Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
  • You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.
  • The Retevis Holidays giveaway winner has been selected! Check Here to see who won!

RJ-58 length

D

dmac

Member
Jul 21, 2011
2
0
11
Yuba City Ca.
First time posting with a Question. I purchased a Hustler mobile 2 meter ant. it came with a 18 ft. cable, can I cut it down to say 6 -8 ft attece new end and retune the swr or will cutting it ruin the factory set cable length?
Thanks Dave
 

A lot depends on the antenna itself, the mounting and such. At 18 feet long, the cable (RG-58 probably, not RJ-58) can account for a bit of a power loss. I'd disconnect the factory cable and measure the feedpoint of the antenna for exactly what it's presenting as a load, and go from there. If it's reasonably close to the characteristic impedance of the feedline, length won't matter.

You should use an antenna analyzer for this measurement.
 
Cut away, you will suffer no problems with a shorter feedline. Any loss is negligible with that length of cable. Just use a quality connector and solder it properly.
 
All my 2m/70cm antennas came with about 12-18 feet and I never had an issue with it. I hardly think you will see even a slight difference but shortening it a few feet. Let's be practical for a minute A tenth of a dB or so won't be noticed so leave it alone and don't worry about any side effects of cutting the cable.
 
dmac,
Why do you want to shorten the feed line? There shouldn't be a problem doing that, I'm just curious.
- 'Doc
 
I have a similar scenario and have been thinking what I should do.

I have a VW Jetta.

In the trunk of the car VW put a 12 volt outlet (cigarette lighter adapter). According to the manual this is for a portable air compressor or light and many other accessories that may need to be operated.

This 12 volt port has a 25 amp fuse and is located on the passenger side toward the rear of the car about 8 inches below the trunk lid.

I want to mount the radio unit (FTM-350AR) in the trunk near the power port.

This will allow me to use a shortened power cord.

This also puts the antenna connector on the radio near the trunk line.

I am using the K400C Diamond Mount

K400C Complete copy.jpg

The mini coax is 6.5 inches long to get inside the trunk without "pinching" the coax.

The mini coax has a mini UHF connector so you can connect the Diamond extension coax which has the other end of the mini UHF connector and route it to the radio.

C110_L.jpg

Unfortunately that extension is 10 foot long.

I only need 3 foot I am guessing so the trunk can open and close. I know better than to "coil" the coax. I do not want to run it back and forth in the trunk because I use the trunk quite often.

What to do?????
 
No reason why you can't coil it, but I'd just cut that extension to whatever length I need and solder a new connector on.
 
Why not coil it? It won't affect anything nor will it choke off RF except for what is on the shield and that is a good thing. Not coiling coax because it will affect things is an old CB wive's tail.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.


      Top Bottom