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Re: [TowerTalk] TowerTalk Digest, Vol 262, Issue 4

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] TowerTalk Digest, Vol 262, Issue 4
From: JP <jp@ezoom.net>
Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 08:19:23 -0700
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I did the same back in the 90s. 

I still have a bunch of those adapters I made out of copper pipe reducers and 
PL258 barrels to terminate that hardline. 

J.P. W2XX

> On Oct 5, 2024, at 7:33 AM, w2fu@frontiernet.net wrote:
> 
> Stan,
> 
> I would bet this is 75 ohm CATV stuff.  I used some of that years ago for
> uWave work.  1" was a common size.  I "made" connectors for it with copper
> fittings, and a Female 'N' connector.  You could also use female UHF I
> suppose.  
> 
> Solid outer, solid center!  But I the outer I though was Aluminum though,
> and the center was CCS
> 
> Jeff - W2FU
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of
> towertalk-request@contesting.com
> Sent: Saturday, October 5, 2024 8:57 AM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: TowerTalk Digest, Vol 262, Issue 4
> 
> Send TowerTalk mailing list submissions to
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> 
> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. Heliax question (Stan Stockton)
>   2. Re: Heliax question (dj7ww@t-online.de)
>   3. Re: Heliax question (Michael Tope)
>   4. Re: Heliax question (Stan Stockton)
>   5. Re: Heliax question (Stan Stockton)
>   6. Re: Heliax question (dj7ww@t-online.de)
>   7. Re: Heliax question (Jim W7RY)
>   8. Re: Heliax question (Paul Christensen)
>   9. Re: Heliax question (Jeff DePolo)
>  10. Re: Heliax question (Stan Stockton)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 03:50:38 -0500
> From: Stan Stockton <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
> To: "TowerTalk@contesting.com" <TowerTalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID: <B0A60DB3-E270-437D-A643-A656B9ECB642@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> In all my stuff I have about a 175 foot length of Heliax that measures 1
> inch in diameter as opposed to the 7/8 inch measurement on the 7/8? Heliax I
> have.  I thought it could be that it is 7/8? that has swelled somehow, but
> it looks like new when I cut off the jacket.
> 
> The center conductor is solid - not tubular.  I cannot read any writing on
> it to know what the part number might be, nor have I been able to find
> anything on Google or ChatGpt.  
> 
> Do you know what I might have (part number) and where I could find a couple
> of connectors?
> 
> Thanks?Stan, K5GO
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 11:29:48 +0200 (CEST)
> From: "dj7ww@t-online.de" <dj7ww@t-online.de>
> To: Stan Stockton <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
> Cc: "contesting,  towertalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID:
>    
> <1728120588453.1631671.d8b3f10ce6d087502d046b2570c2d49ae9bde33f@spica.teleko
> m.de>
>    
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> HF 5/8" Cu2Y - 50 Ohm air dielectric cable has 22.3 jacket diameter, the
> solid inner conductor is 6.3mm diameter.
> 7/8" Cellflex cable or LDF5-50 has about 1.1" outside diameter, not 7/8"
> 
> Your other cable might be LDF4.5-50
> 
> 73
> Peter, DJ7WW
> 
> 
> -----Original-Nachricht-----
> Betreff: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Datum: 2024-10-05T10:51:12+0200
> Von: "Stan Stockton" <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
> An: "TowerTalk@contesting.com" <TowerTalk@contesting.com>
> 
> In all my stuff I have about a 175 foot length of Heliax that measures 1
> inch in diameter as opposed to the 7/8 inch measurement on the 7/8? Heliax I
> have.  I thought it could be that it is 7/8? that has swelled somehow, but
> it looks like new when I cut off the jacket.
> 
> The center conductor is solid - not tubular.  I cannot read any writing on
> it to know what the part number might be, nor have I been able to find
> anything on Google or ChatGpt.  
> 
> Do you know what I might have (part number) and where I could find a couple
> of connectors?
> 
> Thanks?Stan, K5GO
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> ?
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 02:30:53 -0700
> From: Michael Tope <W4EF@dellroy.com>
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID: <c7b3b56c-b903-426c-ac5e-bdd6fd3c57c4@dellroy.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
> 
> Hi Stan,
> 
> A true 1" ID hard line would seem to be a real oddball. I don't recall ever
> seeing 1" Heliax before. There are a couple of things that could help
> identify the cable. One is the diameter of the center conductor.
> The other is a description of the dielectric material. Is it a solid foam,
> or is it mostly air with a helical dielectric spacer?
> 
> Since you identified the cable as "Heliax" is it fair to assume that the
> outer conductor is corrugated copper?
> 
> 73, Mike W4EF..............
