What Coax I Use for POTA Activations — and Why
- 3 min reading time
Coax is one of those things that doesn't get talked about enough in POTA circles. Everyone obsesses over the radio and antenna but the feedline connecting them matters more than most people realize. Here's exactly what I carry and why I made those choices.
The Main Feedline — 20ft RG-8X
I run a 20ft length of RG-8X as my main feedline from the antenna base to the radio. RG-8X is a mini version of the larger RG-8 — it's low loss, handles the X6200's 5–8W output with zero issues, and most importantly it's lightweight and winds up small enough to fit easily in the go-bag. I specifically chose 20ft over 25ft or longer runs because every foot of coax is weight and bulk you're carrying to the park. At QRP power levels 20ft is plenty.
[Link: RG-8X coax cable on Amazon]
The Jumpers — 1ft RG-8X Each End
On each end of the main feedline I use a short 1ft RG-8X jumper — both identical, with a PL-259 on one end and an SO-239 on the other. Same low-loss cable as the main feedline, just cut short. Having matching jumpers on both ends gives me connection flexibility at the antenna base and at the radio without needing a bag full of loose adapters. Short, light, and they match the main feedline so there's no impedance mismatch to worry about.
[Link: Short RG-8X coax jumper 1ft on Amazon]
The Ferrites — 6 Per Jumper
This is the part most new POTA operators skip and then wonder why they're getting RF interference. I slide 6 ferrite choke cores onto each jumper — 12 total across the two jumpers. Ferrites suppress common mode current on the outside of the coax shield, which is RF that has no business being there. In a field environment with a ground-mounted vertical and radials, common mode current can cause all kinds of problems — noise on receive, distorted transmit audio, interference with the DigiPi. The ferrites clean all of that up.
It's a small addition that makes a real difference, especially when you're running digital modes like FT8 where clean signal is everything.
[Link: Ferrite choke cores on Amazon]
The Full Coax Kit at a Glance
- 20ft RG-8X main feedline with PL-259 ends
- 1ft SO-239 to PL-259 jumper at the antenna end — 6 ferrites
- 1ft SO-239 to PL-259 jumper at the radio end — 6 ferrites
- Total weight: light enough that you won't notice it in the bag
- Total cost: under $50 to build this entire setup
Why Not Longer Coax?
A common question is why not run 50ft or 100ft of coax to get more distance between the radio and antenna. For most park activations you don't need it — you're sitting right next to your antenna. Every extra foot of coax is insertion loss, weight, and something else to wind up and untangle. Keep it short, keep it light, keep it clean.
Final Thoughts
Coax doesn't have to be complicated. RG-8X is a great all-around choice for portable HF ops, short jumpers give you connection flexibility, and ferrites are cheap insurance against RF problems in the field. Get this right once and you won't have to think about it again.
73 de W4GGJ — see you in the logs.