Messi & Paoloni POTA-FLEX 7 /.300" is a unique 50 ohm coaxial cable developed for operators who repeatedly deploy, recover and transport their feed line in demanding environments.

Although its name makes it an obvious choice for Parks on the Air, POTA-FLEX 7 is far from being a single-purpose cable. Its combination of low attenuation, twin-braid armour, direct-burial polyethylene jacket and reflective high-visibility finish makes it suitable for portable amateur radio, field days, events, stages, audio-video systems and temporary installations where ordinary coax can easily be damaged or become a trip hazard.

It also delivers excellent RF performance for its size. At only 7.65mm overall diameter, POTA-FLEX 7 has lower attenuation than conventional RG-213/U and considerably lower loss than RG-8 Mini / RG-8X.

7mm Cable That Outperforms Traditional RG Coax

POTA-FLEX 7 gives you the convenience of a relatively compact cable without accepting the losses normally associated with RG-8X or RG-8 Mini.

It also compares extremely well with the much larger RG-213/U. At representative VHF and UHF frequencies, POTA-FLEX 7 produces lower attenuation despite its 7.65mm diameter compared with the approximately 10.3mm diameter of conventional RG-213.

RG-213/U and RG-8X figures are representative values and may vary between manufacturers and individual cable constructions.

Designed for POTA and Repeated Portable Use

Portable coax has a very different working life from cable installed permanently behind a desk or up a mast. It may be unrolled, dragged into position, walked around, packed away and then deployed again hundreds of times.

POTA-FLEX 7 is designed specifically with this type of handling in mind. M&P uses two separate reactive braid layers, each containing 144 copper-clad aluminium wires, together with a 100% copper foil first screen.

The two braids form what M&P describes as a real armour around the cable, providing a strong yet relatively lightweight construction intended to withstand demanding field conditions.

Reflective High-Visibility Yellow Jacket

POTA-FLEX 7 uses a distinctive high-visibility reflective yellow polyethylene jacket.

For POTA activations, field days, demonstrations and events, that visibility is a genuine practical advantage. A dark coax cable stretched across grass can be surprisingly difficult to see, particularly as light levels fall. The bright reflective jacket makes the feed line considerably easier for operators and visitors to spot.

M&P also recommends the cable for stages, crowded locations and audio-video applications where identifying a cable run quickly can be just as important as the RF performance.

Waterproof, Direct Burial and Trample Resistant

The polyethylene jacket is intended for outdoor use and direct burial rather than being a conventional flexible PVC sheath.

M&P describes POTA-FLEX 7 as totally waterproof, buriable and trample resistant, making it well suited to cable runs that may spend considerable time lying on wet ground or being repeatedly deployed in exposed locations.

That does not mean the cable should be deliberately abused, but its construction gives it a much better foundation for frequent portable use than an ordinary lightweight patch cable.

Easier Connector Installation

Despite the strength of the outer jacket, M&P has designed POTA-FLEX 7 so that it can be stripped cleanly while retaining enough friction for secure connector installation.

This is particularly useful if you regularly make your own coax assemblies. M&P specifically recommends its cable scissors for preparing the jacket and internal layers before fitting a compatible connector.

Where POTA-FLEX 7 Works Best

Low-Loss Performance

M&P specifies the following attenuation figures at 20°C.