19 GO FURTHER WITH PowerMax™ LOW - LOSS CABLES
CABLE & CONNECTOR SELECTION GUIDE
FOR MAXIMUM SIGNAL TRANSMISSION
Cable and Connector Selection Guide: How long is the cable run?
Cable plays one of the most important roles in the antenna installation. Signals are transmitted through the cable and the goal is to maintain as much of the signal as possible when it reaches the antenna. Digital Antenna cables feature exclusive low loss, tinned braid, foil shielded cable with a UV stable jacket for maximum signal transmission.
Cable length must be calculated before determining the cable type. The cable run must not be kinked, crushed, or have a bend radius less than 10 times the cable diameter. Also the cable must be clear of moving objects. Cable should be laid as straight as possible and away from metal. Bends or sharp curves decrease performance and may cause drastic signal loss. What is return loss? Return loss is the portion of a signal that is lost due to a reflection of power caused by any discontinuity of the cable. Signal reflections are caused by anything that changes the shape of the cable. Cable kinks or twists, connector inser- tions/installations and splices are major factors contributing to the total signal efficiency of the installation. What frequency will you be using: VHF, Cellular, WIFI? As frequencies increase, there is considerably more signal loss in the cable. Cable characteristics vary by manufacturers and should be compared. (Conductor material, dielectric material, shield type, % coverage and additional foil shielding). A 60% braid coverage would have more signal loss than 95% coverage. A cable with a foil shield is more efficient and effective than one without. Choose the appropriate cable based upon minimum dB loss for your frequency and cable run length. Cable attenuation (loss) chart per 100’ RG174 1 RG58 DA195 RG-8X 2 DA240 RG-8U 3 DA340 DA440 150 MHz 10.7 dB 4.7 dB 5.3 dB 4.0 dB 3.0 dB 2.4 dB 2.5 dB 1.5 dB 300 MHz 16.0 dB 7.0 dB 7.5 dB 5.4 dB 4.3 dB 3.5 dB 3.4 dB 2.2 dB 800 MHz 29.2 dB 12.7 dB 12.4 dB 10.2 dB 7.1 dB 6.4 dB 5.7 dB 3.7 dB 1900 MHz 51.3 dB 22.0 dB 19.6 dB 20.6 dB 11.2 dB 11.2 dB 8.52 dB 5.8 dB 2400 MHz 60.2 dB 25.8 dB 22.1 dB 24.9 dB 12.6 dB 13.2 dB 10.2 dB 6.6 dB Min. Bend Radius 1” 2” 2” 2.5” 2” 4” 3” 4” 1 RG174 should only be used for cellular frequencies in lengths less than 10’. For cable runs 100’ to 150’ on cellular frequencies, use Digital Antenna’s ULTRA low-loss DA440 cable. For cable runs greater than 150’, contact your installer. 2 Digital Antenna’s RG-8X with 98% tinned-braid & foil-shield – other manufacturers’ RG-8X has higher loss. 3 Belden RG-8U cable specifications. What connectors should I use? Frequency range will determine the connector series to be used. Mini-UHF, SMA, TNC and Type N, are all rated up to and beyond 2.5 GHz with type N being rated the highest at 11 GHz. UHF connectors such as PL-259 and PL-258 are rated to 300 MHz and cannot be used at cellular frequencies of 800 and 1900 MHz. Each connector or adapter inserts approximately a .5 dB loss. Never splice cable! Cables can only be extended using the appropriate connectors and cable. Refer to the cable loss chart.
Additional FAQs on antennas and cables available at www.digitalantenna.com
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