HAM operators: question on antenna feed line

[Haertig]

For you experienced HAM operators ... we haven't covered this in the General license class I'm taking now (and probably won't, because General is more concerned with HF than VHF/UHF). I have a question:

For a ten foot run of antenna feed line, is RG-58 suitable for 2m and 70cm? Or would a lower loss coax be required?

I am looking to hook up a Yeasu FT-60R handheld (has an SMA-female connector on the radio) to a J-Pole (has an SO-239 connector on the antenna) for initial testing. So I need a minimum 8' cable PL-259 to SMA-male. Preferably with some flexibility/bendability at the radio end. The J-Pole would be inside my house, in the same room as the radio, during this testing. I am looking at this cabling specifically:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PRBBCQ...olid=12OOM7YOOKUHO&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COW5E3...olid=12OOM7YOOKUHO&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Would the above be too lossy for VHF/UHF? Also, is there a better place to buy these type of cables than from Amazon?

Thanks!

 

[phideaux]

Hope someone that is up to date on this jumps in.

I was a ham operator in early 70s...lonnnng time ago.

Wb9vro.

Jim

 

[dademoss]

10 foot run it would be ok, for a permanent installation at home I would go with something with less loss. I used LMR-400 for the Base antennae but most mobiles use the RG58, or even smaller.

Nice write up here: Coax Loss Calculator | KV5R.COM

Some tables that might interest you : Coax Attenuation Chart

 

[dademoss]

Amazon is probably fine for sourcing the cable, I drove up to the local ham radio store. R and L Electronics : R&L Electronics

 

[Bacpacker]

RG-58 is very lossy on VHF/UHF frequencies. I would limit the length to not much more than 10'. Line loss and poor antennas will hurt your signal more than any radio ever will. I try and use RG-8 (mini) where I can, but it's not nearly as flexible as 58 is.