On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:18:53 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:57:56 -0500, wrote:

On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:28:48 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:18:01 -0600, Richard Casady
wrote:

On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:50:47 -0900, Bruce in alaska
wrote:

OR if Money is NO OBJECT RG-214, which is
what the Navy and Feds use....

A quick Google reveals the stuff on sale at $3.90/ft. Depends on how
much value you place on having your Mayday heard. If you are really
into saving money go with cheap flares and lifejackets.

Casady

Yep. I think the issue of cable value and what to get is over.
Now it mostly depends on how much you value your life.
And your passengers' lives.
Easy decision. Maybe.

--Vic

Baloney. If you are THAT worried, you shouldn't be on a boat. The
percentage of times where 214 will save you and 213 won't is
essentially ZERO.

If you want to overspend on something meaningful for safety, look
elsewhere. Maybe use the money to buy an extra handheld or an Epirb
with better batteries.

I just put in the "saving lives" to prod Skip. It can be valid though
for the ultra-cautious.
Plenty of other reasons to go with the best cable in the mast.
Wayne's mentioned some.
Did a bit of reading on it, and saw some comments that since the 214
is mil spec, the quality isn't spotty. It is with 213.

This is interesting, though I won't swear by it. Might be relevant to
mast movement though.
http://www.mail-archive.com/repeater.../msg28257.html
"The silver plating is what makes RG-214 advantageous over RG-213 in a
duplex environment moreso than just the difference in braid coverage
with respect to shielding effectiveness. Movement of the braid strands
each other doesn't make nearly as much noise with the silver plated
strands of RG-214 as compared to bare copper RG-213. And as the cable
ages and the braid strands tarnish (oxidize), the difference becomes
progressively greater as silver oxide is a very good conductor unlike
cupric oxide (or is it cuprous, I forget, cupric oxide is black-ish
and cuprous is red-ish IIRC."

This is all voodoo to me, so I tend to listen to those with
experience. Couldn't find anybody who would go with 213 over 214
except for price.
Now, regarding price.
http://therfc.com/coax.htm
RG-213/U
$ .68/ft
$63.00/100'

RG-214/U MIL
$2.25/ft
$194.00/100'

$131 difference for 100'

Up to the individual.
Personally, I'd go the $131 just for the voodoo protection.
Maybe I'm superstitious.
Skip will do what Skip does.
BTW, one radio guy gets his 214 from a mil surplus seller near his
home for $.90 a foot. Not on the net though, and price hunting isn't
always cost-effective.

--Vic


To be honest, I'd probably go for the 214 as well - "just because". I
still don't think it would make a bit of difference as far as my level
of safety, now or 20 years from now. The cable will be well protected
INSIDE the mast and INSIDE the cabin. Very little, if any, will be
exposed to the elements. Careful attention to installation and
waterproof connections is what matters more than the differences
between "really good" and "slightly better than really good".