This week I will address my take on “Coax and Connectors”…see below.
2026 Sable Island DXpedition Announcement March 19 – 31, 2026
By now the CY0S DXpedition should be “On the Air”!
See all the CY0S information at: https://t-rexsoftware.com/cy0s/index.htm#reloaded
CY0S – Sable Island Planned Frequencies:
Band CW SSB FT8 RTTY
160 1.820 1.860 1.836
80 3.523 3.790 3.567
60 5.352 5.357
40 7.023 7.175 7.056 7.045
30 10.108 10.131 10.142
20 14.023 14.240 14.091 14.085
17 18.079 18.130 18.091 18.105
15 21.023 21.285 21.091 21.080
12 24.894 24.955 24.911 24.925
10 28.023 28.485 28.091 28.080
6 50.313/50.323
They should be very workable on the lower bands soooo….
Go get ‘em…
As mentioned I will no longer be publishing a comprehensive list of DX, Contests or Special Events. However I will list below the sites where you can find the information I use weekly to bring you the info.
1 – DX World.Net: https://www.dx-world.net/?s=bulletin Click on “Read More” then “Download the Latest Bulletin”. My favourite site for information!
2 – 425 DX News: https://www.425dxn.org/ Under “News & Updates” click on the latest update or any of the links along the top to find what is of interest to you.
3 – Ham Radio World: https://www.hamradioworld.org/ Click on whatever interest you.
4 – DX News.Com: https://dxnews.com/ Click on whatever interest you.
5 – DXing with VA3RJ: https://www.qsl.net/va3rj/dx.html Dave has a lot of info on his site.
Take note of Solar Flares, they are a huge part of successful DXing and Contesting on HF!
To see the daily conditions go to: https://solar.w5mmw.net/
WA7BNM Contest Calendar to Wednesday Feb 12, 2026. Lots of action this weekend so check all the info at: https://www.contestcalendar.com/weeklycont.php
Now that we have an antenna or two in the air how do we get the RF to them?
The simple answer is…coax or twin lead!
But what type of coax?
There are many kinds of coax…small, large and really large used in Amateur applications.
Small is usually RG-58 (50 Ohm), RG-59 (75 Ohm) or RG-6 (75 Ohm for cable TV).
Large is usually RG-8 (50 Ohm), RG-11 (75 Ohm), RG-213 (50 Ohm) and RG-214 (50 OHM double shield)
Really large is hardline or Heliax, which can be from ¼ In. to a few inches in diameter. Used mostly commercially for long runs.
Twin lead or open wire is not used much anymore but in the past was the “go to” before coax became readably available. Once widely used for TV and Amateurs today twin lead is used in the building of antennas such as the G5RV.
Does coax cable length matter?
The answer is YES!
The following site explains this very well: https://cranbrookarc.ca/2025/03/18/optimizing-coaxial-cable-lengths-for-better-signal-performance/
SWR:
VSWR or better known as just SWR, what is it?
SWR stands for Standing Wave Ratio. It measures how efficiently RF power moves from your radio into the antenna system. A perfect match is 1.0:1. Higher ratios mean more power is reflected back toward the radio.
Forward power: power going from the radio to the antenna.
Reflected power: power bouncing back due to mismatch.
SWR ratio: a comparison of forward vs. reflected power.
Why SWR matters:
Radio safety: High SWR can stress finals or trigger protective power rollback.
Performance: Lower SWR means more power radiates, improving range and clarity.
Diagnostics: SWR spikes point to issues like bad coax, poor grounds, wrong antenna length, or faulty connectors.
Good SWR targets:
1.0–1.3:1 Excellent.
≈1.5:1 Very good. Minimal loss.
≈2.0:1 Usable but worth improving.
>2.5:1 Poor. Fix before heavy use.
These are Acceptable SWR by Band
Band Max Acceptable SWR Notes
160M 2.5:1 Wideband, harder to tune
80M 2:1 Moderate tuning range
40–10M 1.5:1 Ideal range for adjustment
VHF/UHF 1.2:1 Critical tuning required
SWR of 1.0:1 is mandatory. Not always. 1.2–1.5:1 is typically fine as seen by the above examples.
Measure SWR at the low, mid, and high frequencies in your band.
IF SWR is lower at the low end than the high end → antenna is too long → shorten slightly.
IF SWR is lower at the high end than the low end → antenna is too short → lengthen slightly.
Re-check after each small change until the minimum SWR sits near your operating frequency.
Good tools: an SWR meter matched to your band or a quality antenna analyzer. Keep coax and grounds in good condition.
“Any CB SWR meter works on 2m.” False. Use meters rated for the band you’re tuning.
“A tuner fixes the antenna.” A tuner matches the radio to the line. It doesn’t physically fix a poorly sized or placed antenna.
The following is a very good article covering SWR and return loss: https://www.besthamradio.com/how-to-tune-an-antenna/
COAX Connectors:
There are dozens of videos on “how to” install PL-259 connectors on the internet so instead of me trying to explain it do a search, one such site is: https://ca.video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-sz-002&ei=UTF-8&hsimp=yhs-002&hspart=sz¶m1=2056598029&p=installing+pl259+coax+connectors&type=type80260-1157017090#id=5&vid=315df659fcb683e565f2c7d1e187d494&action=view
For “N” Connectors: https://www.srgclub.org/Connector-Install.html
When done, you should be able to play and pull (gently) on the connector without anything coming loose or moving…if so you may have problems later on!
Try to purchase the best RF connector you can afford! My choices: Amphenol and T E Connectivity but I am sure there are many more quality RF connectors available.
This article explains why I choose the higher quality RF connectors: https://www.besthamradio.com/10-essential-ham-radio-connectors/
As the above article says:
The bottom line?
Connectors aren’t just afterthoughts – they’re critical components of your radio system. Take the time to pick the right ones based on your operating frequencies, power levels, where you’ll be using them, and what they need to connect to. Understanding connector types has made my station more reliable and helped me avoid a lot of headaches over the years. Trust me, your future self will thank you for making smart connector choices today!
GL es 73 de Ken VY2RU