VHF aerial cable

[Young Entertainer 59]

Opened up the instrument panels today to replace a broken vhf and the aerial looks like black tv cable? Given it was running into a splitter and then had short cable with a normal vhf fitting on the end all held together with duct tape I have decided I should probably do a better job. So the question is any problem with using is cable? all my previous boats had the normal white cable with prefitted end. And if okay any idea where to get a new filling as I broke the one I have and cannot find a similar fitting

[Island Time 1,235]

Is the case black, or the screen inside the case? If the screen is black, take it all out and replace it. Many people use RG58 cable. Its readily available, with a tinned screen, easy to work etc. it's not perfect. Better is the much heavier LMR 400 cable, as it has less loss. But it's expensive, harder to get, and hard to work due to its size. How long are the runs? Splitters are crap unless powered, even then many are not good. Vesper Marine makes the best I've seen. I often supply those. Most I won't because they are rubbish!

Connectors for the cable are available from burnsco, jaycar, radio spares etc. and the cable as well, unless you want the lmr400, then pm me.

[Muzza 18]

Another option in a smaller package is LMR-240 which has half the losses of RG-58. LMR-240 is only 6mm diameter.