Bob makes an excellent point. I've seen cases where even "solid" dielectric did that over time because, after all, it is not really solid. The dielectric is plastic so the coax can be bent.
All coax has a minimum bending radius specification. Specific data is available on line but, in general, RG58 size cable usually has a minimum radius of 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) and RG8 size cable has a minimum radius of at least 2 inches (5 cm). Note that is radius. If you curl the cable into a circle the minimum diameter of that circle should be at least twice that or 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm). It's not something I've found especially critical in HF applications at least around my shack, but tighter bends, which may not actually cause a short (yet), alter the impedance as the center conductor migrates toward one side so it is no longer equally spaced within the shield. This can be a serious issue in microwave and even UHF installations. 73, Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- I would have concern that long term usage of RG-8X, being foam core dielectric material and bent in a tight radius, may allow the center conductor to migrate to the inside radius of the bend. The Minimum Bend Radius for RG-8X is 2.50". Thus the tight bend will allow the center conductor to short to the shield. A solid core dielectric coax such as RG-303 is much preferred. 73 Bob, K4TAX ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
