Free ground shipping to US locations for orders $1500 and over

(Only applies to orders placed direct online on www.txmstore.com)

RF Low Loss Coax Cable Antenna and Amplifier Reference Guide

If you are in need of cable for your antenna or amplifier and are unsure about which coax cable and connectors you may need, loss characteristics, etc. then this useful guide is for you.

There are many types of cable, such as RG-6 cable (typically used in cable TV installations) all the way up to very thick coax cable with much lower signal loss.

The chart below features more typical types of cable used with 3G and 4G antennas and amplifiers, signal loss characteristics, size and connector types.

Type

Usage

Signal Loss 1

Diameter

Connectors 2

RG-174

50ohms

RG174 cable is thin and flexible but has high signal loss; used for short runs such as in pre-attached connections on indoor/portable antennas. Antenna Adapter cables (aka "pigtails") also use RG174 cable.

3.3db at 10'
(not recommended for longer runs)

1/8"

Typically pre-attached to an antenna and terminated in FME/Female or SMA/Male; Antenna Adapter cables are terminated in FME/Male.

RG-58

LMR-195

LOW-195 

50ohms

RG58 cable is found pre-attached to some antennas; Much more flexible than LMR240, making it ideal for running under window seals, around corners, etc.

 2db at 10'
 3.75db at 20'
 (not suggested  for longer runs)

3/16"

When pre-attached to an antenna it is typically terminated in FME/Female; standalone RG58 cables have either N/Male or FME/Male on one end and FME/Female on the other.

LMR-240

LOW-240


50ohms

LOW-240/LMR-240 cable is available in custom lengths to be used with antennas/amplifiers that do not include cabling or can be used as extensions to pre-attached antenna cables. It’s characteristically stiffer and less flexible than RG58/LMR-195/LOW-195, but with lower signal loss.

1db at 10'
1.9db at 20'
3.9db at 40'
(not suggested for longer runs)

1/4"

Either N/Male or FME/Male on one end and FME/Female on the other.

LMR400

LOW-400


50ohms


LOW-400/LMR-400 cable has much lower loss, but is thicker and less flexible than LOW-195/LMR-195/RG-58 or LOW-240/LMR-240. It is available in custom lengths to be used with antennas and amplifiers that do not include cabling.

1db at 20'
2.5db at 50'
5db at 100'

7/16"

N/Male

RG6

75ohms

RG6 is most commonly used in cable/satellite TV installations and is NOT usually used with cellular antennas or amplifiers

We do NOT recommend using RG6 cable with 50ohm antennas and amplifiers - it has significantly more loss than LMR-240 or LMR-400 cable AND you will need special adapters to connect each cable which results in a higher range of loss.

2.3db at 20'
3.5db at 30'
5.9db at 50'

5/16"

F/Male


TXM offers a huge selection of low-loss coax cable and coax connectors for your antenna and amplifier needs.  

We sell cable in bulk, custom lengths, we build custom cable assemblies (choose your cable, length and connectors) - many variations available. 

Or call toll free (844) 266-3718

or EMAIL US

Notes:

  1. The amount of signal attenuation depends on which frequency you are using — there is more signal loss on higher frequencies (like WiMAX, which uses 2400mhz, or WiFi, which is on the 2500mhz band) than there is on the lower frequencies (like Verizon/AT&T LTE, which is on 700mhz). You will also lose about 0.5db at every connection point - chaining multiple cables together is not recommended, and it often makes more sense to choose a cable that has the appropriate connectors for your needs than to use a lower-loss cable that will require additional connections
  1. The connectors are available online from TXM Store, but cables sold from other stores may be terminated with different connectors. Be sure to double check connector types when buying pre-terminated cables.
21st Apr 2016

Recent Posts