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Follow Up On Coax & Connectors To Use
Hi,
Just a bit of a followup from my previous post. Am in my 70's now, and not too sharp with this stuff anymore. But, I really enjoy sw listening. Doing some re-plumbing. The suggestion was made that the common RG-6 that is everywhere would do me just fine, as I'm talking about about 3 foot patch cord lengths. Listening only; mainly the scanner vhf/uhf frequencies. And possibly on occasion up to about 1.5 GHz, at most. Everyone has them,from Wal-Mart on up The RCA branded cables seem to be most popular. Probably a very cheap implementation. Think this would do me O.K. as the lengths are only 3 feet, and listening only ? Or, too cheaply made probably, and I should try to find somewhere a better quality ? They all use these F connectors. Guess I'm old fashioned, but they "scare" me a little not having a "real" center pin. Any reluctance to using them ? Thanks again, Bob |
Follow Up On Coax & Connectors To Use
Bob wrote:
Hi, Just a bit of a followup from my previous post. Am in my 70's now, and not too sharp with this stuff anymore. But, I really enjoy sw listening. Doing some re-plumbing. The suggestion was made that the common RG-6 that is everywhere would do me just fine, as I'm talking about about 3 foot patch cord lengths. Listening only; mainly the scanner vhf/uhf frequencies. And possibly on occasion up to about 1.5 GHz, at most. Everyone has them,from Wal-Mart on up The RCA branded cables seem to be most popular. Probably a very cheap implementation. Think this would do me O.K. as the lengths are only 3 feet, and listening only ? Or, too cheaply made probably, and I should try to find somewhere a better quality ? They all use these F connectors. Guess I'm old fashioned, but they "scare" me a little not having a "real" center pin. Any reluctance to using them ? They'll do you fine, Bob. In fact, if the center conductor isn't nicked during construction of the connector, your going right to the conductor, less in between stuff to fail. Now that isn't a really big point, because RF connectors are a pretty reliable lot. But there is nothing wrong with the F connectors except for they're small, and I have big hands. SMA are better quality, but you're in good shape with the F's. - 73 de Mike N3LI - |
Follow Up On Coax & Connectors To Use
On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:53:12 -0500, Bob wrote:
The suggestion was made that the common RG-6 that is everywhere would do me just fine, as I'm talking about about 3 foot patch cord lengths. Hi Bob, Then RG-174 would work just as well - if you wanted something very thin and flexible. However, the common application of the term "patch cord" is a short connector to a variety of very much longer transmission lines. If that is the sense of "patch cord" that you mean, then your longer lines, for your range of frequencies, should be very large diameter cables. There the impedance doesn't really matter that much - so go for biggest/cheapest. Think this would do me O.K. as the lengths are only 3 feet, and listening only ? OK, so this is twice you have mentioned the 3 foot criteria. And you have mentioned lengthS (not length) as though you need many. Two questions arise: 1. Why do you need many? B. How far away is/are your antenna/s? Or, too cheaply made probably, and I should try to find somewhere a better quality ? You haven't described any problems that demand quality. They all use these F connectors. They usually get by quite well under normal circumstances with them. As you have not described any abnormal circumstances, you would get by quite well with them too. Guess I'm old fashioned, but they "scare" me a little not having a "real" center pin. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, calmly insert and tighten the fittings. Any reluctance to using them ? Not when they are appropriate. 73's Richard Clark, KB7QHC |
From OP: Follow Up On Coax & Connectors To Use
Hi Dick, et al,
