The BEST Coax Cable For Ham Radio Beginners!

[@chuckneedham1584]

Thanks for the info! For broken or no pull line conduit situations: As a former CATV guy, we would pull string through very long distance conduit runs with a shop vacuum. Wad up a piece of paper or plastic to roughly the inside diameter of the empty pipe and tie a string to it. Start up the vacuum on the other side and it flies through the conduit. Use the string to pull through a larger line or rope. They actually make powered blower/vacuum snaking kits, but the wadded up paper never failed me.

[@AlvinMcManus]

I worked construction for a couple decades and I was just gonna suggest the same thing. I watched many a wire pulling crew do exactly that.

[@mikesradiorepair]

Standard practice for conduit pull cords is to install one pull cord for later use. If you do use it make sure you tie a new one onto the tip of the new coax cable before you pull it so you are pulling a new pull cord to leave in the conduit to replace the one you just used. That way you always have one pull cord in the conduit. Standard practice for connector water proofing on commercial tower sites is to use lineman's splicing tape (what you call self amalgamating tape) covered by a wrap of high quality electrical tape (I use 3M #88) and then that covered by brush on 3M electrical coating FD. The 3M FD coating is the double layer of waterproofing protection. It comes in a brush top can like you get anti-seize in. Basically brush on liquid electric tape but it is designed for outdoor use and is UV resistant. If you do connector waterproofing like this you will NEVER have problems with water in your connectors guaranteed.

[@garnerboyd4206]

RG400 50 ohm with a Velocity of 69.5 low loss Teflon insulation Trippel shelled, good up to 12.4 GHz At 1GHz it can handle 600 watts. Also on the Ham frequencies it can handle 1,000 Watts and more. a little smaller than RG58. Its used in all kinds of aviation equipment private and military. Highly heat resistance, you can put on your connector with out melting the insulation. One caveat it's a little pricey not to bad though. Amazon no name 40ft about 70ish dollars, it goes for a lot more at other places. I love this stuff, great feed line coax cable and jumpers between equip..

[@jaym1301]

I think you calibrate the RigExperts the same way as the NanoVNAs, using an open, short ald load termination. You could get an SO-239 to SMA female adapter and put it on the end of your coax temporarily and calibrate whichever analyzer you have at the end of the coax, then reconnect the coax to the antenna. Now you can check the antenna itself from inside your shack without the coax causing weird results.

[@jamesbeemer7855]

I did some research into the best coax for a low power system . 4 watts , on the 26 - 27 MHz Band . The thumbnail shows coax made from three three types . My concern was conductivity from point A to antenna . The physics is interesting . But every body uses COPPER as a conductor . Some may use aluminum . In both cases the longer the RUN of those metals , the greater the resistance . Aluminum more than copper . AND sometimes aluminum will cause house fires . They put aluminum in RVs . So if you operating something that requires a lot of amperage , you’re taking your life in your hands . Any way , I want as low a resistance as possible for runs of wire , longer than 11’ . And I found that the military uses SILVER for their radio equipment ! That caught my eye ! Silver has the lowest resistance to electron flow . So the s/ wrs aren’t as high as you would think . The problem is no one sells the stuff .

[@jaym1301]

I use a wrap of Scotch Super 33+ electrical tape, then a wrap of either Coax Seal or self-amalgamating rubber tape, then an outer wrap of the Scotch for UV-resistance. The first layer of electrical tape makes it easier to remove the Coax Seal or self-amalgamating tape (which stick to the coax) if you need to. This combo survived through lots of rain including a category 4 typhoon without any wet coax issues. If it's just a temporary connection for testing something I just do two wraps of the electrical tape.

