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

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 -

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

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

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

"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.