As with all AC connections, the CB radio coaxial cable is surrounded by a shroud of myth and faux science. Claims of gold plated super conductors aren’t as common in the CB world as in the home entertainment industry, but the hobby is not spared the pseudointellectual nonsense inherent with all connections that aren’t simply 1′s and 0′s. I’m writing this to give anyone interested a solid base of facts that will allow them to filter out the BS claims and make an educated purchase. Read on to learn everything you need to know about CB radio coaxials.
How Long Should a Coaxial Cable Be?
I’ll jump right into the most debated topic: length. There are a host of claims that an 18′ cable is somehow beneficial to the SWR of your rig. You are sure to find someone out there who will tell you that you need to buy a longer cable than necessary to get better performance. Thankfully, there are people out there much smarter than myself who have broken down the actual science behind this claim. Their conclusion:
Honestly speaking, they are wrong all the way around….first, you don’t need a coax cable to be 1/2 wavelength long in order to have your radio and antenna work properly together. Secondly, an 18′ long cable is not even close to being a 1/2 wavelength at our CB frequency
You can read the full write up with the in depth explanation here, but suffice to say, there’s no need for an 18′ cable. Just purchase the length that you need to reach from the back of your radio to the antenna mount. That’s all you need. You can measure this out with a piece of string to double check before you purchase.
What Type Of Cable Do I Need?
The keyword you want is RG-58 or RG-8X. Don’t spend extra on overpriced claims, and as mentioned above, only buy the length that you need. You can get the best prices on these cables online: here’s an 18′ and here is a 9′ cable. There’s no need to get overly fancy with your cable and get gold plated connections or anything, but if it makes you feel better, go for it.
Other Tips
Make sure that if you are going through any metal in your vehicle or around tight plastic that you protect the wire as much as possible. Crushing and cutting into the coaxial will short the connection out and may damage your radio. PVC pipe is helpful for preventing crushing damage inside of tight dashboard areas, and you can purchase wire grommets at radioshack or online to clean up rough metal edge. Ensure that no doors will close on the cable and pinch it.
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