I need some help me with a decision on which coax to purchase. I'm a new
General Class ham and am planning my HF setup.

The standard coax seems to be RG-8. I'm curious if I use Belden RG-8X
(9258), will there be that much difference in performance at about 100' of
coax as compared to using RG-8? I want to use the RG-8X because the smaller
diameter coax will allow me to feed the coax easier into my house. I
suppose I could try to get the RG-8 in the house, but the place where I want
to bring it in only has minimal space and the RG-8X will fit just right.

Thanks.

go for it. 8x is just fine for hf unless maybe you are planning to run
1500w rtty ragchewing on 10m on a hot day.

"NotMe" wrote in message
. ..
I need some help me with a decision on which coax to purchase. I'm a new
General Class ham and am planning my HF setup.

The standard coax seems to be RG-8. I'm curious if I use Belden RG-8X
(9258), will there be that much difference in performance at about 100' of
coax as compared to using RG-8? I want to use the RG-8X because the
smaller diameter coax will allow me to feed the coax easier into my house.
I suppose I could try to get the RG-8 in the house, but the place where I
want to bring it in only has minimal space and the RG-8X will fit just
right.

Thanks.

"Dave" wrote in message
news:Apbdi.3095$015.1604@trndny05...
go for it. 8x is just fine for hf unless maybe you are planning to run
1500w rtty ragchewing on 10m on a hot day.

"NotMe" wrote in message
. ..
I need some help me with a decision on which coax to purchase. I'm a new
General Class ham and am planning my HF setup.

The standard coax seems to be RG-8. I'm curious if I use Belden RG-8X
(9258), will there be that much difference in performance at about 100'
of coax as compared to using RG-8? I want to use the RG-8X because the
smaller diameter coax will allow me to feed the coax easier into my
house. I suppose I could try to get the RG-8 in the house, but the place
where I want to bring it in only has minimal space and the RG-8X will fit
just right.

Thanks.





My setup now only has the stock radio at 100 watts.

I have used the 8X for 10 years on 40 and 80 meters with no negatives ...
works fine and if convenient for you it is fine ... I have run 1500 watts at
times and the only concern you might have is a little higher loss factor but
pretty negligible overall ...

I have 500 ft rolls of 8X for $109 and 100 ft runs with silver plated 259
connectors for $34 ....

Tom

WQ5J




"NotMe" wrote in message
. ..
I need some help me with a decision on which coax to purchase. I'm a new
General Class ham and am planning my HF setup.

The standard coax seems to be RG-8. I'm curious if I use Belden RG-8X
(9258), will there be that much difference in performance at about 100' of
coax as compared to using RG-8? I want to use the RG-8X because the
smaller diameter coax will allow me to feed the coax easier into my house.
I suppose I could try to get the RG-8 in the house, but the place where I
want to bring it in only has minimal space and the RG-8X will fit just
right.

Thanks.

"Dave" wrote in message
news:Apbdi.3095$015.1604@trndny05...
go for it. 8x is just fine for hf unless maybe you are planning to run
1500w rtty ragchewing on 10m on a hot day.

"NotMe" wrote in message
. ..
I need some help me with a decision on which coax to purchase. I'm a new
General Class ham and am planning my HF setup.

The standard coax seems to be RG-8. I'm curious if I use Belden RG-8X
(9258), will there be that much difference in performance at about 100'
of coax as compared to using RG-8? I want to use the RG-8X because the
smaller diameter coax will allow me to feed the coax easier into my
house. I suppose I could try to get the RG-8 in the house, but the place
where I want to bring it in only has minimal space and the RG-8X will fit
just right.

Thanks.


I agree, I use rg8x for the wire antennas on the low bands and only use the
larger coax for the triband beam. There will not be a noticable loss
differance at frequencies below 30 mhz. Not sure how much power the 8x will
take but seems ok at the power my sb 200 puts out (around 700 watts). For
runs of over 100 feet and frequencies of 50 mhz and above I use the larger
low loss types.

On 17 Jun, 06:34, "NotMe" wrote:
I need some help me with a decision on which coax to purchase. I'm a new
General Class ham and am planning my HF setup.

