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How to Identify the Right Coax Cables & Connectors

Taylor Thomas: Feb 19, 2021

Coaxial cables for radio communication use are also known as RF (radio frequency) coaxial cables.
These RF coaxial cables are used for carrying radio frequency signals from one point to another.
Connectors are used to connect cables to devices and help maintain the shielding of the cable.
Understanding what a coaxial cable is and the cable connectors can help you determine the right one
you need.

Connectors have genders, polarity, and different types and sizes that can be confusing if you’re not
aware of how connectors work. They must match correctly for both connectors to work and have
adequate signals.

To understand how to choose the right coax cable and connector, this article will explain the things you
should know when searching for connectors. We’ll review the,

Types of Coaxial Connectors

Gender
Polarity
Sizes of Coax Connectors
Advantages

Types of Coaxial Connectors

Coaxial cable connectors connect cables to other devices and help maintain the shielding around the
cable. Here is a list of the coaxial cable connector types.

BNC
TNC
F-Type
UHF
SMA
QMA
FME

BNC

BNC is a popular type of connector for the radio signal. These RF connectors are used for quick connect
and quick disconnect in RF equipment. BNC is used for low frequencies and used on radios and security
cameras.

TNC

The TNC connector is a threaded version of a BNC Connector . These connectors are weatherproof and
are commonly used in cell phones and RF/antenna connections. These helps solve signal issues while
operating your devices. TNC connectors are waterproof as well.

F-Type

F-Type can be seen on television sets and used with antenna, cable, satellite TV’s, and modems.

UHF

UHF connectors are used for amateur radios. Mini versions of this connector were designed for use with
cell phones.

SMA

SMA connectors are small and hold thinner coax cables. Reverse polarity is available in this connector.

QMA

QMA can be known as an upgraded version of SMA. These are made to be quick-disconnect meaning
they can be quickly and easily removed.

FME

FME is a smaller size and can be run through holes and be a conductor for larger coax connectors.

NMO

NMO is another connector you might frequently see. These can be seen with antenna mounts like those
from Motorola or Pulse Larsen. These are mainly found as male connectors.

Gender: Male or Female

The ends of connectors can be identified as male or female. Plugs are male and jacks are female. A
male connector plug has threads inside, while a female connector jack has threads on the outside. Male
and female connectors go together so the shell of the plug (male) covers the shell of the jack (female).
You won’t be able to connect a male-to-male coaxial cable connector and vice versa. The pictures below
for more details on what male and female connectors look like.

Female Connector Male Connector

Polarity
Polarity is another thing you must know to put connectors together. There are two types of polarity
connectors can have: Standard and Reverse polarity. When you connect the male to the female
connector, they must have the same polarity.

Reverse polarity just means that the hole and pin are switched or reversed.

You can tell the polarity is either standard or reverse by the look at the plug/jack. Standard is what is
normally seen in connectors. This type of style can be shown in the above paragraph regarding male or
female connectors. A reverse polarity plug is male and has a socket, inside thread, and a center hole.
The reverse polarity jack is female and has a center pin with outside threads. Below provides an example
of what reverse polarity looks like in both male and female connectors.

Reverse connectors help prevent users from connecting the wrong types of connectors like male to male
and female to female. This damages connectors and can interfere with the signal.

Sizes of Coax Cables

Another thing you need to know is the size of the coax cable. Coax cable connectors must be the right
size for installation. If a connector is too small, it’s not going to fit the cable. If it’s too big, it’s not secured
properly and will most likely fall off the cable.

To identify the coaxial cable type, you’ll see two letters followed by numbers on the cable. The two letters
you’ll see are RG meaning Radio Guide. The number followed identifies the cable type. To find the type
of coax cable you have to look on the cord for those two things.

A UHF connector talked about before, can be commonly seen on RG-58 and RG-8. SMA, NMO, FME is
usually used on RG-58 or thinner coax cables.

The most common sizes of coax cables are,

RG-6 (6.15mm)
RG-11 (10.30mm)
RG-58 (4.95mm)
RG-59 (6.15mm)
RG-62 (6.15mm)
RG-12 (14.10mm)
RG-213 (10.33)
Lengths of Cables
Coax cable lengths can vary depending on their use. Coaxial cables can be cabled together to cover long
distances. Cable lengths can be from 50 to 1000 feet. Whoever is installing might cut a portion of the
cable into shorter lengths depending on the signal strength and range you need to cover.

Pulse Larsen makes mini coax cables that can range from 3 inches to 20 inches. These can be used for
RF connections in radios and antennas and connection from the radio to an external antenna.

Advantages of Coax Cables

Cables have their advantages by using them for TV, internet, and radio use. Some advantages of coax
cables are its relatively inexpensive, easy to install, and are designed to be durable and withstand
temperament.