[@CRJ02]

I buy the Airbone 10 and Hyperflex 10. Very nice cable ❤

[@otrdriver6767]

I found this video very useful. It took me several sittings to finish it due to my availability of time. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@petertate3436]

As some one that spent years pulling in old school mains multicores in night clubs.... to run lights. You can leave a draw wire... but watch how fast it gets wrapped around others and no good. Run a much bigger conduit... with as few bends as possible. Then get your vacuum cleaner or air compressor, a ball of string, a plastic bag. Bunch up the plastic bag to be a reasonable fit to the vacant space in conduit. Tie string onto it, stick in the conduit and let rip with the air compressor.... blow or suck through! String for light weight in this process, then attach a stronger rope for the big job! cheers

[@KL5TY-Bill-Alaska]

FYI on pull tape- you run one pull tape line through conduit. When you use it to pull cable you connect another pull tape line on the cable (tied to the other string) and pull both at the same time. If you put multiple string then it will get tangled up on the other cable you are pulling through your conduit then your pulling all of it at the same time.

[@axi6ne8us]

Which is best for an IC-705, a coil and 17' whip placed on a lanai to help eliminate environmental noise ? Only operating with 10 watts ... 73

[@samuellourenco1050]

As a beginner, I got an excellent experience with Aircell 7. As for RG-58, there are cables that share the same dimensions and name, but the materials are subpar and are not up to any spec. Huber+Shuner RG-58 is great for very short runs (essentially, patch cables).

[@ChaplainDaveSparks]

I remember reading some time ago about the decibel loss not only for the coax itself, but also for the connectors. This is especially true when you hook two runs of coax together, or convert from one type of connector to another (like PL259 to SMA). I never see the actual figures for connectors. I suppose it would depend upon whether they're soldered or crimped on, etc.

[@derekcraig05]

Thank you for posting this video. This really helped me out. I’m a rarely new general, getting ready to pull the trigger on my first HF. I have some many questions about coax. 73 Derek

[@fm71450]

Dear Ape & Hayden, I am also in possession of gear I would not have bought if I had more of a clue. While studying for my General (US Amateur) I learned SO MUCH - and now I can see some things I should not have done/purchased. Now I am afraid to study for my Extra license. Will I need (again) to re-think my gear? My learning is this: put money in antennas and feed over new radios. And, listen to guys like yourselves. Thank You!

[@HamRadioDX]

Hey mate, Thanks for your comment. Don't be afraid to study for Extra - you won't need to rethink your gear, just use what you have! Antennas and feedlines are the best investment, then a radio. Cheers!

[@chiphill4856]

Good info guys. I use Tesa exterior harness tape. It's a fabric backed tape that holds tight. Doesn't melt in saltwater like vinyl.

[@indridcold8433]

The coaxial cable that is best is the one you can afford to connect a radio to an antenna. If one can only afford RG-58, get that. If one can afford the best gold conductor, silver braided coaxial cable, buy that. The goal is to attach the antenna to the radio, so whether the band is Lofur, Midfur, Hifur, amateur radio, CB, 49Mhz MURS, FRS/GMRS, 900Mhz public use radio. Get the swr down and attach the antenna.

[@ChaplainDaveSparks]

Good advice. It's undoubtedly cheaper than running higher power to compensate for the losses. It's doubly so on receive, because it's even harder (and costlier) to compensate for transmission losses.

[@Pootycat8359]

I think RG-8X is the best, for all-round HF use, and RG-213, for VHF. But what's the BEST co-ax? Why, Andrew's 3 1/2 " rigid, pressurized with dry air or nitrogen. GREAT when you're running 50 KW or so (no, I'm a broadcast engineer, NOT A CB--ER!). :)

[@Jah_Rastafari_ORIG]

@Pootycat8359 _Annnnnd_ you're also independently wealthy... Actually, we had a run of that very hardline (w/green-colored jacket) that was on a 900 repeater; we always referred to it as The Anaconda...

[@jwreagan]

My buddy was constantly having tower guy working on his broadcast station antenna system... he hired a COMPETENT broadcast engineer who determined his hardliner was allowing infiltration (water? O2?) Anyhow, they purged the hardliner with nitrogen, he said the results were instant, his coverage map was all of the sudden accurate again. Engineers rock! Saved my buddy a ton vs the original suggested repair from the tower guy (replace several sections of his multibay array and a section of the hardline) been up and going for years since.

