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Reviews For: Belden RG-8X

Category: Feedlines (coax, ladder-line, etc.)

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Review Summary For : Belden RG-8X
Reviews: 7MSRP: .39/ft HRO
Description:
Belden RG-8X "mini 8" 50 ohm coaxial cable is .242" diameter with a black jacket, foam dielectric, and a 16 AWG bare copper core.
Product is in production
More Info: http://bwccat.belden.com/ecat/MaintenanceServlet?mode=109&module=1000&hidprodid=9258&techdata=true
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0074.4
K4IQT Rating: 2010-02-13
Easy to install Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
RG-8X is easier to pull through conduit and route through a basement or attic than RG-8, and outperforms good old RG-58 by a wide margin. My trusty MFJ-259 assures me that it is not very good for VHF use, but I have external antennas only for HF, and in my house I needed to make some bends that are below the recommended minimum bend radius of RG-8 but perfectly acceptable with "mini-8". So it earns a 5 in my book!
K8OCN Rating: 2010-02-12
Good for what its designed for Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Its not designed for long runs on VHF & UHF

It works great on wire antennas for HF and is lighter than the thicker stuff.

Check the loss charts and then you can make a good decision depending on your operating frequency, length, and how much money you have to spend.

I tried using this for VHF and when I changed to 9913 it was like getting a antenna twice as high.

For VHF spend some money and get good stuff!
K1FPV Rating: 2010-02-12
Decent at LF & low to medium power. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
RG-8X isn't intended for use at VHF or UHF except for relatively short patch cords. At 80 and 160 meters though, the loss is low and it will handle the legal power limit with a decent SWR.

To out and out call it no good when being used for the wrong application is a grave injustice. It is like coming upon a large building totally engulfed in fire and trying to use a small chemical fire extinguisher to put it out. Of course, it does nothing to help! So do you say the fire extinguisher is no good? Well, that apparently is what a lot of folks on here do.

Know what you are talking about before condemning something!
W3TEZ Rating: 2010-02-12
not great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
this stuff is ideal for mobile antennas. i lately have been using vhf/uhf and this wire is one of the worst for base station application. if you really want to get out good, i reccomend lmr-400 or higher.
KF8RX Rating: 2006-02-08
Go Figure??? Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have two runs of about 125 feet of RG8X that is partly buried. It's been out there in the Florida soil and sunshine for years. I run 1500 watts from my Commander 2500 daily on the low bands. I have never had a problem. One goes to a 75 meter dipole bypassing the tuner and the other goes to a Carolina Windom through a Palstar 1500CV.

I know this shouldn't work well at all. However sometimes you got to say to hell with science!

Eric
K9KJM Rating: 2005-04-01
Great for HF Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Belden RG-8X is very nice coax for HF use. I agree that Belden has a better coax than most "off-brand" suppliers........ Over the years Belden has proven to be one of the best coax and other wire suppliers out there.
(With the exception of the early versions of the junk 9913 coax) (Use LMR-400 for VHF/UHF low loss applications)
The RG-8X is even OK for very short jumpers for test etc purposes for VHF/UHF, But dont attempt to use it in any length more than 20 feet or so for VHF/UHF!
N3PKC Rating: 2005-03-31
Blows away other 8x brands Time Owned: more than 12 months.
@ .39/ft HRO, it's hands down the best 8x for the money. Cut some open, take a look, then do the same with some or other cheap 8x and see. Don't forget the UG-176 adapters.