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write your own review of the Cable Experts CXP1318.
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K3DLB
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 5, 2007 18:14
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Very Good Cable
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I purchased 75 feet of Cable Experts CXP1318 from HRO last year. I've had no problems with it. The quality is very good and the connectors are fine. I also purchased 75 feet of their RG8/U at the same time. That cable has also been very good. I would not hesitate to buy more Cable Experts products.
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KG6POG
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 17, 2007 01:27
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Great HF Low Loss Coax
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've been running the CXP1318 for the past few years on my Cushcraft MA5B, running up to 1 Kw, and have never had a problem. Same goes with the cable going to my Gap Titan DX Vertical. I run it on an HF+ 6 meter radio, which is a Kenwood TS480HX, and an Ameritron AL 80B 1 KW+ amp.
Also 3 and 6 foot jumpers of this cable in the shack are easy to manage and the sheilding is a great improvement over my older RG 8X mini-coax.
For my VHF radios I run 50 feet of plain jane RG8, and its been fine with a low SWR, but only having 65 watts out on 2 meters I don't think I have much to worry about.
So for HF it's a winner in my book, I've had it up for about 3 years with no problems.
But maybe not for you VHF/UHF fans, I cannot really say, but I've read that it is recommended for VHF/UHF, and as someone else noted it is the only 9913F type coax HRO carries.
BTW the LMR 400 with its solid core is just not a good choice for beams. Look it up, a solid core coax will bend and eventually break when used on a beam unless you use a jumper at the end with a double barrel connector (not the best idea)at least enough of the flexable coax to reach the maximum turning radious of your rotor back and forth.
Just my thoughts.
Good luck
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KB1FZA
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 24, 2007 18:07
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great coax for jumper cables
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is a review of the cable itself. I preffer to make my own cable assemblies and I have no complaints from the cable. The center conductor is stranded which make the cable very flexible and excellent for short jumper cables. All coaxial interconnections in my shack are done with this cable. The stranded center conductor is a tight fit in the PL-259 connector. One should carefully shape the center conductor after cutting and stripping it and before inserting it into the connector. Another solution is to carefuly cut off few strands.
This cable is very similar to LMR-400UF (ultra-flex)(also with stranded center conductor) and it has a little bit higher loss than the standard solid conductor LMR-400. The difference in loss is so minimal (especially for short runs) that it makes it very small price to pay for the extra flexability. For long cable runs to the antenna farm I use the LMR-400 or 600, but arround the shack the CXP1318 or LMR-400UF make the life more convinient (I hate to route stiff cables around the equipment)
Making PL-259 cable assembly with this cable takes more time and effort than with your average solid center conductor RG-8 type. Cant comment on the pre-made cables.
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N2CLB
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Rating: 3/5
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Feb 5, 2007 18:22
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get the job done
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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i have some around the shack i use it to run packet no dxing out of this i would pick lmr 400 any day
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AE1Y
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 23, 2007 14:28
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Served Me Well!!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Hello Fellow Hams,
I have read the reviews here and you would think all the Cable-xperts products were junk!! Not So!! I have many cables from Cable -Xperts and all are excellent products!! I just ordered 75 ft of Andrew CMT-600 with UHF male connectors. The cable is authentic Andrew and the connectors and genuine Andrew. They are crimped on very well and tight. I also ordered 3 Andrew CMT-400 jumpers with UHF male ends. Again all connectors are crimp on and are soldered on the tip and crimped in the back. All are tight and I tested every cable with a VOM. No sign of open or short circuit. I've been using Cable-xperts products for years with no problem. I have everything from CMT-600 to RG-58 all with no problem. If other hams have bad products in the past maybe the defects in there manufacturing processes have been corrected. Cable-Xperts does not sell Times cable!! They sell Andrew!! If you want Times go elsewhere!! They use the Times name to give people an idea of the size of the cable! I like the Andrew cable just as well if not more than the Times. Good stuff!!
I will continue to do business with Cable-xperts!!!