[@SumOneSomewhere]

I bought rg-8x for my first rig. I’m new so I was relying on the interwebs. President of the radio club I just joined told me it’s ok for short feed cables but if it’s too long it start losing the signal or something. I dunno I’m still learning all of this stuff. Hopefully he’s wrong lol

[@Pootycat8359]

RG-8X is much better than RG-58/U, which it's a good replacement for, and is reasonably priced. But yes, there are better choices for long runs, and/or high power. Check the tables of co-ax specs, and decide what you need and can afford. If you're RICH, you can't go wrong with "Heliax." :)

[@moozoowizard]

I looked at M&P but the Freight was much more than the cable I was ordering. I think it would be good for clubs that can buy in bulk. In Australia I get rg58 and rg213/u from Jaycar and Altronics. For connectors I order on eBay. Best for rg58 is where the braid is crimped but the centre is soldered. Rg58 doesn't have a lot of diameter of dielectric so it can melt when soldering the braid easily. I started with rg58 but have switched to rg213u for everything. Soldering is so much easier. Jaycar and Altronics rg58 connectors are rg8x with an adaptor. And these have a large gap between the braid solder opening and the braid underneath. So I don't use them. I bought a full crimping set that comes with a twisting automatic cable stripping tool. I bought a second and removed one of the blades so I can strip of additional outer plastic easily.

[@g0fvt]

With all due respect, the caveat with the electrical halfwaves of cable is that the loss of the cable will still to some extent mask the SWR at the antenna. Though it is still a valid and practical measurement. A "tuner" in the shack is not as bad news as many suspect, it obviously depends on the feeder type, feeder length, frequency and the degree of mismatch. Well done on mentioning the problems with the dissimilar metals in LMR400 etc, not a big issue for most people but it is banned from many radio sites.

[@edwymer6928]

I came in late. What do you guys use for HF? I just bought 100’ of 49:52 LMR400 .

[@shanerorko8076]

I haven't watched this yet, but I got licenced last year, I use Messi and Paloni hyperflex 10. I'm going to start using the 13 soon for HF and I have some heliax connectors I picked up very cheap so I'll be doing heliax for my 2m/70cm antenna. For my car 27mhz CB I'm just going to use this foil coated RG58 I have and I'll likely juice it up with an amp (don't tell anyone) I have found that the big high quality cable has less noise, I don't care if you don't believe me but it's being proven more and more and lots of hams are starting to wake up to this fact. Yea if you just go off the DB drop in the cable RG58 is fine for HF but that's not why I'm using thick coax, it's for the noise rejection and in the city you have so much noise why add more than you have to?

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

Thanks to you both for this, I picked up some good information as I'm finally shack building (note the new callsign!) and your little touches of humour took the dryness out of the subject. Could I use 316 for short runs in my car, for VHF/UHF at no more than 50w? I can't drill holes in the car and the thinner cable would be better with the rubber door seals.👍👍😃😃

[@HamRadioDX]

Yes the thinner RG-316 is actually used on a lot of the flexi pieces to go through door jambs etc.

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

@@HamRadioDX Thanks for the answer!

[@daveduffy2292]

Great video and information. Do you recommend if the white jacket Hyperflex 13 for HF. I’m trying to reduce my noise levels when I beam in a certain direction.

[@mikeZL3XD7029]

One point regarding 75Ω BNC connectors, I don't know how true this is, but I've heard that the centre pin of the BNC is slightly larger than the 50Ω type. This can cause the female connector contact to splay, which is fine if you only use a 75Ω connector, but if you sell the radio or whatever, this can cause issues down the track. One other thing, when pulling new cables over the top of existing ones, if you don't use cable lube, you can burn the outer sheath off the stationary cables, this goes for all PVC cables.

[@lincolnworsham1085]

For commercial grade bnc this is not the case. No idea if you get som metrology grade of of eBay what the story is. This is 100% true for “ N “ connectors

[@bigchew3149]

i am Prety Picky about my Coax i Use as I Had to Learn The Hard Way & it Hit ya n the Hip Pocket...I Use M&P Hyper flex 10 Sehara for All My VHF/UHF on a Comet GP-9N (about 25ft ish high) Going to a Yaesu Ft-991 & HF I Still Like At The Very Least M&P RG213 & Their EVO Connectors On Every Thing to btw & I Have Ben Very Happy With Them Hitting Repeaters 100+ Miles Away Quit Regularly ..I Know Conditions But I Would Like To Think it has A Lot To Do With Good Quality Coax & Connectors ! I Hav Said For 30+ Decades That you can have a 10,000$ Radio on Crap Coax & antenna and be Very Disappointed Or a 1000$ Radio With High Quality Coax ,Connectors and Antenna & Get a Wack Ton Better Performance !

