[TowerTalk] LMR600 male DIN

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

Sharp bend is a relative term. The allowable bend radius is helpful and 
usually given for most brand name cables. Most have a minimum bend 
radius and a repeatable bend radius.

IIRC LMR400 has only a 1.5" minimum bend radius. I don't remember the 
repeatable bend radius.  LMR 600 also has a quite small minimum bend 
radius. 7/8ths Heliax is great stuff and tough enough that it would be 
difficult to bend it too sharp.  When I picked up the pickup load for 
the repeater the coils were about 4' in diameter giving a bend radius of 
2'. I've never seen it on spools, but the operator where I picked it up 
complained about the spool size.  He had piles of 7/8ths in a fenced in 
area.

1/2" Heliax is safe at 1'  from experience 10 years ago. I didn't try 
for a tighter bend as that was sufficient.   I'm sure those with 
experience have made tighter bends.

My point is that you can't grab the 1/2" as is often done with regular 
RG-8 types, or LMR600. and make much of a bend without kinking it and I 
don't mean a bend approaching the ability of the RG8 types. I doubt the 
users of 1/2" would have an antenna party and let the average ham handle 
the coax, at least with out thorough instructions.<:-)  I certainly 
wouldn't.  I was given several pieces that I think were used by the 
local club years back. All had kinks and the ham that gave them to me is 
now a SK so there's no asking about their history.

When I talked about laying the 1/2"on the ground I was not talking about 
a driveway, I was talking about my yard which is pretty solid most of 
the summer (although the grass is fairly thick) and a normal 170# person 
stepping on the 1/2" causing damage.  The two 100' lengths I gave away 
had no kinks, or damage.  Compared to the coax most of us use it is 
quite fragile.although it is much tougher than the 1/2" 75 ohm Al CATV 
stuff, but not the 3/4".

73

Roger (K8RI)



On 9/9/2016 Friday 10:08 AM, Jim Thomson wrote:
> Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2016 21:46:14 -0400
> From: "john at kk9a.com" <john at kk9a.com>
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] LMR600 male DIN
>
> Andrew LDF cables are copper tubing, of course you can kink them if you
> make a sharp bend or you can flatten the cable with enough pressure. If
> you plan on running feedline across your driveway I would pick something
> else. If you need sharp bends consider FSJ4. Why don't you obtain a sample
> of each and see which suits YOUR particular needs better.
>
> John KK9A - W4AAA
>
>
> ##  Both  1/2 inch heliax.. and  LMR-600DB   use a copper clad
> aluminum center conductor....  no tubing used on these 2 x  cables.
>
> ##  7/8 inch heliax uses cu tubing...as does LMR-1200DB.
>
> ##  You  have to be careful  with the cu coated solid al  center conductor.
> Easy to nick the cu, and ring it 360 degs...resulting in a cu-al-cu  center.
>
> Jim   VE7RF
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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-- 

73

Roger (K8RI)


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