| Author |
Message |
    
Lowpowerhal
Intermediate Member
Username: Lowpowerhal
Post Number: 178
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 1:12 pm: | 
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I bought this up before. I have around 200 feet of 7/8" dia. Aluminum hard line coax with about a number 9 copper solid copper center. Is there a way to put Coax on each end and pl 259 connectors to each end to balance the loss on each end? Would you put 5' of 213 coax on each end? Also how do you connect RG8 or 213 to hard line ? reason i ask is connectors for hard line is real costly in $$$$ . Help me out folks. I do understand i will have some loss on each end. Also i have to have flexible coax on tower end to rotate. Any suggestions would appreciated to help me out. Thanks |
Lowpowerhal
Intermediate Member
Username: Lowpowerhal
Post Number: 184
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 12:16 am: |
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I need help on this ? Please help me out! |
Ozzie
Intermediate Member
Username: Ozzie
Post Number: 168
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 9:46 am: |
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Lowpower,
Didnt I send you a file with the data on putting a PL-259 plug on harline?? If not let me know and I will.
As for putting a piece of 213 at the end, just use a barrel connector. There are other ways but that is the easiest. |
Ozzie
Intermediate Member
Username: Ozzie
Post Number: 169
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 9:48 am: |
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OH yes the only reason for using 213 at either end is not to "balance loss" but to make connections to radioand antenna easier. Hardline need large diameter bends and doesnt fit behind a desk or rack panel to well. |
Lowpowerhal
Intermediate Member
Username: Lowpowerhal
Post Number: 186
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 9:16 pm: |
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Ozzie Please email on connections please. I need to know . I tried to email you but it keeps coming back.WE have server problems Thanks |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 2058
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 11:37 pm: |
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Hal,
Tech833 was going to reply directly to you but I forgot to include your e-mail address for him.
He asked me to post this note from him to you on your question.
************************************************
Hal,
The connectors for Heliax or 'hardline' are necsessary in order to achieve the
lowest loss and highest performance gained from using this type of cable. If you
improvise connectors to it, it would be the same as improvising connectors on any
other cable which could mean high losses and SWR fluctuations.
Adding another type of cable to the ends will only lose signal. Again, the proper
connectors are a must. I am sorry, there are no shortcuts in this area. You must
use the proper connectors, regardless of cost or suffer the losses and SWR trouble
you will create by not doing so.
833
************************************************
Lon
Tech808 |
Ozzie
Intermediate Member
Username: Ozzie
Post Number: 170
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 9:20 am: |
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LOn,
No arguments on what you said, but it can be done when you cannot afford to pay for the proper connectors. Currently I run a length of cable hardline with attached standard PL-259 connectors. On 2m I put 5w in (measured)at the other end of the 60ft length I measure 4.2w. I figure thats not bad for the length, frequency and non-proper connectors. |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 2062
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 9:50 am: |
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Ozzie,
The above note was from Tech833, that I re- posted for Hal.
I have never used Hard Line and have no idea what it takes.
And when it is Aluminum and Copper, I am Totally Lost. hehehe
Lon
Tech808 |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 615
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 11:13 am: |
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Ozzie,
That is unacceptable loss for Heliax cables.
You may as well be using 9913 or 9914 for that kind of loss. There is no substitute for the proper connectors. Why use high quality cable if you are only going to compromise it anyway?
If money is tight (and I understand), then go ahead and garbage up your nice cable temporarily while you save up for some good connectors.
This is the same as using Rg-8 cable and terminating the ends with alligator clips because you cannot afford PL-259 connectors. Will it hurt the perfomrance of the RG-8? Of course. If that is acceptable to you, then you should proceed. |
Bullet
Intermediate Member
Username: Bullet
Post Number: 300
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 5:38 pm: |
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the center conductor of that 7/8ths cable is bigger than the center of the pl259!
i started to try this with my lmr 600. dont do it, suck it up and buy the conectors youll be much happier you did than you will be by jerry riging it. |
Lowpowerhal
Intermediate Member
Username: Lowpowerhal
Post Number: 187
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 8:01 pm: |
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Tech 808 and Tech 833 Thanks I might have went brain dead. I do that sometimes. See i was thinking of ultilizing the hard line on a beam that rotates 360 degrees. My question can that be done with hard line. Im almost bet it can be done. If not i have the skills to build a 5/8 wave vertical j-pole no proplem and use the hardline on it. I can put 213 on the horizontal beam and be done with it.Its that simple. I new there would be loss by adding flexible 213 to the hard line, that would be defeating the almost no loss hard line. I might add the Vertical and Horizontal beam will be almost 100 feet from one of the other.As far as cost trying hold the cost down to buy more radio equipment,Hey its a hobbie and i love it keeps me out of trouble.hehehe Give me some more input? And i thank everbody that jumps in there to help me out. Thanks Guys |
Ozzie
Intermediate Member
Username: Ozzie
Post Number: 174
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 9:35 am: |
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Tech833 Simply I had the hardline there, and I have seen worse losses on 213 for the same length with properly connected plugs.
I rebuilt a repeater site (Emergency Services) that had a 10w loss over 60ft using RG-213 with the proper connectors. Yes shoddy workmanship from previous technician. You can use standard PL-259 connectors on hardline with almost no degradation IF you do it the right way. Yes it's an incorrectly done job, but if you have the hardline and pl-259s and cannot (at the time) afford he correct plugs or a length of RG-213 why not?? |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 624
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 2:53 pm: |
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Using 213 jumpers at the end of your 'hardline' for your rotating antenna is the correct way to do it IF you use the proper connectors. Terminate the Heliax (hardline as you call it) with a female N connector. Install a male N connector on one ond of a flexible jumper (9913 or 213 is fine) and connect them. Be sure to weather proof. Then connect the other end of the jumper to the antenna.
Heliax will not tolerate the movement of a rotor at all. You DO need a flexible cable to go past the rotor.
Tell you what... Go to the Tessco website and see what I am talking about. They say it much better than I do. |
