There are lots of different coaxial cable sizes, below we discuss the most common types used for Sky, Freeview, Freesat and communal TV systems. There are a few things that define what cable size will be used but this mostly has to do with cable length when installed. The smaller the cable size the greater the signal losses over distance. The number before the cable type represents the centre conductor size.

I would however be very wary of called branded or marketed as “RG6” as the modern equivalent is far inferior in terms of performance. It is cheap to buy which is why some people use it. It has a solid copper clad steel centre conductor with a foam filled dielectric and aluminium. When installing a coaxial cable, it is imperative at that the centre conductor and the cable braid and centre never touch, even one single strand of the cable braid touching the centre conductor will create a cable short and could result in loss of TV signal altogether. This definitely will happen where line power is present which could be powering your satellite dish, amplifiers and magic eyes. As the dielectric inside a coax cable is to primarily stop the conductors touching this must made from a non-conductive substance with insulating properties. This is most commonly a foam filled substance,but some coax cable types use a PVC/ air where the PVC keeps an air separation.The dielectric also helps define the impedance of the coaxial cable, so it is also carefully keeping the correct distance between conductors. For this reason,it is important not to squash the cable at terminations or kink the cable when installing it. If you ever come across a single screened cable called “Low Loss” cable, don’t be fooled by it. It most certainly isn’t. Webro WF100 is the cable I use for all of Smart Aerials TV aerial installations. Although I will occasionally use a shotgun cable for satellite over short distances Webro WF100 is undoubtedly the preferred option. WF100 is a foam filled coaxial cable with all copper conductors, so solid copper centre conductor, copper braid and copper shield. Webro HD100 technically is a better cable with its extra cable screen but in my opinion, it isn’t worth the extra expense. There is actually a triple screened coaxial cable on the market called HD100. The extra screen is on top of the cable braid. Although the performance on this cable is superior, I personally think that this is overkill and not worth the extra expense. I’m not the only one as the popularity of this cable type hasn’t really caught on.

Components of A Coaxial Cable

Before we start it will be helpful to talk about all the different parts that make up a coaxial cable. From here we will be able to demonstrate what the different is between coax cables. I have also included modern CT100, PF100 and NX100 as almost equally good to WF100. To be honest they are so similar I wouldn’t worry if you have one instead of the other. Please note that this has been written from a TV aerial/satellite perspective, so we are focusing on the best coax cables for Sky, Freeview & Freesat. There are lot of other types that are used in CCTV and data cabling functions which are not mentioned in this blog.

If you read the early part of this blog you will see I talked about the different coaxial cable sizes, this depends on the cables lengths that you’re installing. I again rate Webro the highest so if you’reinstalling a communal IRS system, I recommend WF100, WF125 and WF165 as suitable cables for doing so. You may even want to get these a multi-core cable to assist with the installation. The next cable size above is 165 coaxial cable. I’m sure you know where I’m going from here so I’m not going to list anymore coaxial cable sizes, although there are more. The reason being when you get higher it would be more suitable to install fibre optic cabling instead. 1.65mm cable is pretty much used exclusively in communal TV system and CATV systems. It has a signal loss of around 2dB at the highest frequency. With cables this size and above it can even be difficult to get crimp on plugs to fit well so I would advise installing compression plugs instead.

RG6 Coax Cables

Another term you’re likely to encounter is “shotgun” cable.This is two coaxial cables joined together which makes installation easier as you would usually install a twin cable to satellite PVR’s like Sky+ and Sky Q boxes. Shotgun or twin cable is also commonly referred to as Siamese cable on the other side of the Atlantic for obvious reasons. Most shotgun cable that is installed is a twin 0.65mm coaxial cable which is suitable for short cable lengths and is handy as it can fit through a 10mm hole. There are twin 1mm coaxial cables on the market which are suitable for longer runs. RG-6 is, loosely speaking, a 6.6~6.8mm diameter cable. This means that WF100, TX100, PF100, NX100 are all RG6 cables. However, they're a world away in construction, performance and longevity compared to basic RG6. You’re probably already aware that there are loads of different types of coaxial cables on the market and if you’re looking for the best cable to be wiring your TV system with, then read this article for all you need to know. I will go through all the common coaxial cable types and terms, showing which coax cables to avoid and what to look out for. Once reading this you will be able to decide what coaxial cable will be best for your aerial or satellite system. It could also be that you're have poor TV reception and replacing the connecting coaxial cable will help improve your TV signal. High quality twin WF100 Coaxial cable can be used for SKY HD/ Freeview HD/Freesat HD, featuring a plain copper foil and wire braiding screening, WF100 cable is CAI approved, CAI is the benchmark standard for aerial and satellite broadcast cables, ensuring accurate transmission of TV signal, A twin satellite cable is sometimes referred to as a shotgun cable and is suitable for satellite installations. High quality WF100 Coaxial cable can be used for SKY HD/ Freeview HD/Freesat HD, featuring a plain copper foil and wire braiding screening, WF100 cable is a higher grade cable over RG6, plain annealed copper conductor for improved signal conductivity over the cheaper CCS / CCA cable.