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Stepchild
Posted on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 11:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

What is the difference in these?Is 213 real stiff?Also,I have two different kinds of RG8,One is sort of stiff and the other is fairly limber.Both say RG8 on the jacket.I'm going to buy all new coax for my MR-4 and thought it would be a good idea to run the coax up along the pitch of the roof instead of laying on top of the rafters.What do yall think.
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Tech671
Posted on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 5:13 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Typically 213 will handle more power than RG8 as it has more strands in the center conductor and the insulator is a solid polymer. Coax that has a solid center will be considerably stiffer than that of stranded.
Unless your coax has specifically a "UV" jacket I'd try to expose as little as possible, especially laying on the roof as that gets the most punishment in the summer (sun and heat).
The next step up from 213 would be something double shielded such as Times Microwave LMR240 and 400, or Davis industried "Bury-Flex".
The 240 is a mini-8 sized cable that is available in several forms from standed to solid centers, UV rated jackets etc. and has a pure foil coat around the insulator, then a tinned copper shield rated at 1kw continuous power. The 400 is the same but in the size of RG8/213 and a 2kw continuous power rating. The Davis cable is similar to the Times 400 at a slightly lower cost and flexible with direct burial ability.
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Stepchild
Posted on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 11:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks671,All that will be exposed is what comes down the tower from the ant.to the eve of the roof.I'm going in the attic just under the eve,then run it along the rafters inside the attic.Isn't 213 a lower loss than RG8?
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Tech671
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 5:55 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yes 213 is slightly less loss than rg8, heavier guage center.
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Barracuda
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 5:12 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Tech671,
Regarding stranded vs solid center conductor, you said above that the larger diameter of 213 has better power handling ability as a solid conductor. Do stranded conductors of a certain diameter have more, less or same power handling ability as a similarly sized solid conductor. Since I've heard that the signals really travel along the surface of the conductors (skin effect?) it would almost seem that the more thinner wires you put in the center the larger the "skin area" to conduct with would be and therefore the greater the power handling ability?
Does that wash? If not why?

Thanks,
Barracuda
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Stepchild
Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2003 - 1:32 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Tech671,I will probably go with the RG8,thats what I've alway's used and have had real good luck out of it.
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Tech671
Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2003 - 6:14 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Barra...
Stranded v solid really has no difference in coax other than flexibility. The guage of the wire is mostly what determines power handling.
Now on DC power wire obviously flexibility is desirable so the more strands available the better.

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