# Bring RG-58 Coax Thru A Window



## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

Radiofish, et al:

Can I use one of these RG-6 Flat Coax sections to bring the RG-58 through a window??

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-RG6-Fla...906?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e69461e92

OR do you know of the same thing in RG-58???


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

Yea that will work fine. There is no difference between RG6 and RG58 on the connector end, the difference is in the amount and type of shielding.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

Well RG-6 is 75 ohms impediance coax with an "F connector", and RG-58 is 50 Ohms impediance coax with a "PL-259 (UHF) connector" - so there would be an impediance mismatch/ and the connectors would not hook up without the use of an adapter or two. 

If you had the soldering skills, then you could take a 'long' drill bit to put a hole the diameter (or a tiny bit larger) of the coaxial cable thru a wall (or other surface), then soldering on your connector once it is inside. When the coaxial cable is in place, then you would seal around the outside and inside with silicone sealant to reduce air drafts.

Your posted link to E-Bay is for an item to be used with cable/ satellite TV coaxial cable and uses Type-F connectors....

This link to a set-up from 'MFJ' is designed to bring in several 50 Ohm coaxial cable with PL-259 connectors and 450 ladder line (for HF radios) at the bottom of a window. 

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/6631

Read the several reviews - to give you an idea or two on how to build your own for a lot less.. Many hams aren't impressed with the quality f what MFJ wants $60.00 dollars for, and used less than $20.00 in parts building.

or from the MFJ web page...

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-4601 basic version

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-4602 next step up and describes physical setup so you could build your own

read the reviews and you can make your own using wood or even a 1/8" thick piece of aluminum angle stock and a bulkhead double female connector.

There are also solid bulkhead dual female UHF (SO-239) connectors that can be used to pass thru walls/ floors, or other surfaces. They run around $5.00 each at MFJ, for just the one bulkhead connector. 


http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-7701


If you do a search, you can find them in various lengths up to almost 1 foot long. electronics supply places such as from this search/ I use Mouser Electronics a lot:

[ame]http://www.google.com/search?q=electronics+supply+sources&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a[/ame]

Find an object that you can cut to fit across the bottom of the window, drill a hole(s) to insert the barrel connector(s). Them seal around the drilled holes with a silicon sealant. 

Use weather stripping around the edges of the bottom space at the window. Then cut at least 2 pieces of 1X2 or 2X2 used to wedge the window shut on either side, to prevent unauthorized entry thru pushing open the window upwards..

Myself, I have my laundry room as my ham shack/ radio room, so I used the existing dryer vent to bring in all of my antenna feed lines without drilling many different holes in a wall/ floor, etc...

Some hams in the past have removed a glass panel from a window, replaced it with 'plexiglass' and them drilled holes for bulkhead connectors to pass thru coaxial or 450 ohm ladderline feedlines.

Also, read about drip loops, to keep water away from the antenna connectors - and 'coaxial connector sealant', That is a putty type substance that stays pliable and seals out water at antenna connections. Radio Shack used to carry it, in their parts department. But most any electronics supply would know what it is, and have it in stock.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

I did another search - and here are links to other answers for your question:

http://forums.qrz.com/archive/index.php/t-174920.html

http://forums.radioreference.com/scanner-receiver-antennas/82095-running-coax-inside-house.html


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

You do know you can put a new F type connector on Rg58 right? Granted there are ohm issues, and OP hasn't said what he's hooking up...


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

When we first put up a base antenna , my father didn't want to drill out the windows and decided to cut a spacer for the window sill grooved out just enough to accomodate the coax without damaging the frame.

Although the spacer strip threw off the window lock, he locked the inside window by cutting another strip to fit on the side of the frame with the window down to jam lock the window. To lock the storm window down he used cut out L brackets mounted to the spacer strip for the window latches to mate with. 

When we moved and took down the base antenna all we had to do was remove the spacer and lock the window normally.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

idigbeets said:


> You do know you can put a new F type connector on Rg58 right? Granted there are ohm issues, and OP hasn't said what he's hooking up...


The OP is hooking up a VHF/ UHF scanner radio with a "BNC" female external antenna connector to an outside high gain external antenna, as discussed over several threads.

Plus he does not have soldering skills or prior experience to attach connectors to coaxial cable, so he bought a pre-made roll of radio shack RG-58 with the crimped on UHF (PL-259) connectors. 

Yes I know that "Type F" / "BNC" / "Type N" / "SMA" / or many other popular connectors can be put on RG-58 diameter coax. I prefer the larger sized RG-8/ RG-213 diameter coaxial cables for high power use/ lower insertion losses in dB per 100 feet for UHF and higher frequency uses.. But with the many different adapters that would be involved, there would be an even greater difference in signal strength at the radio with more insertion losses in dB's/ per adapter used. While he is looking for weak signals that are measured in microVolts.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Yesa, the crush coax is fine for a scanner. If you want to go to transmitters then the http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-4601 is nice. Available in a number of configs.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

Oh Boy do I wish I could just go to my local RatSHack and purchase Rg-58 coax cable. All RatShacks must not be equal (even though we have a very active Ham Radio Club with an average age older than I am and I am 62 - I attended their meeting the other night - and I enjoyed it - good discussion for over an hour on QSL cards - saw one postmarked in 1922 - did they have radios then??). Our Radio Shack has ready made RG-58 cables in 12 feet and 6 feet long - no bulk cable, no long lengths and almost no fittings - FRUSTRATING!!! My antenna should be here very soon, the antenna mast has been shipped and NO CABLE to hook it up with - maybe the antenna will have some on it - here's hoping. Otherwise - keep waiting.


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