through the many miles of their
system.  Therefore, large volumes of 70 cable are produced cheaply, and
lots of it becomes available to lucky amateurs at VERY ATTRACTIVE prices
(often FREE).  Due to a misunderstanding of the rules of mixing cable
impedances, many amateurs refuse to take advantage of this bargain
material.  They seem to believe that their system will explode of they
don't maintain 50 ohms [ plus, or minus 1 ohm) everywhere in their
system."


I love that last sentence!  I was once one of those hams.

73,
Dex


> 
> Peter
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