On Sun, 31 Jan 2010 08:47:29 -0600, Lostgallifreyan
wrote:

Roy Lewallen wrote in
m:

Lostgallifreyan wrote:
Roy Lewallen wrote in
:

If there was a "best" cable, there would be only one type. Some have
lower loss, some are more flexible, some have better weather
resistance, some have better shielding, some have a longer lifetime,
some tolerate temperature extremes better, some are more uniform, some
are less expensive, and so forth.

So deciding which cable is "better" requires a lot more information
about what your requirements are.


If I went into most places selling cables I'd get laughed at if I took
that line,

However he gave you the right answer to the question you asked.
There is no one best coax!
Are you just using it for receiving or transmitting as well. Typically
you don't find either of those cables used in ham stations, except to
feed Beverage receiving antennas.

I use a lot of "flooded" RG-6 with compression connectors for UHF
receiving. I use RG-8X (foil with shield) to the 40 meter, half wave
sloping dipoles. It's fairly rugged, very flexible, presents a low
profile to the wind and doesn't weight a lot. Its power handeling
capability is a bit low, but I haven't blown any out...yet, unlike
CNT-240.

they'd say 'hie me to a research lab, if not an actual
nunnery'.

Then perhaps you should purchase coax elsewhere?

Not that you're wrong, but if you want a single general
purpose cable for HF and VHF especially if stocking it for general
sale, then there IS a 'best' cable, defined simply by that which most
likely serves the wide range of purposes at a low price. Currently in
the UK that cable seems to be RG6; few places like to stock more than
one type for RF if they think one will do. . .

I take it then that this is not for an amateur radio station?


Sounds like you have your answer, then.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL


Yes, if I was using for UHF and perhaps VHF as they sell it for. But as far
as I know the older UG59 used a braid with better physical coverage and was
specified for HF as well. I'd rather get something this time that has good HF
shielding as priority, so I'm not convinced that RG6 is the right choice. A
bit of extra loss isn't as bad as poor shielding.

RG-6 is foil plus braid and it doesn't get much better than that.
However for HF my choice would be RG-8X (with foil plus braid- it
comes in many forms) although I use LMR-600.


Good luck,

Roger (K8RI)