RG-8/U (400-series) Coax Assemblies - Pick your Connectors (Priced by length)

Our highly flexible workhorse! RG-8/U is a proven, rugged 50-ohm coaxial cable built for high-power RF applications where durability, shielding, and straightforward performance matter most.

Available by the foot, this cable features an 11 AWG stranded bare copper center conductor and a tough black PVC jacket (nominal O.D. 0.405"), delivering the strength and reliability that hams, commercial users, and professionals have trusted for decades.

A gas-injected foam polyethylene dielectric and 95% bare copper braid provide solid RF integrity and effective interference suppression. Nominal capacitance is about 25.5 pF/ft with a velocity factor around 81%—a clear step up from classic solid-dielectric RG-8 / RG-213 constructions. Minimum bend radius is typically in the 4–5" range, and the cable remains practical for fixed runs, antenna feeders, and installations that need toughness without extreme flexibility.

The UV-resistant jacket stands up well to outdoor exposure, making RG-8/U suitable for base-station feeds, tower runs, and general ham use. It handles high power effectively at HF and offers consistent 50-ohm performance.

Typical attenuation (dB/100 ft):

• 0.90 at 50 MHz
• 1.30 at 100 MHz
• 1.90 at 200 MHz
• 2.80 at 400 MHz
• 4.70 at 1000 MHz

Loss at HF is correspondingly lower. Compared with lighter RG-8X types, RG-8/U offers better power handling, lower loss at most frequencies, and greater mechanical durability. While modern low-loss cables such as LMR-400 can beat it on very long runs or higher UHF, RG-8/U remains a cost-effective, no-nonsense choice for high-power HF, mobile, and other setups that demand proven toughness and reliability—without premium pricing. It works with standard PL-259, Type N, and other common RF connectors.

Typical applications include ham radio antenna feeders (especially HF), base and mobile stations, marine and commercial communications, SCADA, and any RF interconnect where rugged construction, solid shielding, and high-power capability are priorities.

RG-8/U is the classic workhorse that simply gets the job done year after year for amateur radio, broadcast, and professional RF systems.