> 
>> On 10/5/2024 1:50 AM, Stan Stockton wrote:
>> In all my stuff I have about a 175 foot length of Heliax that measures 1
> inch in diameter as opposed to the 7/8 inch measurement on the 7/8? Heliax I
> have.  I thought it could be that it is 7/8? that has swelled somehow, but
> it looks like new when I cut off the jacket.
>> 
>> The center conductor is solid - not tubular.  I cannot read any writing on
> it to know what the part number might be, nor have I been able to find
> anything on Google or ChatGpt.
>> 
>> Do you know what I might have (part number) and where I could find a
> couple of connectors?
>> 
>> Thanks?Stan, K5GO
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 05:28:14 -0500
> From: Stan Stockton <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
> To: "dj7ww@t-online.de" <dj7ww@t-online.de>
> Cc: "contesting, towertalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID: <FB319573-1924-4A77-94E9-BAF260CAD983@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> Thanks for the information, Peter. I appreciate you trying to figure it out.
> 
> LDF4.5-50 has a diameter over dielectric of .71 inches and the inner
> conductor is .28 inches. I don?t have anything that small.  I am positive
> the other coax I have is 7/8? Andrew Heliax.  This one I haven?t been able
> to identify is (as closely as I can measure with a tape measure) 1/8? larger
> over the dielectric than the 7/8?.  Just looking at the ends of them side by
> side one is visibly larger.
> 
> Right now I would be happy to find a part number for 7/8? Heliax with a
> solid center conductor or connector for same to see if I could make it work.
> 
> Stan
> 
>> On Oct 5, 2024, at 4:30?AM, dj7ww@t-online.de wrote:
>> 
>> ?HF 5/8" Cu2Y - 50 Ohm air dielectric cable has 22.3 jacket diameter, the
> solid inner conductor is 6.3mm diameter.
>> 7/8" Cellflex cable or LDF5-50 has about 1.1" outside diameter, not 7/8"
>> 
>> Your other cable might be LDF4.5-50
>> 
>> 73
>> Peter, DJ7WW
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original-Nachricht-----
>> Betreff: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
>> Datum: 2024-10-05T10:51:12+0200
>> Von: "Stan Stockton" <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
>> An: "TowerTalk@contesting.com" <TowerTalk@contesting.com>
>> 
>> In all my stuff I have about a 175 foot length of Heliax that measures 1
> inch in diameter as opposed to the 7/8 inch measurement on the 7/8? Heliax I
> have.  I thought it could be that it is 7/8? that has swelled somehow, but
> it looks like new when I cut off the jacket.
>> 
>> The center conductor is solid - not tubular.  I cannot read any writing on
> it to know what the part number might be, nor have I been able to find
> anything on Google or ChatGpt.  
>> 
>> Do you know what I might have (part number) and where I could find a
> couple of connectors?
>> 
>> Thanks?Stan, K5GO
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>> ?
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 05:37:58 -0500
> From: Stan Stockton <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
> To: Michael Tope <W4EF@dellroy.com>
> Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID: <48E124C1-C05E-4C58-B998-6B1BF98D361D@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> Thanks, Mike.
> 
> It is corrugated outer conductor like normal Heliax.  I haven?t measured the
> inner conductor yet but did attempt to drill a straight 1/4? hole so I could
> try to screw in the center pin used on the tubular center conductor on 7/8?.
> There was plenty of wall thickness left.  I?m just guessing the inner
> conductor is about 3/8?. Solid foam dielectric.  I can get a 7/8? connector
> over this stuff though it measures larger in diameter.  I  think if I had
> center pins that were made for 7/8? solid inner conductor Heliax, I might be
> in business.
> 
> Stan
> 
>> On Oct 5, 2024, at 4:38?AM, Michael Tope <W4EF@dellroy.com> wrote:
>> 
>> ?Hi Stan,
>> 
>> A true 1" ID hard line would seem to be a real oddball. I don't recall
> ever seeing 1" Heliax before. There are a couple of things that could help
> identify the cable. One is the diameter of the center conductor. The other
> is a description of the dielectric material. Is it a solid foam, or is it
> mostly air with a helical dielectric spacer?
>> 
>> Since you identified the cable as "Heliax" is it fair to assume that the
> outer conductor is corrugated copper?
>> 
>> 73, Mike W4EF..............
>> 
>>>> On 10/5/2024 1:50 AM, Stan Stockton wrote:
>>> In all my stuff I have about a 175 foot length of Heliax that measures 1
> inch in diameter as opposed to the 7/8 inch measurement on the 7/8? Heliax I
> have.  I thought it could be that it is 7/8? that has swelled somehow, but
> it looks like new when I cut off the jacket.
>>> 
>>> The center conductor is solid - not tubular.  I cannot read any writing
> on it to know what the part number might be, nor have I been able to find
> anything on Google or ChatGpt.
