Choice/quality of coaxial cable Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[KevinP]

I wish to run new coaxial cable lengths for my TV, and also FM & DAB aerials.

I will need to buy a reel of 50 or 100 metres.

Is there any way of determining if one cable is better than another? I'm thinking in terms of looking to minimise cable loss. Could i use satellite cable?

I look forward to any help.

Thanks

[333rocky333]

I think sat cable has two airgaps whereas tv cable has one, and i think it is the ohms per metre that is important.

There is also different quality though.

The cable i had fitted is black and was called by a number but cannot remember it sorry
Dont know when you need it for ,May still be able to find out

[DONFRAMAC]

You are correct in thinking that there are more than just one grade of coax aerial cable available. The very high cost of copper has given rise to minimalist cable, with very few strands of copper below an aluminised plastic outer screen.
This is often inadequate, allowing block pixcellation on freeview pictures, and signal loss on FM aerial leads. I even had to route my HQ leads down the back of my pitched roof to avoid RF interference from car ignitions
My freeview aerial also needed a 12 dB mast-head amplifier, and water- proofing by potting in silicone rubber, up on the mast.

[ericmark]

All good cable have the losses declared so you can compare but when I checked I found much is sold just calling it low loss. I think satellite cable is the same impedance as TV, FM, and DAB. but one consideration is the terminations as the satellite cable 75ohm uses the F Plug one can buy F to Coax adapters which in many ways are less likely to fail and easier to fit but cost goes up. Many mast head and loft Distribution, Amplifiers, etc now use F type plugs and sockets but the thickness of the cable is important or either you can't get them on or they come off too easy. satellite cable can cost double that of standard TV it carries power as well as signal. I have used satellite cable for all TV systems but I don't use DAB at home can't really see the point when all the freeview boxes and satellite boxes receive radio on higher frequencies which are less likely to pick up interference. RDS makes sense (That's a mixture of analogue and digital radio) but DAB is really a waist of money and uses more power than standard FM to receive.

[offender]

So the basic call on this is if you want quality (which I do as I cant be bothered to go through the walls again and plaster, again!) is to put in sat cable even if for the moment. Even if I am not using sky yet (but I will do) its just for freeview at the moment.

Is that about right?