• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

where to run the co ax cable?


rg8 is what i meant... forgot that x was the mini, i dont' use the mini stuff..

should get it any cb shop or truck stop. idk for sure tho, my dad ordered 5000 foot of it a long time ago.. hahahahahahaha

Wanna send me some?! :D
 
its not mine, can't just give it away.

we've used a good bit of it tho. we have a 100 foot tower here and a 130 foot tower at the other homeplace in Pontotoc... lol. we used to be BIG into cb. we ran "mailbox special" linears pushing a LITTLE over a legal limit of 4 watts.... like 20x that... lol. we had moonraker beams... huge antennas lol. plus we've wired all the vehicles we've owned... and set up a few other towers for people.

now we've switched over to 2meter ham radio, lot better quality stuff, better distance on legal limits of output... all around better! we still use the same coax tho.

i just have a trail cb in my b2 b/c of the jeep guys.
 
this should help with the swr

http://www.bellscb.com/cb_radio_hobby/swr.html

check out the other links i posted too, knowalge is power :icon_rofl:

if you got any questions after reading the link PM me and i will better explain it ...... im a bit of a CB nut

DSCN0048.jpg


Photo-0085_2.jpg



:icon_rofl: thats a pic of me lighting up a floresent light bulb that im holding in mid air, the power that the radio is putting out is actually lighting it
Photo-0063_1.jpg
 
so... what kind of output are you getting... i won't tell that you're over 4 watts.....

hahahahaha

we were known as the only pa system of the neighborhood..

between us on this side of town, and my oldest bro on the other side of town... we could dead key anyone around. if they got on our channel... we showed them up. most of them knew us-- and would try to mess with us.. but never could lol
 
:icon_rofl:

im running 500w base with an A99 30ft in the air, 300w mobile with a wilson 1000 ..... running all export galaxys, other than my SSB president washington. I wanna kick it all up a few notches but want some of my freind to get back on the air before i do it

how did you get the 1000 watt RMS tag
 
we have some old school tube type amps that were powerful!!! still have one of them.
i've talked on cb since i was old enough to talk and key a mic... lol.



the 1000 watts rms is about the radio junk, lol. um... how did i add that tile? its on the user cp somewhere i think.. i'll have to look. its been awhile.
 
user cp
group memberships

look down the list and find it, then click the join group thing on the right.
 
this should help with the swr

http://www.bellscb.com/cb_radio_hobby/swr.html

check out the other links i posted too, knowalge is power :icon_rofl:

if you got any questions after reading the link PM me and i will better explain it ...... im a bit of a CB nut

DSCN0048.jpg


Photo-0085_2.jpg


:icon_rofl: thats a pic of me lighting up a floresent light bulb that im holding in mid air, the power that the radio is putting out is actually lighting it
Photo-0063_1.jpg
Ought anyhow me likey day shiny lights lol :icon_twisted:

its not mine, can't just give it away.

we've used a good bit of it tho. we have a 100 foot tower here and a 130 foot tower at the other homeplace in Pontotoc... lol. we used to be BIG into cb. we ran "mailbox special" linears pushing a LITTLE over a legal limit of 4 watts.... like 20x that... lol. we had moonraker beams... huge antennas lol. plus we've wired all the vehicles we've owned... and set up a few other towers for people.

now we've switched over to 2meter ham radio, lot better quality stuff, better distance on legal limits of output... all around better! we still use the same coax tho.



i just have a trail cb in my b2 b/c of the jeep guys.

I have mine just for trails and my buddies. We like to act like modern day Duke's of hazard
.lol
 
please for the love of your CB dont go to rat shack, find a truck stop or CB shop that has the rg8 and not mini 8 (rg8x) ....... i know all my rat shack has is crap for coax

I hope you also know about setting your SWR so you dont fry your radio, if not ask, ill post up what you need to know

edit: mini 8 will be ok IF you are not running a linear (amp)

Using RG8 for CB on a short run of cable on a typical pickup truck is a complete waste of effort forcing that stuff around.

It would barely be worth it to run big cable like that for UHF frequency
(Loss of coax increase with frequency)

RG58CU cable is good enough but if you have the skills and patience
RG8X also known as "Mini-8" is about half the loss of standard RG58A
coax.

And before you say :
"running an amp you need the larger cable"

my counter arguements are:
A)Amps are ILLEGAL
B)RARELY produce the quoted power
C)generally do little more than increase the noise on the band,
yeah you can be heard but don't improve your ability to hear.

If you go with RG58U avoid the RG58AU
"A" has a solid center conductor, RG58CU
has a stranded center conductor which allows it to be more flexible
and less prone to breaking as it's flexed.

Does Full size RG8 cable have lower loss at CB frequencies than RG58?
Yes it has about 10% less Loss.
But as the lose on a typical 10foot run of cable is "Trivial" at 27MHz...

Even on my amateur radio running at 146MHz & 445MHz and running
ten times the power... it's still not worth running RG8 Coax in my truck.

IF you wanna be taken seriously about "Big cable" on BASE radio setups you
want to be talking about Belden 9913 cable or Andrews HardLine

AD
 
Last edited:
rg8 is what i have... so its what i use. i'm not going to buy something b/c mini8 is "better" for my application lol

and yea amps are illegal.. legal limit is 4 watts.. but how many people back 10 years ago that ran cb was ONLY pushing 4 watts..

and yea amps wouldn't improve my listening-- but if the person i'm talking to and i both have one.... then, i'll hear them just fine! lol.

idc tho, i don't even use cb anymore expect for trail use. the language and all got to filthy for us, that's another reason that ham radio is so nice IMO.
 
Last edited:
If you go with RG58U avoid the RG58AU
"A" has a solid center conductor, RG58CU
has a stranded center conductor which allows it to be more flexible
and less prone to breaking as it's flexed.

I have RG58A/U cable right here in my hand with a stranded center.
Straight RG58/U usually has the solid center.
A solid center conductor has slightly lower loss than stranded, so if it's not someplace where it'll be subjected to frequent movement, I see no point in specifically using a stranded-center cable.
 
Last edited:
Frequent movement as in... Body panels moving or like between the bed and cab? I plan on putting it on the back rack if that helps.
 
Frequent movement as in being used on a magnet mount antenna, or mounted on your door mirror (door opening & closing).

Mounted on the bed, center of toolbox, rollbar, rack, etc. I don't see a problem. I would still suggest RG8X over the 58/U simply because quality cables of that type are much easier to find, and has lower loss (if you do use 58, then make sure it's a good name brand such as Belden, or Times Microwave).
 
Frequent movement as in... Body panels moving or like between the bed and cab? I plan on putting it on the back rack if that helps.

i think he is talking about if you run it through a door or what not

i have just always ran mini 8 on low power and 8 on high power, its a matter of what you feel good with, but the science is 58 has the highest loss of all coax, will it work good with a un modded radio yes, but if you really want to talk and you think of you CB like a engine (as in with a engine you want to get ever bit of the HP to the ground) and you want every bit of power out to transit then you got with the best you can afford and thats practicle

post up so pics of your set up when your done with it :D
 
Last edited:
Alright thanks a bunch for helpin' me out guys. Another question tho, what are you guys refering to when you talk about loss? And ill definately post up pics... I like to pic whore my truck as much as i can.lol
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

TRS Events

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Ranger Adventure Video

TRS Merchandise

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Sponsors


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Sponsored Ad

Back
Top