>>> 
>>> Do you know what I might have (part number) and where I could find a
> couple of connectors?
>>> 
>>> Thanks?Stan, K5GO
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 6
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 14:03:28 +0200 (MEST)
> From: "dj7ww@t-online.de" <dj7ww@t-online.de>
> To: Stan Stockton <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
> Cc: "contesting, towertalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID:
>    
> <1728129808457.1638253.7858f8ec6d8342d905fffb4a3e84b7e008c363c1@spica.teleko
> m.de>
>    
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> Hi Stan,.
> 
> I never saw 7/8" Heliax or Cellflex with solid inner conductor.
> 
> The 5/8" Heliflex ( old name Flexwell) by RFS which should be equivalent to
> 4.5-50 has different measurements but is air dielcric:
> 
> Technical Data Sheet
> FLEXWELL Air Dielectric Cable
> HF 5/8" Cu2Y - 50 Ohm
> HF 5/8" CuH - 50 Ohm
> 
> Structure
> Inner conductor:    Copper wire    6.3 mm
> Dielectric:    High density polyethylene helix    13.6 mm
> Outer conductor:    Corrugated copper tube    18.9 mm
> Jacket:    Polyethylene, black    22.3 mm
> 
> 73
> Peter, DJ7WW
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original-Nachricht-----
> Betreff: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Datum: 2024-10-05T12:28:37+0200
> Von: "Stan Stockton" <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
> An: "dj7ww@t-online.de" <dj7ww@t-online.de>
> 
> Thanks for the information, Peter. I appreciate you trying to figure it out.
> 
> LDF4.5-50 has a diameter over dielectric of .71 inches and the inner
> conductor is .28 inches. I don?t have anything that small.  I am positive
> the other coax I have is 7/8? Andrew Heliax.  This one I haven?t been able
> to identify is (as closely as I can measure with a tape measure) 1/8? larger
> over the dielectric than the 7/8?.  Just looking at the ends of them side by
> side one is visibly larger.
> 
> Right now I would be happy to find a part number for 7/8? Heliax with a
> solid center conductor or connector for same to see if I could make it work.
> 
> Stan
> 
>> On Oct 5, 2024, at 4:30?AM, dj7ww@t-online.de wrote:
>> 
>> ?HF 5/8" Cu2Y - 50 Ohm air dielectric cable has 22.3 jacket diameter, the
> solid inner conductor is 6.3mm diameter.
>> 7/8" Cellflex cable or LDF5-50 has about 1.1" outside diameter, not 7/8"
>> 
>> Your other cable might be LDF4.5-50
>> 
>> 73
>> Peter, DJ7WW
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original-Nachricht-----
>> Betreff: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
>> Datum: 2024-10-05T10:51:12+0200
>> Von: "Stan Stockton" <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
>> An: "TowerTalk@contesting.com" <TowerTalk@contesting.com>
>> 
>> In all my stuff I have about a 175 foot length of Heliax that measures 1
> inch in diameter as opposed to the 7/8 inch measurement on the 7/8? Heliax I
> have.  I thought it could be that it is 7/8? that has swelled somehow, but
> it looks like new when I cut off the jacket.
>> 
>> The center conductor is solid - not tubular.  I cannot read any writing on
> it to know what the part number might be, nor have I been able to find
> anything on Google or ChatGpt.  
>> 
>> Do you know what I might have (part number) and where I could find a
> couple of connectors?
>> 
>> Thanks?Stan, K5GO
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>> ?
> ?
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 7
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 07:22:33 -0500
> From: Jim W7RY <jimw7ry@gmail.com>
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID: <38eb243c-0b99-46fb-9ee5-1f4558bb7d21@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
> 
> Send me a picture of it Stan to my direct email address.
> 
> Jim W7RY
> 
> 
> 
>> On 10/5/2024 3:50 AM, Stan Stockton wrote:
>> In all my stuff I have about a 175 foot length of Heliax that measures 1
> inch in diameter as opposed to the 7/8 inch measurement on the 7/8? Heliax I
> have.  I thought it could be that it is 7/8? that has swelled somehow, but
> it looks like new when I cut off the jacket.
>> 
>> The center conductor is solid - not tubular.  I cannot read any writing on
> it to know what the part number might be, nor have I been able to find
> anything on Google or ChatGpt.
>> 
>> Do you know what I might have (part number) and where I could find a
> couple of connectors?
