ABR industries coax

[VETCOMMS]

Silly question.  Is this coax good enough for a hobby house repeater?

https://abrind.com/cable-overview-abr400-uf-pn25400f/

 

I see it has a 2.5" bend radius.  I assume that's the distance across my drip loop that I need to be mindful of with bend radius?

 

[WRWE456]

I don't know about that cable. There is no reason to have a drip loop at the antenna. You want one at the location where the coax enters the house so water drips off before running into the wall. You may need a choke at the antenna depending on the antenna type. That can be a coil of a couple of wraps however that can be impractical with large diameter coax. In that case snap on ferrite chokes are better. 

The radius is from the center of the coil so a 2.5" radius make a 5" circle. 

[WRWE456]

I just posted this in another thread. https://www.jpole-antenna.com/shop/snap-on-ferrite-beads-11mm-set-of-3/

What antenna are you using?

[VETCOMMS]

It's an ed fong gmrs antenna.  I tried double wrapping the connection with 2 waterproof tapes and learned it's hard to do with the antenna already mounted to the mast.   I'd like to clean the connection point up,  raise it 10 feet and get a polyphaser on the house/ garage for protection. 

[WRWE456]

So it's a J-pole?  What does Ed Fong recommend? Yes much easier to wrap tape before mounting the antenna to the mast LOL!

[VETCOMMS]

I guess i never looked at what he recommended but then again look at my bad tape job!

https://edsantennas.weebly.com/

UHF (perfect for GMRS) +5dB Gain Antenna – US patent 8,947,313 +5dB gain no radial collinear – featured in CQ magazine (Summer 2012) $65 (requires 37 inches of 3/4 inch 200 psi pvc pipe - Lowe's item

[VETCOMMS]

Just now, Socalgmrs said:

You would be much better off not having to extend the mount and get a better antenna that has proper protections at the feed line connector and is a much better antenna.   With a good antenna you don’t need any of that mess.   I’ve never met any one online or In person that has kept an Ed fong or j pole after seeing how well other antennas do that are cheaper price and better quality.  They are also lighter so much less wind load and ice load.  

Understood.   I'm am trying to locate a db404-b that's used because it's 5 feet long.  Some of the comets I've seen are 10 feet long but I'm looking for an antenna with a lower profile. 

I'm learning and playing around with this at my home as it's a hobby,  before I invest more with the intention of hopefully finding a location high over the bluff behind my house. 

This stuff is easier to tinker with close to home and close to the ground. 

 

Thx for everyone's help

[MarkInTampa]

47 minutes ago, WRWE456 said:

I don't know about that cable. There is no reason to have a drip loop at the antenna. You want one at the location where the coax enters the house so water drips off before running into the wall. You may need a choke at the antenna depending on the antenna type. That can be a coil of a couple of wraps however that can be impractical with large diameter coax. In that case snap on ferrite chokes are better. 

The radius is from the center of the coil so a 2.5" radius make a 5" circle. 

I put a loop at the antenna because the Comet instructions tell you to do so. I figured if it is in the instructions, there is a reason why.

[VETCOMMS]

I checked the swr with the drip loop and was over 2.0 so will undo the loop and see what I get. 

[WRWE456]

9 minutes ago, MarkInTampa said:

I put a loop at the antenna because the Comet instructions tell you to do so. I figured if it is in the instructions, there is a reason why.

Of course its good to follow manufactures recommendations. That is probable for coax strain relief rather than a "drip loop".

[VETCOMMS]

14 minutes ago, WRWE456 said:

Of course its good to follow manufactures recommendations. That is probable for coax strain relief rather than a "drip loop".

Common sense isn't always common with me!  I'll do a bit more reading on the antenna instructions and go from there.   Thanks guys. 

[WRYZ926]

1 hour ago, MarkInTampa said:

I put a loop at the antenna because the Comet instructions tell you to do so. I figured if it is in the instructions, there is a reason why.

 

1 hour ago, WRWE456 said:

Of course its good to follow manufactures recommendations. That is probable for coax strain relief rather than a "drip loop".

Stress relief is one reason. Another reason for having a loop at the antenna is so you have some slack if ever have to work on the antenna. I have one loop at the antenna end on all of my VHF/UHF and GMRS antennas for slack and stress relief. The single loop has not effected the SWR at all.

 

[VETCOMMS]

1 hour ago, Socalgmrs said:

You would be much better off not having to extend the mount and get a better antenna that has proper protections at the feed line connector and is a much better antenna.   With a good antenna you don’t need any of that mess.   I’ve never met any one online or In person that has kept an Ed fong or j pole after seeing how well other antennas do that are cheaper price and better quality.  They are also lighter so much less wind load and ice load.  

What do you mean about "any of that mess"?  The drip loop?  I'm thinking 5 db gain when only 30 feet AGL as I'm in a river valley backed up to a bluff i cannot get over. 

Db404-b,  Laird FG-4503 come to mind because they're not 10 feet long. 

[Socalgmrs]

You would be much better off not having to extend the mount and get a better antenna that has proper protections at the feed line connector and is a much better antenna.   With a good antenna you don’t need any of that mess.   I’ve never met any one online or In person that has kept an Ed fong or j pole after seeing how well other antennas do that are cheaper price and better quality.  They are also lighter so much less wind load and ice load.