It’s an ongoing struggle. You need to run a long line from an antenna or satellite dish. Inevitably, someone says, “oh, just use RG11 cable, and it won’t be a problem.” Except I’m here to tell you my friends, it will be some kind of problem. I guarantee it.
The basics of RG11 cable vs. RG6
RG11 cable is coaxial cable just like RG6 cable. It’s designed to use a thicker center conductor and be thicker overall. This allows it to have less loss than RG6 cable, which is commonly used for antenna and satellite installations. How much less loss? For TV antennas which use lower frequencies, the difference is about 3dB per 100 feet. For satellite systems, the difference is about 5dB per 100 feet.
And here’s the thing, that’s usually not enough to make a difference.
Long runs for antennas
If you’re looking at a long run from the antenna into the house, here’s what you need to know. You can put in a strong pre-amplifier like this one and easily add 27dB gain. That’s enough to overcome the difference in 900 feet of cable. There’s just no reason to use RG11 cable in a situation like that.
Long runs for satellite
You run into similar issues with satellite. If you’re talking about runs before the multiswitch, you can easily get 200 feet between dish and multiswitch just using the amplifier in the dish and a trunk amplifier at the dish. I never recommend RG11 for runs after the multiswitch because long runs after the multiswitch usually mean a bad experience for customers. They will perceive a receiver as “flaky” or “slow” because of the way it communicates with other DVRs or with the multiswitch itself.
Not to mention…
RG11 cable is expensive. It’s heavy. It’s thick. Just getting it through the walls and crawl spaces is hard. You need a special tool to attach the special connectors for it. Working with it is a massive pain, you’ll just have to take it from me.
Now, there are a few cases where RG11 does make sense. Not many, but some. If you can’t avoid a long run before the multiswitch and there’s no way to put a powered amp by the dish, that’s one. But these aren’t very common cases. Of course you’ll always find exceptions to rules.
If you’re ready to do a large cabling project, there are better options than RG11. Call the experts and find out more. We’re here for you at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. We’ll help you find a solution that really makes sense. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you, usually within one business day.