>> 
>> Thanks?Stan, K5GO
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
> --
> Thanks and 73, Jim W7RY
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 8
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 08:26:14 -0400
> From: "Paul Christensen" <w9ac@arrl.net>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID: <008d01db1721$c648eff0$52dacfd0$@arrl.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
>> "This one I haven?t been able to identify is (as closely as I can measure
> with a tape measure) 1/8? larger over the dielectric than the 7/8?. "
> 
> Stan,
> 
> Is it possible you have a roll of 75-ohm cable?   When I was employed by
> AT&T Broadband, in some instances we used Commscope 1-inch corrugated
> coaxial cable with a solid inner and foam dielectric.  You could get a rough
> idea by applying the simpler formula: Zo=138 ? log10(D/d), or better still,
> with a cable that long, use a VNA and get a S11 measurement by alternating
> between 75 and 50-ohm terminations.  
> 
> Paul, W9AC
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 9
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 08:39:07 -0400
> From: "Jeff DePolo" <jd0@broadsci.com>
> To: <dj7ww@t-online.de>,    "'Stan Stockton'" <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
> Cc: "'contesting, towertalk'" <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID: <111701db1723$92a3bca0$b7eb35e0$@broadsci.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="utf-8"
> 
>> I never saw 7/8" Heliax or Cellflex with solid inner conductor.
> 
> Several older 7/8" Heliax-type cables had solid center conductors, with
> Cablewave probably being the most common back in the 70's.  I still have
> connectors for it if that's what it turns out to be.  Rather than a
> thread-in or push-in center conductor contact as used with the tubular
> center conductor on modern 7/8 cables, it had a center conductor assembly
> that made contact with the outside of the center conductor.  Cleaning the
> dielectric off the center conductor properly to prep for this type of
> connector wasn't fun.  Unlike modern 7/8" cables, the shield and center
> conductor weren't cut off flush with each other, the center had to protrude
> by maybe 3/8" (it's been a while, don't quote me on that).
> 
> There was also a lot of Prodelin 7/8" cable that floated around on the
> surplus market in the 1980's.  It, too, had a solid center conductor.  It
> had, by far, the toughest outer jacket of any Heliax-style cable I've ever
> had the displeasure of working with.  It was bonded to the shield and tough
> as hell.  
> 
> To help identify what you have, a few more questions:
> 
> 1.  Is the outer conductor corrugation helical ("spiral") or annular
> ("rings")?
> 
> 2.  What is the measured OD of the outer conductor at the peaks?
> 
> 3.  What is the measured OD of the inner conductor?
> 
> 4.  Is the inner conductor solid copper or copper-clad aluminum?
> 
> 5.  Confirming - the outer conductor is copper, not aluminum,correct?
> 
>                    --- Jeff WN3A
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 10
> Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2024 07:56:25 -0500
> From: Stan Stockton <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
> To: Jeff DePolo <jd0@broadsci.com>
> Cc: dj7ww@t-online.de, "contesting, towertalk"
>    <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Heliax question
> Message-ID: <EF9493C0-AB1F-4C83-B8E3-D74E96796CA4@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> Jeff,
> 
> Copper clad aluminum, rings not spiral, OD of outer conductor is 1?.  OD of
> inner is 3/8?.  Outer conductor is copper.  I think you are on right track.
> Measurements were all done with a steel tape measure as best I could.
> 
> Thanks..Stan
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Oct 5, 2024, at 7:39?AM, Jeff DePolo <jd0@broadsci.com> wrote:
>> 
>> ?
>>> 
>>> I never saw 7/8" Heliax or Cellflex with solid inner conductor.
>> 
>> Several older 7/8" Heliax-type cables had solid center conductors, with
> Cablewave probably being the most common back in the 70's.  I still have
> connectors for it if that's what it turns out to be.  Rather than a
> thread-in or push-in center conductor contact as used with the tubular
> center conductor on modern 7/8 cables, it had a center conductor assembly
> that made contact with the outside of the center conductor.  Cleaning the
> dielectric off the center conductor properly to prep for this type of
> connector wasn't fun.  Unlike modern 7/8" cables, the shield and center
> conductor weren't cut off flush with each other, the center had to protrude
> by maybe 3/8" (it's been a while, don't quote me on that).
>> 
>> There was also a lot of Prodelin 7/8" cable that floated around on the
> surplus market in the 1980's.  It, too, had a solid center conductor.  It
> had, by far, the toughest outer jacket of any Heliax-style cable I've ever
> had the displeasure of working with.  It was bonded to the shield and tough
> as hell.  
>> 
>> To help identify what you have, a few more questions:
>> 
>> 1.  Is the outer conductor corrugation helical ("spiral") or annular
> ("rings")?
>> 
>> 2.  What is the measured OD of the outer conductor at the peaks?
>> 
>> 3.  What is the measured OD of the inner conductor?
>> 
>> 4.  Is the inner conductor solid copper or copper-clad aluminum?
>> 
>> 5.  Confirming - the outer conductor is copper, not aluminum,correct?
>> 
>>                   --- Jeff WN3A
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Subject: Digest Footer
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of TowerTalk Digest, Vol 262, Issue 4
> *****************************************
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

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