[ScanIndiana] Re: cable question

[David L Norris]

On Fri, 2003-03-28 at 18:38, Ryan Henry wrote:
> I have a question about what cable to use for a radio shack discone antenna.
> Value verses performance.  All info would be a huge help.

How much cable?  What frequencies?


For most purposes I would suggest buying some really good quality
satellite TV grade RG-6 coaxial cable that clearly states it's for 2300
MHz and quad shielded.  Not that junk Radio Shack typically sells and
definitely not RG-59 nor RG-58.  Get something really nice from a
hardware store or satellite dealer; about $20 for 100 feet precut roll
at Home Depot.  You'd have to put your own connectors on the cable since
TV coax comes with moulded F connectors.  If you need to use PL-259
connectors then you'll need a reducer on the solder-type connectors or
you could buy some sort of crimp on thing.  Solder-on connectors with UG
reducers would probably be your best bet.  I believe UG-176 fits RG-6
cable, but, make sure it fits before you buy them...  (UG-175 doesn't
fit RG-6.)  You can get UG-176 connectors at Radio Shack (cat #278-204)
for about $1 each.


And, before anyone points it out, yes RG-6 is 75 ohms.  This really
isn't a big deal...really it's not.


You could go nuts and buy 9913 for up to $1/foot; 9914 isn't worth the
money for UHF; any other type of RG-8, RG-213, etc is much worse than
simple RG-6 on UHF.  Belden 9913 has 4.2 db loss at 900 MHz.  Decent
quad shielded RG-6 has 5.66 db loss at 900 MHz.

-- 
 David Norris
  http://www.webaugur.com/dave/
  ICQ - 412039