RG6 Cable question

[Dennishp]

I need to buy about 160 feet of RG6 for my OTA antenna run outside. Been to a few places the the prices locally (Home Depot, Lowes, ACE) and the price differences are pretty amazing.

I realize there are different quality cables..but the prices vary by as much a $.30 or more per foot in some instances. Some of the real cheap stuff $.19 a foot has nothing marked info on the cable casing....Others say 18AWG which I know is .040 inch and is a pretty decent thickness. Some a quad shielded others and double shielded. Some are marked "Super Satellite RG6 18AWG" others are marked Series 6 Continental Cable Company. A few say tested to 2200MHz, other say nothing.

I thought RG6 is RG6..that is has to meet a certain standard to be considered RG6 and has to function at a certain level to be used where RG6 applications are called for.

Is there any easy method a simple old infantry soldier like me can use when I go to buy cable..

Something like "Make sure it's 18 AWG, and center wire is 100% copper, and it's at least double shielded". I assume that the local cable companies and satellite installers use a good quality cable...not some copper coated steel wire.

Home Depot has a 500 foot roll of 18AWG RG6 coax for $45, ACE hardware has their Super Satellite RG6 18AWG wire at $.31 a foot..so for 160 feet will cost $49.60.

What should I be looking for when I buy RG6?

I had bought 100 ft of Phillips RG6 18AWG 100% copper quad shielded coax a while back..but need to add an additional 50-60 feet more to that run. I was going to get an extra length of the same coax and uses a barrel connector with di-electric grease and tape to splice the two lengths together. I was told to just buy a solid length of coax rather than splice.

How much signal will I use with a good splice?

 

[iafirebuff]

I am not sure of the loss, but I do not splice. I just use a full run. Less chance for failure. I usually order extra coax from Sadoun, or any other supplier anytime I place an order. They usually have good quality cable, cheap price and since it is being shipped with other items, shipping is not extra. I try to stay away from coax that is not marked. I like to know what I have

 

[Hall]

I was going to get an extra length of the same coax and uses a barrel connector with di-electric grease and tape to splice the two lengths together. I was told to just buy a solid length of coax rather than splice.

How much signal will I use with a good splice?

It will work just fine. Sure, if you have the tools to put in connectors and a spool of cable and have the time to re-run the cable, technically a single run is "better". Can any human see the difference ?? I'll guarantee you they can't. Could you measure the difference electronically ?? Probably...

Have you been to a local electrical supply house ?? They should carry RG6 and it should be a reputable brand and quality. You'll need to wait 'til Tuesday though and if this is a weekend project, that rules that out.

 

[Rick0725]

FYI

The price of copper has gone thru the roof the last couple months and the prices of rg6 are on the rise.

Now is the time to buy since many places have not raised the prices much to reflect the increases as yet. With the prices going up, the chains may go to chaper quality wire to keep the prices consistent.

The price you will pay for 160' of cable will be pretty darn close to the price of a 1000' reel and who knows how much the rg6 will be next year.

therefore would buy a 1000' reel of solid bare rg6. That way you will have a stash if you want to play tv or sat. man again...or if you want to pimp your setup (all new coax with no breaks) or a friend's down the road.

for personal, family or friends, using up my reel of belden 1694A
1000mhz 5.89db loss/100'

my distributor sells
Vextra V621BLK which i am using now
950 mhz 5.95 db loss/100' (which aint too shabby)
swept tested to 3000 mhz

Eagle Aspen 39B2
1000 mhz 6.11 db loss/100'
swept tested to 3000 mhz

which I will probably go to since the Vextra just increased the price by $20 per 1000'

18 AWG solid copper .040diameter
> or = to 60% aluminum braid covering
aluminum foil tape shield
swept tested to > 2000mhz so you can use the cable for satellite applications

dual shield really not necessary.

be careful not to buy the direct burial variety of rg6. the coating can get onto the copper and do a number on the signal response.

 

[roashru]

All metal threads, push-on contacts, and crimping creates resistance (loss) the less the better!. me, (this description will be extreme for installers) i would make a metal box to connect the extra cable solder everything together then solder the box closed. for best results coax is grounded at both ends.