Thanks for help. Sorry I wasn't too clear. I have an outside receive only aerial for my HF that is probably 50 feet from the room where I do my listening. Also a Scantenna for my scanner up in the attic, overhead.. Getting a WinRadio G305. (has HF and vhf/uhf capability) So the 3 foot, or so, lengths are just some simple plumbinmg in the room between the ends of the present antenna lead ins, and two A/B switches to switch the antennas between the present receivers and the new WinRadio. No room to provide everything with their own antennas, so trying to do it with A/B switches. Regards, Bob -------------------- On 3/10/2010 12:23 PM, Richard Clark wrote: On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:53:12 -0500, wrote: The suggestion was made that the common RG-6 that is everywhere would do me just fine, as I'm talking about about 3 foot patch cord lengths. Hi Bob, Then RG-174 would work just as well - if you wanted something very thin and flexible. However, the common application of the term "patch cord" is a short connector to a variety of very much longer transmission lines. If that is the sense of "patch cord" that you mean, then your longer lines, for your range of frequencies, should be very large diameter cables. There the impedance doesn't really matter that much - so go for biggest/cheapest. Think this would do me O.K. as the lengths are only 3 feet, and listening only ? OK, so this is twice you have mentioned the 3 foot criteria. And you have mentioned lengthS (not length) as though you need many. Two questions arise: 1. Why do you need many? B. How far away is/are your antenna/s? Or, too cheaply made probably, and I should try to find somewhere a better quality ? You haven't described any problems that demand quality. They all use these F connectors. They usually get by quite well under normal circumstances with them. As you have not described any abnormal circumstances, you would get by quite well with them too. Guess I'm old fashioned, but they "scare" me a little not having a "real" center pin. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, calmly insert and tighten the fittings. Any reluctance to using them ? Not when they are appropriate. 73's Richard Clark, KB7QHC |
Follow Up On Coax & Connectors To Use
"Bob" wrote in message ... They all use these F connectors. Guess I'm old fashioned, but they "scare" me a little not having a "real" center pin. Any reluctance to using them ? I don't see any probem with the F connectors. There are millions of them used in cable TV and other TV applications. They are cheap enough that if you leave the coax long you can just cut the end off and install another in a short period of time. |
From OP: Follow Up On Coax & Connectors To Use
On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:55:51 -0500, Bob wrote:
You might look around here -- they have all kinds of cable assemblies. http://www.cablexperts.com/cfdocs/in...T=0&USA_ship=1 Bob Hi Dick, et al, Thanks for help. Sorry I wasn't too clear. I have an outside receive only aerial for my HF that is probably 50 feet from the room where I do my listening. Also a Scantenna for my scanner up in the attic, overhead.. Getting a WinRadio G305. (has HF and vhf/uhf capability) So the 3 foot, or so, lengths are just some simple plumbinmg in the room between the ends of the present antenna lead ins, and two A/B switches to switch the antennas between the present receivers and the new WinRadio. No room to provide everything with their own antennas, so trying to do it with A/B switches. Regards, Bob -------------------- On 3/10/2010 12:23 PM, Richard Clark wrote: On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:53:12 -0500, wrote: The suggestion was made that the common RG-6 that is everywhere would do me just fine, as I'm talking about about 3 foot patch cord lengths. Hi Bob, Then RG-174 would work just as well - if you wanted something very thin and flexible. However, the common application of the term "patch cord" is a short connector to a variety of very much longer transmission lines. If that is the sense of "patch cord" that you mean, then your longer lines, for your range of frequencies, should be very large diameter cables. There the impedance doesn't really matter that much - so go for biggest/cheapest. Think this would do me O.K. as the lengths are only 3 feet, and listening only ? OK, so this is twice you have mentioned the 3 foot criteria. And you have mentioned lengthS (not length) as though you need many. Two questions arise: 1. Why do you need many? B. How far away is/are your antenna/s? Or, too cheaply made probably, and I should try to find somewhere a better quality ? You haven't described any problems that demand quality. They all use these F connectors. They usually get by quite well under normal circumstances with them. As you have not described any abnormal circumstances, you would get by quite well with them too. Guess I'm old fashioned, but they "scare" me a little not having a "real" center pin. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, calmly insert and tighten the fittings. Any reluctance to using them ? Not when they are appropriate. 73's Richard Clark, KB7QHC |
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