Truck stop coax ok for 2 meter use?

[Turbo T]

I have 18 ft of RG8X coax, the same stuff sold in truck stops. Probably Barjan.

Anyways I need a way of routing the Times Microwave LMR-400 from my base station antenna to my radio in the house via coming thru the door.

I'm not allowed to mod the house at all. The antenna is mounted on an existing pole in the ground.

Would it be ok to run RG8X to the radio? I did it and checked my SWR's and they're not high, but also i don't know if I'm going to have any signal losses.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Robb]

The length of the RG-8X is short, so the losses will be there but minimal.
If using both the LMR and the RG8X linked together with a female barrel connector; then the RX/TX losses will climb significantly since we are talking about VHF freq/loss vs length.
That is, if I understood your question correctly.

 

[Mudfoot]

If it's all you got, use it and enjoy.

 

[Turbo T]

The length of the RG-8X is short, so the losses will be there but minimal.
If using both the LMR and the RG8X linked together with a female barrel connector; then the RX/TX losses will climb significantly since we are talking about VHF freq/loss vs length.
That is, if I understood your question correctly.

Actually Robb I am using a female double SO-239 connector to mate them together. How much loss will I have by using one of these?

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Insignificant losses. Robb was talking about the combined losses of the two pieces of cable. How much extra RG-8X cable would you be using in addition to whatever cable you already have?

Actually Robb I am using a female double SO-239 connector to mate them together. How much loss will I have by using one of these?

 

[Turbo T]

Insignificant losses. Robb was talking about the combined losses of the two pieces of cable. How much extra RG-8X cable would you be using in addition to whatever cable you already have?

I'm only using 21 ft total of RG8X on my 2 M rig to hook the radio to the 50 ft. of LMR-400. That's 3 ft. from radio to SWR meter and 18 ft from SWR meter to 50' ft of LMR-400.

 

[Robb]

I'm only using 21 ft total of RG8X on my 2 M rig to hook the radio to the 50 ft. of LMR-400. That's 3 ft. from radio to SWR meter and 18 ft from SWR meter to 50' ft of LMR-400.

Coax Calculator

Just add the losses of the two separate coax together.
Power output with 50 watts in might be around ~30 watts out to the antenna . . .

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Coax Calculator

Just add the losses of the two separate coax together.
Power output with 50 watts in might be around ~30 watts out to the antenna . . .

With 50 watts hitting the RG-8X he will have 34.5 watts at the antenna assuming a perfect 1:1 SWR at 146 MHz. If you can live with the extra 0.86 dB loss then go for it. The extra loss is not going to be noticed.