RG6 Connectors

RG6 Connectors has become the most common kind of coaxial cable for general use especially for commercial and household purposes. RG6 though primarily a military specification is now used to refer to general coax cables with an 18 AWG center conductor and 75 ohm characteristic impedance. RG6 connectors as well as RG6 cables and, in some cases adapters – for connecting two RG6 cables together – are needed for wiring your own RG6 connection although you can easily buy assembled cables yourself.

There are a variety of RG6 cables available for different type of applications. The most common is the cable television (CATV) distribution coax cable which is now the standard cable used for CATV. This type has a copper-coated steel center conductor and a combination of aluminum foil and aluminum braid shield with. Other types of RG6 cables are those used for professional video applications, these usually have solid copper center conductor and a shielding typically of aluminum foil and copper braid. These cables carry either baseband analog video signals or serial digital interface (SDI) signals.

Various RG6 connectors are fitted to RG6 type cables at each end. The F connectors are typically used for CATV distribution applications. These are inexpensive connectors with good impedance match from 75 ohms to at most 1GHz and usable bandwidth of up to several GHz. The center wire of the RG6 cable it connects to or terminates is used as the pin of the male connector. This configuration then becomes dependent on the surface properties of the solid conductor used as center wire, waterproofing may be needed for outside use since usually these are not corrosion resistant.

BNC connectors are yet another type of RG6 connectors used for a wide range of applications. These are used for RF signal connections, analog and serial digital interface video signals, amateur radio connections, aviation electronics, and other types or electronic test equipment. They may also be used to replace RCA plugs for composite video on commercial video devices. A simple adapter may also be used to connect RCA jacks and BNC connectors. Also, BNC connectors exist in 75 and 50 ohm versions.

It is best to terminate RG6 cables yourself since it allows you to customize the length of cable you will be using and also allows you to save money over buying RG6 cables that have readily installed RG6 connectors. For terminating RG6 cables with F-type connectors, you will need RG6 cables, wire cutter, stripper, and crimper and also F-type connectors. Then, it is just a matter of cutting, stripping and attaching the cables and connectors. Make a clean perpendicular cut using wire cutters according to the cable length needed. Strip the wire to reveal at least 1 inch of the solid wire conductor and strip another half of an inch off the outer jacket making sure that the braided wires beneath the outer jacket are not cut. Attach the F-type RG6 connector by sliding it over the wire so that the center conductor comes through the center and push until it won’t go any further. Secure the connector by crimping the end of the connector using a crimping tool. Tug to make sure the connector is securely attached.