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WM5Z
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Rating: 1/5
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Dec 31, 2006 17:00
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Very poor copy of RG-8
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I should have come here first. This stuff is NOT LMR-400.
Having used the real stuff from Times Cable, this stuff was a real disappointmnent. Here is what I found.
1) The outside casing or covering is very soft plastic, nothing like the cable from Times. The Times cable appears to be neoprene. This stuff is more like regular plastic.
2) The shield is only one layer, I am guessing 90 - 95% shield as opposed to times 100%. There is no foil ground inside of the CXP1318 cable. Just a strip of foil like a drag wire.
3) the center conductor is not solid in the Cable Experts version, In the real stuff, it has a solid center conductor.
4) The quality of the foam insulation leaves much to be desired.
Overall, I can say that I would not ever buy from Cable experts again, although I had been a loyal customer for many years up until now.
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KE5GBY
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 26, 2006 21:59
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Everything Fine
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Well AFTER ordering 2 50' CXP1318 LMR-400 equivalent cable assemblies from Cable Experts (which a local ham highly recommended) I came hear and read these reviews and felt like I had made a mistake. I even emailed the company asking if I could just refuse shipment from UPS and get a refund.
Well I received an email stating that if I was not happy with the cable I could return it for CREDIT.
I received my cable 2 days later and installed it over the weekend on my Cushcraft 148-20T dual polarized VHF beam that requires 2 feedlines.
(I decided to go ahead and replace the Radio Shack RG-8 that I was using since I have just moved into another house and am installing all of my antennas ).
I then checked SWR accross the band and it was very, very low, 1:1.5 I think.
I really haven't been able to compare the cables performance to my old coax since I just received them, but I'm sure they are a lot better than what I had.
The connectors are installed very well as most of you already know.
I mainly wanted to post to those who are looking to buy good quality low loss coax and not break the bank, and may be scared away by these reviews of Cable Experts.
Overall, in my opinion, Cable Experts gave me what I wanted. Good quality low loss coax at a fair price with fast shipping.
-73
-Bill
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KD6ANF
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Rating: 3/5
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Apr 16, 2006 08:32
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Again!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Well well well, wouldn't you just know it was bound to happen, AGAIN!
In an effort to clean-up the many cables coming into the radio room, a cable from one of the "fantastic" KB6KQ loop antennas has needed to be re-terminated. It is my fault for grabbing the PL-259 connector and giving a twist, only to hear the sound of the outer braid ripping away from the inside of the connector.
This really shouldn't have happened, however, under close examination it was quickly discovered that the holes requiring solder to be flowed could not have had the proper heat applied to allow a consistent flow of solder, as they only had a little spot of solder.
This clearly indicates that the solder did not properly flow onto the braid and adhere to the inner wall of the connecter.
During my early years at one of the national laboratories I fabricated cables for projects in which they "only had to work once" and without failure. In this capacity it was learned that a certain amount of time must be spent training to provide very consistent results, as in, 100% accuracy every time.
The business of providing quality cables should be very easy accomplish assuming certain "quality control standards" are addressed and followed!
Please keep in mind, I'm in no way attempting to "slam" Cable Experts, but, by golly, they really need to pay closer attention in their manufacturing process to be cable experts! As I mentioned in a previous comment, they do make a good product, however, every once in a while the connectors fail miserably. There is NO excuse!
Also, to the fellow operator who would like a "demonstration of a connector coming off by hand", feel free to send your cables to me for a quality assurance inspection, perhaps my grip is stronger!
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W8WLC
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 30, 2006 13:47
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great product
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have been purchasing all my cable and antenna supplies from these people. Good quality stuff and you get to talk to real people when you need something. I have some of this cable in a high traffic area and it holds up well the connectors well no problems here.
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K8XQ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 30, 2006 10:39
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Top Quality
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have been buying off these folks for a lot of years.I have found there products to be of top quality and assembled well having never caused a problem in this shack. Untill someone can demonstrate a connector coming of the cable by hand,I'll continue buying my cable assemblies from Cables Experts.
73 Kevin K8XQ licensed 27 years.
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