Coax cable

Are you connecting to RV park cable or to a portable satellite dish. For both, I'd suggest an RG6 coax with compression fittings. Satellite dish coax may call for a higher frequency standard coax than a cable connection though.

RG 6 for all RV connection would be first choice. As noted in previous post the compression fittings are preferred. Avoid the crimp style!

Push on connector

Used these for my cable to connect RV to campground coax. Quick on and off and lasts a long time.

If you're "rollin' yer own" connector installations, I'll pass a remark by Chris Bryant along:

Have a Cable Stripper that does NOT Ring or Ding the plating on the center conductor. That solid strand in the middle. Chris says the signal actually travels on the surface of that conductor, and it loses signal if damaged.

1995brave wrote:
Push on connector

Used these for my cable to connect RV to campground coax. Quick on and off and lasts a long time.

That connector is for RG59 cable which is not good for either Sat or cable, it is the OLD standard.

j-d wrote:
If you're "rollin' yer own" connector installations, I'll pass a remark by Chris Bryant along:

Have a Cable Stripper that does NOT Ring or Ding the plating on the center conductor. That solid strand in the middle. Chris says the signal actually travels on the surface of that conductor, and it loses signal if damaged.

As mentioned before RG6 cable and compression fittings! When I was adding new cable outlets to the DD townhouse I bought a 500' roll of RG6 and a compression fitting install kit, it included some fittings a good stripper, and the tool to install the fittings.

This is the kit that I got and will carry for a long time.
RG6 Compression install kit.

rhagfo wrote:
That connector is for RG59 cable which is not good for either Sat or cable, it is the OLD standard.

That connector is actually an adapter which threads onto any cable with an F style connector.

Here's a cable available at Home Depot that comes with compression style connectors:

The common Crimp On connectors are what I call Achoo Connectors.. One good sneeze and off they come

The compression connectors shown above I have had one come off.. TOOK POWER TOOLS TO PULL IT OFF.

For RG-6 cable most of the fittings are not water proof. They are fine for indoor use. Make sure for outdoor use you get the crimped fittings with silicone gell in the end that goes over the cable and an o-ring inside the nut end. The nut on the water proof fittings is a little deeper to accommodate the o-ring. Make sure to get a crimper with the hex shaped crimping jaws for proper compression and squeeze for sealing. A small amount of silicon may ooze out around the cable indicating a good seal.

I got my crimper and used to get the fittings at Radio Shack (2 for $1.00). I found a new source for the water proof fitting but can't remember where at this time. I'll have to look in my box where I keep everything to look at the packages.

For satellite use the outdoor cable needs to be water proof because the receiver sends power to the dish. That is also why the center wire is slightly heavier than the wire in the standard RG-58 and RG-59 cables.

I'm not an expert but I have wired 3 houses for both satellite and outdoor tv antenna and made outdoor cables for both of my TT's and made up some cables a few friends so I do know a little about it.

I have compression fittings on RG6 coax that has been out in the weather for at least 10 years with no problems to date. The fittings were installed by the local cable company at our getaway cottage, and have since been re-purposed for OTA antenna and satellite dish use. The compression fittings I've installed for outside coax use on our motorhome have also been fine, although not in use as long.

wbwood wrote:
What's the best outdoor cable to use. Apparently the last couple of cables I have bought were not that great as the ends ended up breaking after several uses. I don't think the quality of the wire was that great either. Is there a premium gauge or something I should be looking for?

If you don't want to "roll your own", here's a place to buy various lengths of quality RG6 with end connectors . . .

50 feet

75 feet

100 feet