{"id":10655,"date":"2026-01-19T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ik0vve.net\/?p=10655"},"modified":"2026-01-12T12:39:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T11:39:58","slug":"pills-of-technique-coaxial-cables-dont-waste-your-watts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ik0vve.net\/?p=10655","title":{"rendered":"\u201cPills of Technique\u201d: Coaxial Cables \u2013 Don’t waste your Watts!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You built the dipole, you added the Balun, and the SWR is finally 1:1. But is your signal actually reaching the antenna? Not all cables are created equal. Let\u2019s talk about Coaxial Cables<\/strong> and Attenuation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. What is Attenuation?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Every cable has a certain amount of “resistance” to the RF signal, which we call Loss or Attenuation. This loss is measured in dB (Decibels).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rule is simple: the longer the cable and the higher the frequency, the more power you lose as heat before it even reaches the antenna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. RG-58 vs. RG-213: Which one to choose?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the ham radio world, you will often hear about these two “classics”:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cable Type<\/strong><\/td>Diameter<\/strong><\/td>Flexibility<\/strong><\/td>Best for…<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
RG-58<\/strong><\/td>~5 mm<\/td>Very High<\/td>Short runs, portable use, QRP (low power).<\/td><\/tr>
RG-213 \/ RG-8<\/strong><\/td>~10 mm<\/td>Low<\/td>Base stations, long runs, high power.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Tip:<\/strong> For a 20-meter dipole, if your cable is longer than 20 meters, avoid thin cables like RG-58 and look for “Low Loss” alternatives (like Ultraflex or RG-213).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A tipical coaxial cable<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. The “Silent Thief”: Heat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When a cable has high attenuation, the RF power that doesn’t reach the antenna is transformed into heat<\/strong>. If you use a thin cable with a high-power amplifier, you could literally melt the internal dielectric!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Deepening and Technical Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n