Understanding transmission lines is an important part of the art of radio--the proper selection and use of a feedline is often more important than the choice of radio. This is particularly true of multiband antennas fed with tuners--it is possible to lose several S-units of transmit signal strength by making poor decisions.

• Understanding SWR by Example
  QST November 2006
• Measuring Cable Loss
  QEX May/June 2005
• Better Feedline Loss Measurements with Antenna Analyzers
  QST March 2004 Hints and Kinks
• Measuring Cable Loss
  QEX, May 2005, pp 44-46
  An improved-accuracy method of measuring coaxial cable loss with antenna analyzers.
• Using 1/2-Inch 75-Ohm CATV Hardline
  QST January 2000, p. 91 (World Above 50 MHz)
  Consider using Hardline when planning a VHF/UHF repeater or even a home station.
• Don't Solder to Connector Adapters!
  QST December 1995, p.76 (Hints and Hinks)
  A warning about the installation of PL-259s to smaller coax cable.
• "My Feed Line Tunes My Antenna!"
  QST November 1991, pp. 33-35
  A discussion on how the feed line can change the resonant frequency of the antenna.
• The Whys of Transmission Lines Part 1
  QST January 1965, pp. 25-28
  A beginner’s guide to transmission lines.
• The Whys of Transmission Lines Part 2
  QST February 1965, pp. 24-26
  Standing-wave ratio and line losses
• The Whys of Transmission Lines Part 3
  QST March 1965, pp. 19-22
  Putting the antenna and line together
• Another Look at Reflections
  Everything you wanted to know about SWR … and then some.
• The SWR Obsession
  QST, April 1994, pp. 70-72, 74
  What is your SWR meter really saying?
• The Lure of the Ladder Line
  QST December 1993, pp. 70-71
  Discussion of some advantages to using ladder-line in place of coax to feed multiband dipoles.
• Proving the Conjugate Matching Power Theorem
  QEX July 2000, pp. 55-58
• Let's Talk Transmission Lines
  QST June 1997, pp. 57-59
  Coax or ladder-line? Which dielectric? How do I reduce losses?
• Opening Lines: A Short History of Coaxial Cable
  QST August 2001, pp. 62-64
  Nothing technical, just why coax is.

Hardline connectors made out of copper plumbing hardware.  Installing PL-259s on aluminum CATV Hardline using a barrel connector and a copper pipe adapter.

Kenneth L. Nist, KQ6QV has free software for calculating arbitrary transmission line impedance, as well as transmission line equations for Mathcad 11.

atlc - Arbitrary Transmission Line Calculator (for transmission lines and directional couplers) by Dr. David Kirkby (G8WRB), who works at the department of Medical Physics, University College London.

Bill Beech, NJ7P Coaxial Cable Searchable Database compiled by Paul Veltman, WA6OKQ.