[TowerTalk] L-Com 400 coax

Fri Jan 22 21:34:53 PST 2010


Gary K9GS wrote:
> Regardless of what brand of cable is purchased, don't they all ship on a 
> spool
No. I've actually received LMR-600 in boxes.

> that is pretty close to fitting inside a plastic trash can? 
That that did come on spools covered a wide range of sizes from 3' to 
18". Some spools for the smaller cables were of cardboard while some of 
the larger ones were of plywood that used a center form of cardboard, 
much like the tubes in carpet rolls. None of them hold up well in humid 
conditions. OTOH I did get a wood spool of about 18" with 3/8" braided 
synthetic rope.
>  Couldn't 
> you just carefully remove one of the end plates from a spool of cable and, 
> leaving the cable still coiled, "lift" a sufficient number of coils of cable 
> to make your stub?  You're going to need to tune it to the proper length 
> anyway.  
>   
You can easily wind LMR 400 into a 4" ID coil. Just keep winding until 
it's all on there and then tape it. or just coil it to fit inside the can.
Id use 8" instead of 4 as that is well beyond the "repeatable" bending 
radius of 4".

73

Roger (K8RI)
> For that matter...see if you can locate an extra spool or two from a wire 
> and cable supplier and leave the cable coiled on the spool and drop it into 
> the garbage can.
>
> Just some ideas to throw out......
>
>
> 73,
>
> Gary K9GS
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> K9GS
> Gary Schwartz           email: k9gs (at) arrl.net
> Check out K9NS on the web: http://www.k9ns.com
> Society of Midwest Contesters (SMC)     http://www.w9smc.com/
> GMDXA http://www.eng.mu.edu/gmdxa/
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Roger (K8RI)" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net>
> To: "Tower and HF antenna construction topics." <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 7:21 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] L-Com 400 coax
>
>
>   
>> I can't speak for L-com LMR 400 like cable, but Times Wire LMR has a
>> very short permissible bend radius for permanent installations of only
>> 1", or a repeatable bend radius of 4"
>> http://www.timesmicrowave.com/wireless/index.shtml which is listed as
>> the smallest bend radius for any cable of that type.  I've compared
>> CNT-240 to LMR-240 and the CNT appears to be more rigid, but that tells
>> you or me nothing about the L-Com cables.
>>
>> So for stubs wound up into coils they would easily fit into a relatively
>> small space depending almost entirely on the overall length.
>>
>> You can find Times Wire LMR-400 available at prices low enough that
>> purchasing knock offs is hardly justifiable. I've been paying about
>> $1.29 USD a foot for LMR-600, and have replaced all except the leads
>> from the  remote antenna switches with it. Crimp on N connectors are
>> about $10-$13 USD.
>>
>> What the tremendous jumps in aluminum and copper prices are going to do
>> to the coax cable market is hard to say, but if you need the stuff I'd
>> get it now. Two increases in the market. Two weeks ago 30% and last week
>> another 30%. Last time it was mainly copper, this time it's copper AND
>> aluminum.
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Roger (K8RI)
>>
>>
>> Greg wrote:
>>     
>>> Thanks Perry.  Sounds like it may be too stiff for what I plan to use it
>>> for.  I am building some 1/4 wave bandpass stubs and plan to coil them
>>> up in a plastic trash can.  Do you think it will be difficult to coil
>>> that tightly?
>>>
>>> Greg
>>>
>>>
>>> On 1/22/2010 12:40 PM, Perry - K4PWO wrote:
>>>
>>>       
>>>> I've used it on HF and 6 meters with no problems.  It is the typical 
>>>> stiff
>>>> (almost like hardline) cable that is hard to work with but it does work
>>>> well.  I haven't used it for 2 meter or higher yet but my MFJ analyzer 
>>>> does
>>>> show typical loses at 2 meters as is specified for LMR-400.
>>>>
>>>> 73 de Perry - K4PWO
>>>>
>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>> From: "Greg"<ab7r at cablespeed.com>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 23:33 PM
>>>> To: "Towertalk"<towertalk at contesting.com>
>>>> Subject: [TowerTalk] L-Com 400 coax
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> Anyone have any experience with L-Com 400 coax?
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=21108
>>>>>
>>>>> I can get a 1Kft roll locally for $300.  I know that's only $70 less
>>>>> than ordering online but I don't have to mess with shipping either.
>>>>>
>>>>> But I have not been able to find any reviews on this stuff.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks
>>>>> 73
>>>>> Greg
>>>>> AB7R
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>           
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