[NLRS] CableTV hardline

[CJ]

Eric Shook wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I was wondering if anyone is currently using CableTV
> hardline and how it works for them.  I know that there
> are companies on the internet that sell connectors
> that bring it down to 50 ohms, but any information
> would be great.  I talked with a guy who installs the
> cable and he said they scrap it somewhere in Eden
> Prarie.  Anyone know how to get a hold of some in the
> Cities?
> 
> I know there are a lot of people that use 50 ohm
> hardline in town, but I was looking for something less
> inexpensive!
> 
> Thanks
> -Eric Shook KT8O
> enashook@yahoo.com
> 
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Eric -

I've been using 75 ohm CATV cable with homemade 1/4 wave matching
sections on 144 and 432 for years. I just went to the file to find the
plans for the matching sections but have so far come up empty. 

Quite a few people say that additional loss due to mismatch from using
75 ohm CATV cable without matching is so low that it is likely to be
lower than the loss due to the matching section connections. If you have
a fussy transmitter, just trim the length a little bit at a time until
you end up with an exact multiple of a half wave and you will have 50
ohms at the transmitter end of the line.

I used a humk of 7/8" 75 ohm cable for years on 432. I used 50 ohm
connectors with shims to fit them to the smaller center conductor. It
worked well enough to put me at the MN end of what I believe to have
been the first MN-KS, MN-OK, MN-CO and MN-TN contacts on 432. It was air
dielectric cable and I had no pressure system, so I finally gave it up
when my patience with having to dry it out from time to time ran out.

YMMV.

73, CJ K0CJ