[TowerTalk] Coax cable economics. (was Mosley Antenna Question)

[Steven Katz]

The cable costs listed below are a bit on the high side, I guess "full retail."

The RF Connection http://www.therfc.com has:

RG-213/U $74/100'
LMR400 (Times)  $94/100'
9086 (9913 made by IEWC, in America -- it's good) $75/100'

And DX Engineering http://www.dxengineering.com has:

DXE213U-500 (500' spool of 213/U) $390/500'
DXE400MAX-500 (500' spool of their version of LMR400) $400/500'

73  WB2WIK

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Martin Pelt
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 1:49 PM
To: kz8e at wt.net
Cc: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Coax cable economics. (was Mosley Antenna Question)

Earl,

Check out jefa tech. Great coax good prices.

73 Martin n4uu
On Feb 18, 2015 4:38 PM, "Earl Morse" <kz8e at wt.net> wrote:

> Coaxial cable here is bought in quantities of 500'.  Scraps less than 100'
> get hauled off to the hamfest.
>
> Looking at price per foot of 3 popular types of 1/2" coax we have:
>
> LMR400  $1.18/ft  or  $589.99/500 ft roll
> RG213   $0.83/ft  or  $412.99/500 ft roll
> 9913    $1.12/ft  or  $559.99/500 ft roll
>
>
> Loss/100 ft of these @ 30MHz is:
>
> LMR400  0.7 dB
> RG213   1.2 dB
> 9913    0.7 dB
>
> At this frequency the loss in a 500' run (@30 MHz) would be:
>
> LMR400 3.5 dB
> RG213  6.0 dB
> 9913   3.5 dB
>
> Crunching these numbers, 2.5 dB can be gained from spending either an 
> extra $177 for the LMR400 or $147 for the 9913 over the RG213.  This 
> is just for 30 MHz and a 500 foot run.  Losses would be lower at lower 
> frequencies and higher at higher frequencies especially when the 
> dielectric loss properties of the cable kick in.  Your run may be 
> shorter, hopefully not longer.  It starts to add up and an amplifier 
> starts to look like a good deal where you can get 10 dB on all bands for the same price.
>
> These cables can all use the same cheap (but not too cheap) PL259 
> connector.  You might get a chunk of free 50 ohm 7/8" Heliax and spend 
> $150 for connectors.
>
> There are tons of other cables available.  They all have different 
> properties.  They all have advantages and disadvantages.  Your 
> application may need direct burial or need to be very flexible.  You 
> may be phasing something and require something that needs a specific 
> phase velocity.  I have seen guys use aluminum jacketed 75 ohm CATV 
> hard line where connectors are soldered to it with a pigtail and the 
> shield is clamped to the aluminum jacket with a hose clamp then the 
> whole thing gets a milk jug or bleach bottle shoved over the top of it.  Hey, the cable is free.
>
> As with everything in life.  Check the fine print.  Figure out your 
> cost/Bel.  Take into account the frequency you are using and what 
> exactly it is you want to do.
>
> If price/Bel is no object, then get your bank book out, give me a 
> call, and I will build you a dream station.  Heck, if we are talking 
> contract I will even come over and operate it for you.
>
> Oh yeah, someday you will probably have to replace all that coax, 
> probably around 10-15 years when the rest of the station starts 
> breaking down.  (I'm at 12 years now and over due especially after a 
> well meaning neighbor hit the coax bundle going to the tower with a 
> mower.)  Then start saving up again for the rebuild as soon as you 
> complete the station.  (Are they ever really completed?)
>
> Earl
> N8SS
>
>
>
>
>
> >----------------------------
> >
> >Message: 1
> >Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2015 18:37:51 -0800
> >From: Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com>
> >To: towertalk at contesting.com
> >Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Mosley Antenna Question
> >Message-ID: <54E3FAFF.8020406 at audiosystemsgroup.com>
> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
> >
> >On Tue,2/17/2015 1:30 PM, Ed Sawyer wrote:
> > I can tell you one reason to spec RG213 over LMR400 to feed your 
> >Mosley  tribander, or any other tribander for that matter.
> >
> >There are some misconceptions here that are the result of advertising.
> >Loss below about 500 MHz is entirely due to the resistance of the 
> >conductors at the frequency of interest. The dielectric does not 
> >contribute to loss below that frequency unless it's wet, and if it's 
> >been wet, the braid is probably degraded, increasing copper loss. :)
> >
> >If you really want low loss, use hard line. I'm feeding my SteppIR 
> >with
> >350 ft of 7/8-in. :)
> >
> >73, Jim K9YC
> >
> >
> >------------------------------
>
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