Loss

Found a neat feedline loss calculator. Took it for a spin using numbers from my upgraded 5-band trap dipole coax. I was always under the impression that the quality of coax, mainly the loss figures, didn't really matter a whole lot at HF. Above 100 MHz, sure, and especially above 400 MHz (for the scanners), but not below 30 MHz.

Ha.

         RG8X 110'     9913 60'     
f (MHz)  W @ antenna   W @ antenna  Increase in power @ antenna (W)
28.4     62.6          90.6         28.0
21.2     66.8          91.9         25.1
14.2     72.0          93.3         21.3
7.2      79.3          95.2         15.9
3.6      84.9          96.6         11.7

I assumed 1.5:1 SWR, though I haven't made specific measurements - the dipole is closer to resonant on 15 m (don't need the tuner) than it is on 10 or 80 m (definitely need the tuner), but 1.5 is probably close to an average.

But man, a 28 W improvement on the local Wednesday night 10-m net? Wow.

So this really does change things w/r/t the RFI situation.