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Wildrat
Advanced Member
Username: Wildrat

Post Number: 591
Registered: 12-2003


Posted on Tuesday, January 03, 2006 - 11:40 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I am going to be putting my coax from my polyphaser to my radio thru the attic. When I put the tower up, I put a marine vhf antenna on the tower also. I ran some old coax on this VHF antenna I saved from my old Antron antenna which got blown to pieces. Any way I was going to be short on coax for this antenna to make the run to the vhf radio. I went to the local electronics parts store and got 120' of rg8x. When the guy pulled it off the shelf and got the roll out of the box the insulation was clear so you could see the pretty copper shield. He asked if I cared that it was clear, I said the attic won't care as long as it doesn't cost anymore than white, black, or gray. He said it all cost the same. Well I got the coax and a few banana clips and plugs and my total bill was about 44 bucks. A couple of old guys came in, older than me anyway and said I bet that cost a lot with all that copper, I said no, and told them what it cost. I bring it home and put it on the kitchen counter. The wife sees it, I'm in another room. She says to me how much did you spend at Chester's. I said why did you see the coax, she said yes. I asked her why she thought it was expensive because it was clear and you can see the copper shielding? she said yes of course. Well she was happier when I told her it was the same price as the other stuff I get, the guy at the store just happened to pull the clear.

The motto of this story is if you have junk that looks good people looking at it that don't know any better will think it's good stuff. So you might as well stick to them.

Wildrat
CEF674
EGCCC

and getting more senile by the day!
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Hotwire
Advanced Member
Username: Hotwire

Post Number: 797
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2006 - 1:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I prefer clear for the mobile and maybe even the base. You can see any corrosion that may appear.
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Therealporkchop
Advanced Member
Username: Therealporkchop

Post Number: 530
Registered: 11-2002


Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 1:00 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I make my own coax. I take some solid copper wire and wrap it in duct-tape and then I wrap that tape in that other duct-tape that is like foil. Then I solder them to a PL-259 and their's ya coax...haha..hehe..
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Wildrat
Advanced Member
Username: Wildrat

Post Number: 594
Registered: 12-2003


Posted on Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 8:27 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I use the metal duct tape when I put my coax on the tower or pole. First I put a piece of electrical tape around the coax, then I take a zip tie and zip it to the tower or pole. Then I take the metal duct tape and wrap it around the coax, zip tie and tower or pole. I use the metal duct tape because it has a reflective surface. The sun in Florida will deteriorate the zip ties or tape in a summer. When that happens you have coax blowing in the breeze, just blowing in the breeze baby. I don't use that silver tape with strings, I use metal duct tape. So anyway there's ya a tip. So now I will go and continue with my songwriting job.

Wildrat
CEF674
EGCCC

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