Ham Radio

Ham Radio Coax Cables & Antenna Extension Assemblies

The right feedline keeps your signal strong. Every foot of coax has loss — the longer the run and the higher the frequency, the more it costs you. Choosing the right cable for your run length is the single biggest factor in antenna performance.

Quick Pick — Best Cable by Run Length

Not sure what to order? Start here.

RG-58
Under 15 ft RG-58

Affordable, flexible — perfect for short jumpers and portable rigs

Build with RG-58 →
RFC-240
15 – 50 ft RFC-240

Low-loss .240 at a budget-friendly price, ideal for HF/VHF base stations

Build with RFC-240 →
LMR-400
50 – 150 ft LMR-400

Industry standard low-loss feedline for serious base stations

Build with LMR-400 →
LMR-600
Over 150 ft LMR-600

Ultra-low-loss for contest stations, repeater sites, and tower runs

Build with LMR-600 →

Signal Loss Comparison

dB loss per 100 feet — lower is better. Multiply by your run length and divide by 100.

Cable 10m HF (29 MHz) 2m VHF (144 MHz) 70cm UHF (440 MHz) 23cm (1296 MHz)
RG-58 4.3 4.3 9.8 14.3
RFC-240 2.5 2.5 5.4 7.8
LMR-240 2.4 2.4 5.3 7.5
RFC-400 1.5 1.5 3.3 4.7
LMR-400 1.5 1.5 3.3 4.7
LMR-400 UltraFlex 1.6 1.6 3.5 5.0
RFC-600 1.0 ✓ 1.0 ✓ 2.2 3.1
LMR-600 1.0 ✓ 1.0 ✓ 2.1 ✓ 3.0 ✓

Values are approximate. ✓ indicates lowest loss for that frequency.

All Recommended Cables

RG-58

RG-58

$1.00/ft
Low loss:

Classic flexible coax. Affordable for short runs and field use.

Best for: Short jumpers, portable/QRP, HF under 15ft

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RFC-240

RFC-240

$1.25/ft
Low loss:

Cost-effective low-loss .240 — a big step up from RG-58.

Best for: HF/VHF base station, 15–50ft runs

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LMR-240

LMR-240

$1.75/ft
Low loss:

Times Microwave quality, lower loss than RG-58. Flexible and durable.

Best for: VHF/UHF mobile, 25–75ft base station

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RFC-400

RFC-400

$1.50/ft
Low loss:

Low-loss .400 cable at the best price-per-foot for long runs.

Best for: Long runs 50–100ft, budget base stations

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LMR-400

LMR-400

$2.00/ft
Low loss:

The go-to feedline for serious ham stations. Very low loss.

Best for: Base station feedlines 50ft+

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LMR-400 UltraFlex

LMR-400 UltraFlex

$2.99/ft
Low loss:

Same low loss as LMR-400 but flexible enough for tight routing.

Best for: Mobile installs, tight mast routing

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RFC-600

RFC-600

$2.00/ft
Low loss:

Ultra-low-loss .600 at a competitive price for tower runs.

Best for: Repeater sites, 100ft+ runs

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LMR-600

LMR-600

$4.50/ft
Low loss:

Maximum performance for contest stations and tall towers.

Best for: Tower runs 150ft+, contest stations

Build → Shop all →

Popular Builds

Most common connector combinations on lmr400. Click to configure length and order.

PL259 UHF Male PL259 UHF Male

PL-259 to PL-259

From $27.74

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PL259 UHF Male SO239 UHF Female

PL-259 to SO-239

From $27.74

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SMA MALE PL259 UHF Male

SMA to PL-259

From $25.74

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N MALE PL259 UHF Male

N to PL-259

From $26.24

View Product →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a ham radio extension cable?
A ham radio extension cable (feedline) connects your transceiver to a remote antenna using 50-ohm coaxial cable with PL-259, N-type, or SMA connectors on each end, cut to the exact length you need.
What coax cable is best for ham radio?
LMR-400 or RFC-400 are the best all-around choices for base station feedlines. For short runs under 15 feet, RG-58 is affordable and flexible. For portable use, RG-316 or RG-174 are lightweight options.
What connectors do ham radios use?
Most HF radios use PL-259 connectors with SO-239 chassis ports. VHF/UHF rigs often use SMA or N-type. Handheld radios typically use SMA-Female on the radio, so you need SMA-Male on the cable.
How long can a ham radio coax run be?
With LMR-400, runs up to 150 feet are practical on HF/VHF with low loss. For 70cm UHF, keep runs under 75 feet with LMR-400. LMR-600 handles runs over 150 feet with minimal loss.
What is the difference between RG-58 and LMR-400?
At 144 MHz, RG-58 loses about 3.9 dB per 100 ft while LMR-400 loses only 1.5 dB — more than twice the signal loss. Over a 50-ft run, that is nearly 1 S-unit difference on receive.

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