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Adam

Well Known Member
Ok Ive been working on my RV-8 for three years and plan to be flying this late Spring or early Summer. Over the last three years I have made many changes do to new things learned. So now I have another one of those items that I don't know if I should change or not. I installed RG-58 antenna cable,,,some say I should install RG-400. Do I change it or will it be ok.

Adam Silverstein
RV-8 Finishing, (if I don't make any more changes!) ;)
 
I'm sure you'll get a variety of opinions on this Adam. I can tell you that I've been flying with RG-58 in my airplanes for decades....and the Valkyrie is wired with it now. Everythgin works.

Paul
 
RG-58 works perfectly well and RG-400 is way more expensive. Verify yours is not the Radio Shack variety which contains a solid center conductor, considered by many to be a no-no for use in aviation applications.
 
RG-58 works just fine for the short runs we have in RVs. Mine has been flying for 14 years with RG-58 without a single problem.
 
Adam

Agree with Paul, good experience and advice.

Alot of people get caught up with "calculating line loss" and "everything must be the best", but in this case what you have is fine, especially if it works. The runs in our aircraft are , on average, so very short the difference in line loss is really negligible. The main benefit of RG-400 is that is double shelided and the center conductor is stranded, which makes it easier to pull thru and A/C and bend without damage. But, again short relatively straight runs make this point moot as well.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. :)
 
Thanks Paul and everyone that replied, I love learning from :D people with experience. That's what makes this site so helpful and so useful.

Thanks
Adam Silverstein
Finishing RV-8 (and back on track!)
 
More info...

There was a good article by Jim Weir in Kit Planes (I think it was quite recently) that compared the performance of about 6 different coax cables RG58 and 400 were included.

In a nut shell... the RG400 very slightly out performed RG58 but at a much higher cost Jim stated it was not worth it as long as you use good quality RG58.
 
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