Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

[TowerTalk] FW: RG-149: 50 ohm/70 ohm - does it matter?

To: "'reflector -tower'" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] FW: RG-149: 50 ohm/70 ohm - does it matter?
From: "Matt" <maflukey@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2013 00:01:38 -0600
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Here are some simple methods I have used for transforming impedance to match
75 ohm cable with 50 ohms:

Method #1:  alternating sections of 75 ohm and 50 ohm cable - each cut to
0.082 wavelength.  Example 50 ohm antenna (or down-lead) > .082 L 75 ohm
coax > .082 L 50 ohm coax > 75 ohm coax feed-line (any length).  Simply
reverse the order for the opposite transformation.

Method #2:  50 ohm antenna (or down-lead) > 0.141 wavelength of 50 ohm coax
> 0.163 wavelength 75 coax shorted stub > 75 ohm coax feed-line (any length)
from the stub "T" connection.   This method is useful for grounding a
down-lead at the tower base by connecting the shorted end of the stub to the
tower ground.

Method #3: same as method #2 except substitute 0.188 wavelength 50 coax for
the shorting stub.

All of the above methods are low enough Q to have flat reflection across any
single ham band.   With proper selection can achieve several of the upper
bands with small increase in SWR.  A Smith Chart really helps for planning
in this case.  Smith v3.1 is available in a free version...  

http://www.fritz.dellsperger.net/downloads.htm

Or if you are working out in the field try iSmith for the iphone.

BTW, trying to feed a non-resonant 50 ohm load with a random length of 75
ohm cable without transformation can produce a very poor match at the other
end.

Good luck with your cable!

Matt
KM5VI


-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
kr2q@optimum.net
Sent: Friday, December 13, 2013 5:32 PM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] RG-149: 50 ohm/70 ohm - does it matter?

Interesting comments.

Contributor A says the SWR will be 2:1 while Dan says 1.5:1.

I agree with Dan.

Contributor B says, "What if the impedance at the antenna is only 33
ohms....
and you have a quarter wavelength of 75 coax."  Then...Oh horrors.

Well, don't look now, but if the feedpoint is 33 and the coax is 50, I
calculate that to be the same VSWR as if the feedpoint were 50 and the coax
were 75.  No?  Nobody worries about the former, do they?

How likely is it to get your coax to be in odd multiples of quarter lambda?
I am guessing, "Not too likely."  
And if it is, well, just add some more coax (if you care about SWR).  Would
that not work?

>From what I can find, a mismatch (SWR) is not much of a factor in getting
your signal to the antenna.
See http://www.skyworksinc.com/uploads/documents/vswrreturn.pdf

I don't know if this is accurate or not (I'm no engineer), but I have found
this in several places after doing a Google on SWR and LOSS.  There is even
a calculator out there, that seems to come up with the same results.
http://www.csgnetwork.com/vswrlosscalc.html

So from what I see 50 to 75 (or 33 to 50) is 1.5:1 with a loss of 0.177 db.
Really?  Really!

>From what the others have said, it might be possible for the 50:75
"mismatch" to matter to you.

Personally, I really like the replies from guys who actually use 75 ohm coax
and have seen "no issue."

I asked for expert input and I do thank those that responded.

Back to running my hospital.  :-)

de Doug KR2Q
_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
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

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>