RG Cables are a type of coaxial cable that are essential for powering televisions, CCTV cameras, and more. Over the years there have been a few different iterations of RG cable, but the most commonly used types with today’s technology are RG59 and RG6.
This article will outline how RG59 and RG6 cables are used, the differences between each type, and how they can be identified.
What Are the Differences Between RG59 and RG6?
There are a few key differences between RG59 and RG6 cables, namely in the construction. In general, RG6 is produced to achieve a higher level of protection against signal loss; for example, it features thicker insulation and better shielding than RG59. It also features a conductor with a heavier AWG than RG59, which means that signal transfer is better in RG6.
All of these features allow for a reduction in signal loss for RG6 cables. RG59 Cables are also protected against signal loss, but to a lesser extent (see the table below) – instead, their draw is that they are more cost-effective than RG6 cables.
RG Cable Attenuation Rates
Attenuation refers to the loss of signal strength from within the cable. For example, a cable with higher attenuation means that it transfers a weaker signal than a cable with lower attenuation.
The attenuation rates of RG59 versus RG6 cables are shown in the table below:
| Speed (MHz) | Signal loss (dB) per 100ft | |
| RG59 | RG6 | |
| 50 | 2.4 | 1.5 |
| 100 | 3.4 | 2.0 |
| 400 | 7.0 | 4.3 |
| 900 | 11.1 | 6.8 |
| 1000 | 12.0 | 7.0 |
What Are RG59 and RG6 Cables Used For?
While both cable types are suited to a wide range of applications including TV, CCTV, and Internet, some applications are better suited to RG59 than RG6 and vice versa.
Generally, RG6 cables are better performing than RG59 in terms of bandwidth and frequency, so they are more suited for high-speed applications such as TV and Internet. RG59, on the other hand, suffer from more signal loss that RG6, so are more suited to lower-bandwidth, lower-frequency applications such as CCTV and other analogue video systems.
Ultimately, the type of cable you should get depends on the type of application for which you’re intending to use it. If you’re looking for cables for a lower-quality CCTV camera, then RG59 is your best bet, as you don’t want a cable that is too advanced for the system that you’ll be using it for. If you’re looking for a cable to carry a more high-definition video signal, like for your television, then we’d recommend an RG6 cable.
If you’d like to know more about our RG59 and/or RG6 cables, or have any unanswered questions, then click here to get in contact with our team.
