[time-nuts] "Better" gps antennas than a Symmetricom 58532A

[Mark Spencer]

Re the RG-6 cable suggestion, I agree it's probably a better choice than RG-58 for a longer cable run.

The downsides I see are:

It's impedance is  75 ohms not 50 ohms so in a 50 ohm system the actual loss is going to be a bit higher than the data sheets indicate due to the impedance mis match.  The impedance mis match may also have other side effects.

Most antennas and GPS receivers will require a F to N or TNC or BNC adapter and the loss of these at 1.5 Ghz may or may not be an issue.

I've not seen any phase stability specs from the manufacturers of RG-6 (yes I realize it's probably not a real concern but this is time nuts after all..)

This URL goes into some of the issues involved in using 75 ohm coax in a gps system.  I do acknowledge that several GPS manufacturers have promoted the use of 75 ohm coax so some of the conclusions might be arguable..

http://webone.novatel.ca/assets/Documents/Bulletins/apn032.pdf

I appreciate all the responses to my original question.   Thanks 
Mark Spencer

> Message: 9
> Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:12:26 -0500
> From: Gordon Batey <gpbatey at wildblue.net>
> To: "TimeNuts" <time-nuts at febo.com>
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] "Better" gps antennas than a
> Symmetricom
> Message-ID:
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> Content-Type: text/plain;   
> charset="us-ascii"
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> 
> FWIW 
> I have been using RG-6 for several years now.  
> LOWES building supply in the US has longitudially 
> crimped waterproof F style connectors that work well 
> with this cable.  They have the installation tool as
> well.
> 
> 73 Gordon WA4FJC
> 
>