Plugs
F connector
F connectors - You can order these separately and fit them yourself or we can fit them to cut lengths of cable for you (at a small cost). We fit only the screw-on type to our custom-made lengths. You can easily unscrew the F plug to fit a weatherproofing rubber boot if required.
PLEASE be sure to order the correct plug to match the cable. See notes HERE.
TV plug Belling Lee
TV plugs (IEC or Belling-Lee) - we can fit these for you to WF100 - and we supply a link where you can download instructions.
Click HERE for more information about plugs if you are not certain what you have or need.
We supply Extension cables (catalogue page
but read these notes:
You can select colour, type length and add accessories if required (for each individual cable).
Note: if you order a rubber boot with a pre-made cable the boot will be supplied separately. If you need to pass the lead through a hole (or fit a rubber boot) you can simply unscrew one "F" plug then screw it back on afterwards.
Digital signals and analogue signals which now go as high as 2 gigahertz in frequency need a high-quality double-screened cable, as everyone knows. However, some people don't realise that the cable should preferably be a continuous length without any kinks or connectors. This applies as much to Terrestrial signals (such as "Freeview" in the UK) as it does to satellite signals. The reason is that any "discontinuity" in the cable can reflect the signal backwards which causes a cancellation of the signal, resulting in a poor "Quality" reading in the menu, picture freeze, missing bouquets and a whole range of symptoms that you probably attribute to the weather! You can even lose all picture and sound completely.
join coaxial cables
If you DO join cables, please ensure that the 'F' plugs are fitted correctly and the joint (if outside) is thoroughly weatherproofed with silicone grease and self-amalgamating tape.
YOU SHOULD NOT use ordinary brown or white "low-loss" TV coax if you want to ensure good results! Ordinary "low-loss" TV coax has only 60% shielding (no foil) and is specified to work up to only 1 GHz (not 2 GHz as required for satellite LNB signals). Obviously there's no harm in trying it if it's already fitted, but don't be surprised if the result is "pictures breaking up" or "some channels missing". (You may find that standard 'F' connectors do not fit on TV aerial cable. Also the centre core may be too thick and might damage the female connector).
Many installations have already been done with wall plates. Indeed, many more will be done because it is unavoidable or because "it looks nicer" or is "more convenient". If you must use a wall plate, then the accessories below will help to avoid problems. We stock fully-shielded wall plates in ready-made and in modular form (select your desired sockets to fit into the plate bezel).
090-3078 threaded F barrel
To join cables use our 090-3078 threaded "F" barrel and two "F" connectors. We also stock a good quality wall plate with an "F" barrel fitted.
twin F wall plate
Or you can buy our blank wall plates and fit your own. You can use metal or plastic wall plates. See our "Shop" for all these items.
Note: where it is necessary to combine aerial signals and dish LNB signals into one cable (as with a "Loft Box" or "Diplexer") then use of a decombining plate is unavoidable. We stock only the highest quality fully-shielded wall plates.
SATDS (RG6) is low cost, very flexible and ideal for making short connecting leads and for runs around the house. The main drawback is that it's more easily crushed and kinked. Also, because of its aluminium and copper shield, it's very susceptible to damage in damp conditions and it's more "lossy" than other cable which uses only copper so using it for long runs (more than 30 metres) or outdoors is not recommended.
CT100* and H109F*/WC100 are slightly more robust but still susceptible to kinking. Losses are lower than SATDS and they survive outdoors better. (They are all now obsolete - replaced by WF100.)
*CT100 supplies have disappeared since the manufacturer "Raydex" was taken over. H109F is also obsolete. We offer WC100, which is identical, while stocks last.
WF100 has a foam plastic dielectric which makes it less susceptible to kinking. It is slightly less flexible than air-spaced dielectric but, used indoors where it's warm, it still has adequate flexibility. Used outdoors, it is less susceptible to water ingress.
twin WF100 cable
There is virtually no difference in electrical performance between WF100, H109, WC100 and CT100 but WF100 has a foam dielectric, which makes it more robust and harder to kink. It's ideal for use almost anywhere and is available in various colours but it costs a little more. It is available as single or "twin" (two cables moulded together for convenience). It's available in SIX DIFFERENT COLOURS!
( HD100 - we do not stock this cable as I can see no significant advantage over WF100.)
WF65 replaces the obsolete CT63 "shotgun" cable. It is a twin cable which is very narrow diameter and can be pushed through a 10 mm hole. It requires a special "F" connector. It's fine for RF connections but not recommended for LNB runs of more than 20 metres because it loses more signal than thicker cables. This can reduce your "rain margin". In other words, you may lose the satellite signal in bad weather. (If this happens you could compensate by installing the next size larger dish). For longer runs we can supply WF100 in "twin" format. We can also supply WF65 as single "ultra-thin cable" so you don't need to pay for "twin" unless you need to.
IMPORTANT: The copper core (centre wire) of WF65 is thinner than that of other cable. If you connect it to an LNB or tuner that has for years been home to a thicker coax core wire it may not make a reliable connection! You may need to double it over and/or put solder on it to make it thicker.
"Shotgun" WF65 has significant losses at LNB frequencies (hence my recommendation to limit runs to about 20 metres for LNBs) but its losses at UHF frequencies are much lower. At only 4.5 mm diameter, "shotgun" is a convenient and unobtrusive cable to use for indoor runs.
The only slight problem is to fit a TV plug to it in a sensible fashion. I recommend soldering or use the type of plug that has a screw. (Of course our "special" 'F' plugs are better if you can use them.)
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WF125
WF125 cable is thicker, stiffer, and has lower losses than the cables above. Recommended for long LNB connections (e.g. over 40 metres) or where signal loss must be minimised. Note, however, that WF125 is stiffer and should not be connected directly to indoor equipment as it can put excessive strain on the connector.
We recommend that you use a threaded coupler and a short length of more flexible cable for this connection. We supply twist-on "F" connectors for this cable. (You can not fit a rubber boot to a WF125 connector so use self-amalgamating tape if it needs to be waterproof).
WF125 can be connected directly to the LNB but the same comments about additional weight and stiffness apply. It can put extra strain on the connector and the extra weight can cause the LNB support arm to bend.
For long cable runs of any cable, an equalised slope amplifier may be needed to combat cable attenuation (which is greater at higher frequencies - hence the need for an "equalised slope amplifier", which amplifies higher frequencies more than lower ones).
V60-100 equalised gain slope LNB amplifier
However, since an amplifier also adds electrical noise to the signal, it is invariably better to use a slightly larger dish than to use an amplifier.
LNB sliding cover
LNB sliding plastic drip covers don't fully protect the connections from rain or condensation so you should use silicone grease on the LNB connections. Without a sliding cover, use self-amalgamating tape (or rubber boots if you are not using WF125 cable).
What's the best cable? Read the review
Please note that SATDS, WF125 and CT63/WF65 are not included in the review.
How long can a cable be before loss of picture quality occurs?
This comes under the category of "how long is a piece of string". Basically, there's no answer unless you know the input signal level and the minimum output signal level required. You can then work it out by looking at the loss per metre. For our WC100/WF100 cables, the loss is about 13 dB/100m at 470 MHz (typical UHF) and around 27 dB/100m at 1750 MHz (typical satellite LNB frequency). SATDS is fractionally worse. and WF65 is a lot worse. So, if your UHF signal is only just high enough and you decide to add, say, another 46 metres of cable, you'll need a 6 dB amplifier to compensate for cable losses.
Understanding Sky book