[@johnwest7993]

The reason lower loss cable is larger than higher loss cable is that most of the loss in coax is due to the resistive losses of the center conductor. So a larger diameter center conductor is used, which in order to maintain the proper impedance relationship requires the outer conductor, the braid, to be further away from the center conductor, which makes for a larger and more expensive cable. I've always dreamed of finding coax with a Litz wire center conductor, but I've never seen any advertised and probably couldn't afford it if they made it. BTW, I've seen truly junk Chinese coax of both RG-8 and RG-54 sizes that were labeled with the US mil-spec nomenclature. A quick look at the actual mil specifications, (there are certain variations allowed within the overall spec that are detailed within the actual number listed, such as solid or multi-strand center core,) will tell you that 60% coverage with aluminum braid just isn't US mil spec coax. Ladder-line is something you can make yourself for very little expense and run 100 or 200 meters up to the top of a hill with very low loss. So if someone has a hilltop 200 meters away, then that's how to do the run to the antenna. Just keep it high above the reach of anyone, especially children. I always solder my coax connectors. Years of experience has taught me the hard lesson that anything else just isn't as good. I've just had too many difficulties with consumer-grade connections, and it invariably happens when I can least afford to have it happen. Coax will mostly get cooked through not by high power, (within spec,) but by extreme high voltage points in the coax caused by a poor SWR. Those points can hit thousands of volts, (see Tesla Coil.)

[@daveduffy2292]

What’s the best coax to use on HF 20/15 meter bands.

[@stevefox3763]

Both my 27mhz CB and my 446mhz setup have RG213, the CB in my car has el cheapo RG58 however as you need to run it in funny places and mine goes up behind a pillars plastic and behind the roof lining to a drilled hard mount.

[@indridcold8433]

I just use RG-8x and RG-8. As long as it connects my radios to my junk antenna, that is what is important for just a budget station. There is no quality equipment on these antennas, except the power supplies I made. I accidentally acquired a Yaesu FT-710aess and love the receive! But the rest of the radios are just humble, cheap, and homemade, equipment. When a 50 watt transceiver is only worth $90 to $100, I am not going to purchase coaxial cable costing more than the antenna and radio combined.

[@edwymer6928]

How much difference would there be between lmr400 and rg8 coax as far as say if I’m transmitting a 3 db signal on rg8 on 2m.

[@RoyArmy-WREW918]

M&P also has a youtube channel which show how-to's on their stuff.

[@kevin2e0kbxsouthampton6]

Do Antenna switches cause problems with coax?

[@CurtNovitsky]

If a antenna radiates ,if the coax radiates ,both would put rf in the shack becuz the antenna is not that much farther away than the coax ,40 meters would put most in the first wave no matter what radiates or an I wrong ?

[@alfranca5961]

Seems as though the larger diameter coax ie LMR600 may have an advantage for shielding noise ?

[@xavierayayaell546]

I presume over the last year you've learned this is absolute bollocks

[@VanFlicke]

"Our sun is a yellow sun" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@indridcold8433]

I see it as white. I have never understood where people get yellow. The light is not yellow.

[@onewolf3750]

sometimes receive antennas are 75 Ohm, like a loop-on-the-ground

[@VeteranInThePhilippines-uy6uc]

What is a good brand of coax in the philippines?

[@rolfsblog]

Thumbs up for this info!!!👍

[@HamRadioDX]

Glad it was helpful!

[@peterfrangos6900]

Fellas, excellent discussion. This is where art and science come together. I am struggling with a design for my ecomms GMRS HT set up. Suburban environment, one and two story homes between the two points I wish to communicate on simplex. About 1.8 miles. After market antennas improved the quality a bit but started to look at putting antennas on the roof and attach to the 5w HT as needed. So loss becomes a big deal at the UHF GMRS frequencies. This helped. Especially the part about keeping the run short from the antenna to the the shack on the higher frequencies. Cheers, AD2EH WRWA355

[@HamRadioDX]

Glad it helped and good luck with your setup. Outside antennas will make a huge difference!

