[Mobile-Portable] thin antenna cable

[J. Gordon Beattie, Jr.]

Hi Folks!
Here is another idea for passing cables up through the underside of your
car:
Drill holes in a square or rectangular shape, then using a piece of small
heater hose, slit the hose and then cut it to the length of the perimeter of
your hole.  Presto! Instant Grommet!
Then you can run LDF5-50 or larger through it with the connectors on! 
:-)
73,
Gordon Beattie, W2TTT
201.314.6964
w2ttt at arrl.net
w2ttt at att.com
 
-----Original Message-----
From: mobile-portable-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:mobile-portable-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of paul goble
Sent: Tuesday, 29 November, 2005 23:17
To: Mobile-Portable Reflector
Subject: Re: [Mobile-Portable] thin antenna cable

On the lighter side:

There are those of us running LMR600 on 902 and 1296 MHz....

One might find it more practical to punch (greenlee) 3/4" holes in the
FLOOR of one's vehicle, running cable through "rubber" body plugs (great
weather seal).  "N" connectors don't fit thru the 3/4" hole and must be
installed after running the cable.  Then mount antennas on brackets
mounted to strong points under one's car and run aforementioned coax up
the mast to antennas.

.....of course, it's just easier to drive a pickup and not worry about
cosmetics - HIHI!

On the other hand, if it's for FM, why worry?  6-10dB is of only minor
consideration on FM since it is a STRONG signal mode.....use a
"thru-the-glass" vertical and forget about real antennas.....

Oh, just to keep stirring this particular pot, remember that "REAL
mobile antennas are omnidirectional".

OK, so I kid a lot, but the disparaging remark about FM stands - HI!

Best regards,

Paul ND2X/5



W6OAL at aol.com wrote:
> 
> 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)
> 
> ----
> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC, mobile-portable-owner at mailman.qth.net
----
Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC, mobile-portable-owner at mailman.qth.net