[Mobile-Portable] thin antenna cable

[W6OAL at aol.com]

Walter,
 
    As you are experiencing mobile antennas and mobile  operation is a 
compromise in the first place. It would behoove you to get  antennas and cables as 
far from the engine compartment as possible. I have an  Izusu Trooper (SUV) in 
which I run an FT-897 and operate 40M thru 70cm. My  thing is to run the 
cables (RF) RG-400 and/or RG-142. They are fairly low  loss. I don't know about 
using that ultra thin stuff, much power and it seems to  me that one might have a 
fire to contend with. The dielectric of what I use is  solid Teflon. The 
shield is a tightly woven silver washed copper braid. These  go from the rig back 
along the drive shaft tunnel and under the back seat  to the rear hatch (door 
-whatever), up the hinge channel and under the rubber  gasket to my antennas 
which are mounted on some Comet (many degrees of freedom)  mounts. That rubber 
gasket fits over a seam of sorts. I have notched it with a  rat tail file to 
accommodate the coaxes. Leakage is not or at least as of yet  has not been a 
problem.
    And, so there might be a little loss. Your mobile  isn't going to be used 
for any sort of competition work anyway so what is a  little loss here and 
there. Look at some of these commercial mobile  installations, -6 dB is the norm 
and acceptable loss in what they call a good  installation. You probably 
won't have all that much even if you use RG-58.
 
CU 73, Dave...  

Olde Antenna  Lab of Denver
David A. Clingerman, Sc.D.  (CEO)