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[TowerTalk] Heliax or RFS vs LMR: Tech points and best pricing availabl

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Heliax or RFS vs LMR: Tech points and best pricing available
From: DavisRFinc@aol.com (DavisRFinc@aol.com)
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 15:45:19 EDT
Hi Roy and Tower Talkers,                  Re: [TowerTalk] 9913F, etc

   I don't want this to appear as a commercial, even though that is allowable 
if also informative to TT'rs.  I mainly have to jump in when information 
about the best deal known to the writer is higher than my standard pricing 
has been.  No fault of the writer as I don't run ads about my prices on 
Heliax, RFS and LMR, other than LMR 400.

   You mention $ 1.85/ ft for 1/2" RFS.  That IS a good price.  DAVIS RF Co. 
has been selling it, and its Heliax equal, for $ 1.79 for quite some time.  
connectors:  N males for both are $ 24.00, same as your source, and a damn 
good price.  This is only time I've heard of an equal price to us on any such 
related parts. 

 We prefer to sell Heliax (vs RFS Cablewave) only because we can get same day 
shipment even with Andrew Licensed tech installers putting the connectors on 
to preserve the warranty.  RFS may take a few days. Otherwise I have no 
druthers about construction and electrics between the two.

   LMR (Times Cable) has served many hams very well for their needs at a much 
lower cost.  LMR 600 is the 1/2" equal to LDF4-50A, 1/2" Heliax or FLC-50J 
RFS.
LMR 600 we sell for .98/ft vs. the above $1.79 for Heliax or RFS.  Here's the 
rub:  it seems that most interest on TT is for HF use of these cables.  
LMR600  attenuation, below 30 MHz is quite comparable to Heliax and RFS.  If 
one is into real long lengths, or "splittin the hairs of tenths of a dB", 
then Heliax or RFS makes a difference.  Otherwise, Heliax and RFS have high 
tower, commercial, mechanical strengths and advantages that LMR is not as 
worthy.  However, again, many hams buy and quite successfuly utilize LMR for 
long term results.  We sell all three: Heliax, RFS and LMR and have no 
business motive to sell one vs. the other, other than better service, i.e. 
immediate delivery on connectorized Heliax and LMR, whereas RFS is a few 
days.  If your talkin, say, 1/2" Heliax or RFS  vs  LMR 600 at VHF through 
Microwave, you will see distinct attenuation advantages of Heliax or RFS vs. 
LMR600.  So, if you want to come as close in attenuation, say at 2 GHz to the 
Heliax or RFS 1/2" attenuation rates, the closest you get is with the same 
LMR 600 but you're .55 dB/100 ft lower than Heliax or RFS.  This can be a 
significant factor commercially and ham where low power and long runs are 
prevalent.   The next step up in LMR would be LMR 1200, a 1.20 " OD cable, 
that would put you .527 dB (all these #''s are nominal) better and my price 
would be $ 3.39 per foot!!  High but very low as he market goes.   

Note:  our site price on RFS connectors is wrong.  Revision to the site of 
this and other new data will occur within the next 3-04 weeks.

Thanks, I couldn't sit here thinking that some TTAlkers don't know about our 
price as an "alternate source".    Also, I hope the tech comparatives 
help/interest some folks.    Cheers, Steve Davis,  K1PEK   DAVIS RF Co.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
DAVIS RF Co., commercial wire and cable, custom cable design.  Discounts to 
hams.  Heliax, LMR, RFS, Belden, BURY-FLEX Tm.  Various aerial wiring; 
transmission lines, insulators, baluns, RF connectors and Dacron rope.  
www.davisRF.com .  1-800-328-4773, (For all RF hardline related items, please 
ask for Steve Davis)   Thank you!
"The Triad":  Davis RF Co.; Orion Wire Corp.; and The Wire Man, Inc.:  
Variegated expertise; resources and buying power yielding numerous quality 
products at highly competitive pricing.




In a message dated 8/29/99 2:00:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
wa4dou@excite.com writes:

<< i'll spend the money for 1/2" hardline. Celwave is the best
 deal going these days, as far as i've heard, with 1/2" @ $1.85 for foot and
 $24.00 connectors. >>

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