Will upgrading connectors help signal loss?

896 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by rudeney, Oct 4, 2008

Grentz

Discussion Starter · Oct 4, 2008

This is more a question directed towards OTA. My current satellite runs do have compression connectors already and are RG6.

Currently the house has RG59 w/crimp connectors. Not my choice, just how it was when we moved in all those years ago.

I am curious if investing time/money into changing out the crimp connectors for compression (digicon or snap & seal) would have any positive effect on signal strengths? I also potentially plan on running a SWM on a few of the runs so I was curious if upgrading the connectors would help that at all?

Or is it more just the quality of the connectors from a weatherproof/ease of use side more than functionality? (I do like the feel of the compression connectors over the crimp ones)

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davring

· #2 · Oct 4, 2008

Compression fittings are much faster to use when making new cables and they definitely are better when used outdoors. Our old house has several runs, although short, of RG59, several different types of ends and they are all still serviceable. I am sure the 20 plus year old cables are not up to specs, but I have good signal strength therefor they are not going to be replaced. All of my outdoor coax is quite new with compression ends.

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Grentz

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 4, 2008

I understand they are faster, cleaner, and better outdoors. But for indoors is there any benefit besides ease of use to upgrading crimp connectors to compression from a signal quality standpoint?

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2dogz

· #4 · Oct 4, 2008

A connector provides the mechanical connection and a path for ground. The signal bandwidth and strength are a function of the center conductor which is isolated from the connector. Unless the connector is weak and loose causing intermittant ground problems, replacing them would show no improvement. But I admit, the Digicom connectors sure are pretty.

RG59 is electrically the same as RG6. The difference is the thicker center conductor which D* likes because it allows the DC signal to work over longer distance runs than RG59 could.

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Grentz

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 4, 2008

That makes sense, I was wondering if there was any more isolation or something like that, but I guess probably not. I should probably just clean up the crimp connectors as they are all working just fine and secure (whoever did most of them left the shield sticking out of them too (thin metal strands) which is sort of annoying to work with).

More trying to justify the cost I guess, I love the look and feel of the compression fittings

I realize the difference in the RG/core/shielding, was just curious about the connectors as I had never seen anyone address it from a performance side.

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rudeney

· #6 · Oct 4, 2008

When properly installed, there is no difference in the signal qualities of crimp vs. compression connections. Besides water resistance, compression connectors are considered better because they are more secure. Unlike crimp connectors, they are nearly impossible to pull off the end of the cable.
When installing cable connectors, the most important thing is to make sure the shielding is properly secured to the connector and also to insure than none of the shielding comes anywhere close to the center conductor. Other than a loose connector, improper shielding connection or having a strand of shielding braid contacting the center conductor is the most common cause of signal problems.

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