[@ekbanjosworld4926]

I'll bet they don't have your cheap Lite Beer down there ! 🤣

[@ekbanjosworld4926]

As Smokin Ape backs up a utility truck with a trailer and massive spool of grotesquely expensive coax wire !!!😂

[@onewolf3750]

I think one function of the foil under the braid is to make it more flexible. the braid slides over the foil.

[@dancosminmarza2974]

basicly short run 10..15 feet rg400 4 hf 1,8 to 55 mhza rg213 2m 70cm and above lmr 900 in the best conditions long runs 50feet and above

[@Jah_Rastafari_ORIG]

Actually, scraps of 75 ohm hardline are awesome for making homemade colinears... Some commercial verticals are made of exactly that...

[@darrellh3769]

Everyone talks M&P. I have talked to more than a dozen DXCC holders and none use M&P but several use Davis DRF-400!

[@lomgshorts3]

Just observing, but I have been using scrap RG-6 for 20 years and it works very well up to 500 watts PEP, 200 Watts CW. I get the stuff off cable tv trucks. I just ask for it and they throw it to me for free !!! Can't get any better than that. It may be 72 ohm coax, but my rigs do not care about it at all. Besides, I can always tune the antenna to below a 2:1 swr, so there is little to no loss at all if the lengths are less than 75' at HF frequencies. And no, the SWR is not "goofy". You people are wayyy to fixated on perfect SWR. I get great 599+ signal reports barefoot at 80 watts into Antarctica on 40 meters. There is no low loss coax, every kind loses power past 50'. The only transmission line that is practically lossless is 450 or 600 ohm ladder line.

[@stevepatterson2290]

im a 100 w station and I use LMR 400 at 75 ', I may be loosing 10 watts at 28mhz hardly anything at 7 MHz

[@Mr_Meowingtons]

my way of thinking 1.8Mhz to 30 (HF only) RG8x 1.8 to 144Mhz RG8U/213 1.8 to 440 LMR400 any thing higher is a luxury.

[@Colin_In_VK]

I thought they would mention RG8x and Messi & Paoloni, Both things that are not sold in Australia usually, The standard easy to get coax in VK is RG58, RG213, LMR400 & LMR600 ( and all the equivalents ).

[@HamRadioDX]

M&P is now being sold at SEComms I believe - maybe contact them. M&P also ship direct.

[@californiakayaker]

I'm intrigued with the idea of using 75 ohm cable because I have so much of it and its really great cable, much of it is hardline ! Matching isn't too bad if you use the smith chart although you might have a little more trouble with some sort of broad banded version. Anyone know some channel or person who specializes in using 75 0hm cable on line ?

[@californiakayaker]

Well, no answers. I guess the question was too generalized ? I use it to match various high impedance hf antenna's to 50 ohm cable. It started with the standard loop, one which is the triangle known as the Delta Loop which presents between 100 and 200 ohms. The object is to use a piece of 1/4 wave length 75 ohm cable in series between the 50ohm and the antenna to match to the 50 ohm cable. Two things I noticed. You get this approximation data that makes it so you can cut the cable to the correct percentage and have a 1/4 wave piece. I found out that the approximations were way off. It was so easy to measure the exact length needed with an antenna analyzer. It worked so well I loved the process. So, my next objective is to use a piece of 75 ohm hard line which I have a ton of surplus to put an antenna way out in a field. I'll match it to a piece of 50 ohm cable (shorter piece, not sure how short it can be) and run that to the radio. The radio should see exactly 50 ohms for one band only. 40m will be my object, Delta loop as a vertical will be the objective. Its my next antenna project.

[@holotape]

So…uh…which was the best for UHF?

[@HamRadioDX]

The coax with the lowest loss at UHF within your budget

[@Brenda-jf2pe]

Times microwave 240 if the best

[@mytube7473]

6 minutes in and this got way not beginner. you need to slow down and explain that stuff you guys take for granted.