The standard coax seems to be RG-8. I'm curious if I use Belden RG-8X
(9258), will there be that much difference in performance at about 100' of
coax as compared to using RG-8? I want to use the RG-8X because the smaller
diameter coax will allow me to feed the coax easier into my house. I
suppose I could try to get the RG-8 in the house, but the place where I want
to bring it in only has minimal space and the RG-8X will fit just right.

Thanks.

No I wouldn't do that. I would buy a small length where space needs
are cramped
but to allow that small space to extend to a 100 feet to me would be a
NO NO

NotMe wrote:
I need some help me with a decision on which coax to purchase. I'm a new
General Class ham and am planning my HF setup.

The standard coax seems to be RG-8. I'm curious if I use Belden RG-8X
(9258), will there be that much difference in performance at about 100' of
coax as compared to using RG-8? I want to use the RG-8X because the smaller
diameter coax will allow me to feed the coax easier into my house. I
suppose I could try to get the RG-8 in the house, but the place where I want
to bring it in only has minimal space and the RG-8X will fit just right.

Thanks.


As others have pointed out, performance
will be fine. The RG-8X has a foam core
that some have found will deform when
subjected to a sharp bend, changing the
characteristic impedance of the cable.

If you anticipate sharp bends, a solid
dieletric might be preferred. For long
straight runs, the RG-8x is fine.

73,

Chuck

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"NotMe" wrote in
:

I need some help me with a decision on which coax to purchase. I'm a
new General Class ham and am planning my HF setup.

The standard coax seems to be RG-8. I'm curious if I use Belden RG-8X
(9258), will there be that much difference in performance at about
100' of coax as compared to using RG-8? I want to use the RG-8X
because the smaller diameter coax will allow me to feed the coax
easier into my house. I suppose I could try to get the RG-8 in the
house, but the place where I want to bring it in only has minimal
space and the RG-8X will fit just right.

NotMe,

The suitability will depend on the frequency, length, mismatch, cost,
physical parameters, and your own threshold for loss.

The line loss calculator at http://www.vk1od.net/tl/tllc.php will allow
you to explore Belden 9258 and nearly a hundred other common transmission
lines.

Whilst RG-8/X is apparently very popular in the US, it is near
unobtainable in Australia... so availability seems to influence
"suitability". But then fewer people here purchase ready made wire
antennas like dipoles, G5RVs, etc which seem to often be packaged with
RG-8/X on US web sites.

Owen

"Owen Duffy" wrote in message
...
,

The suitability will depend on the frequency, length, mismatch, cost,
physical parameters, and your own threshold for loss.

The line loss calculator at http://www.vk1od.net/tl/tllc.php will allow
you to explore Belden 9258 and nearly a hundred other common transmission
lines.

Whilst RG-8/X is apparently very popular in the US, it is near
unobtainable in Australia... so availability seems to influence
"suitability". But then fewer people here purchase ready made wire
antennas like dipoles, G5RVs, etc which seem to often be packaged with
RG-8/X on US web sites.

Owen

Being in the US, I don't know what kind of coax is common in other
countries. The rg-6 is good except for two things, most of it has aluminum
for the shield that will not take solder and it has a solid center
conductor. There seems to be miles of that stuff around that can be had for
almost nothing.
The 8x is about half or less than the cost of the larger coax. Another good
reason for using it if you have several runs of it.

"NotMe" wrote in message
. ..
I need some help me with a decision on which coax to purchase. I'm a new
General Class ham and am planning my HF setup.

The standard coax seems to be RG-8. I'm curious if I use Belden RG-8X
(9258), will there be that much difference in performance at about 100' of
coax as compared to using RG-8? I want to use the RG-8X because the
smaller diameter coax will allow me to feed the coax easier into my house.
I suppose I could try to get the RG-8 in the house, but the place where I
want to bring it in only has minimal space and the RG-8X will fit just
right.

Thanks.
IF you are in a marine environment or where the coax would be subject to
abuse --- consider the # 117 -- RG-8X from The Wireman.
Press recommended this cable to me about 20 years ago -- it is all I use for
portable and home usage -- one tough cable -- easy to solder PL-259 to as
well due to the polypropylene dielectric!
http://thewireman.com/coax.html

w9gb

CQ MINI 8
Marine-Mobile First with a tough 'walk-on' polypropylene dielectric
and tinned copper shield and tinned stranded center conductor, and now with
a tough, long lived, scuff resistant, jacket. #117