[@HamRadioDX]

What bit was a problem?

[@pnowikow]

Our sun is a yellow sun lol

[@ekbanjosworld4926]

Did someone say crimpers? I got cheap crimpers, I got special crimpers for Anderson PowerPoles, I got another set of crimpers with replacement insert jaws, I also have 10 and 16 ton crimpers !!! 😮😊😮

[@burleighbear423]

Is shorter coax better then long

[@sirtango1]

Yes.

[@bazzaar1869]

If you needed to feed a 2m antenna with say 50 feet of coax and using 75ohm coax reduced your loss 2 or 3 Db for the same cost then its the better option. Coax loss is real loss, 1.5:1 SWR is not a real loss. Lets begin to get system priorities right.

[@AlvinMcManus]

There is a vendor on Etsy in Santa Fe Springs, CA and he sells an LMR 400 by CNT coax. The spec sheet shows at 450.0MHz | 8.86/100M | 2.7/100ft would that be good for a 50ft run? Assuming a QRP

[@HamRadioDX]

Yes CNT-400 is basically the same as LMR-400. Solid core centre. 50 foot run at 450 MHz should be fine.

[@AlvinMcManus]

@@HamRadioDX thank you that really helps

[@mikemcdonald5147]

LMR400 THE WORLD!!!!!! lol

[@mikemcdonald5147]

Honestly though I do use lmr400 for everything. Jumpers are lmr400 Ultraflex

[@mikemcdonald5147]

7/8 inch hardline for my vhf uhf stuff.

[@g0fvt]

LMR400 is not entirely good news, there are applications where it should not be used, the passive intermodulation performance means it should not be used on communal radio sites etc.

[@mewrongwayKOCXF]

American made Davis buryflex!! Better than Messi&Phoni and cheaper!

[@petersumner1209]

its all about BRAID coverage 🙂

[@paulgarcia1566]

IMHO the best coax for beginners is an inexpensive roll of coax RG58 in 50 feet. Why? Because it works pretty good, is lightweight, easy to setup, and teardown and store way (POTA usage) Later when you begin to grow in the hobby and really get a grasp on the subject matter and related gear. Now you'll know exactly what bands you work on and exactly how many feet you'll really. Now your are ready to upgrade to RG8X, RG8U, RG213, or LMR400, and that cheap RG58 that started you can be used as a backup or kept in a car. I wish I was told this as a beginner ham.

[@21inchwide]

RG58 is junk. The baseline minimum for beginners should be RG-8X and then work up from there if needed, though in most cases it'll be just fine. Has all the upsides of RG58 but with better performance. If you're considering Japanese made coax, look for 5DFB.

[@sleeve8651]

To be fair.....some people just won't listen ! They have their own ideas, and you can't change their minds ! Different strokes for different folks , I guess ?

[@ekbanjosworld4926]

Some pens are fatter. You'd have to use No. 2 lead pencils !!!

[@K4dsx]

So the best coaxial cable for 2 meters/70, 25-50 feet is ????

[@21inchwide]

For price vs performance, Daiichi Radio Industry 5D15MB Cable 49.2 ft (15 m) Equivalent to RG-8X. This is what Diamond antenna use.

[@ekbanjosworld4926]

The question is, is it toe-roid or tor-oid ?!?!😂

[@HamRadioDX]

Definitely toe-roid

[@TheRiddleNL]

M&P smells, hope the marters don's eat it?

[@mikemcdonald5147]

American Pens are larger due to their American Exceptionalism LOL

[@mewrongwayKOCXF]

Yes bigger sockets require bigger plugs!!!

[@richiet3841]

Rest your voice fella, you sound really raspy thru your mic.

[@edstar83]

Solder is the correct pronunciation not "sodder"

[@HamRadioDX]

Yes

[@dalekehrer2421]

NO! Sodder is the correct pronunciation. Solder is the correct spelling. 😉

[@sirtango1]

My ex girlfriend told me that too. So I solder a$$ to the highest bidder, bought 2 feet of LMR 400 and soddered up a jumper. I came out ahead on that deal! 😂