Quick answer: probably not.
RG11 cable is a special kind of coaxial cable. It’s built for longer runs, and in general you’ll find that you can run 50-100 feet longer with RG11 and still keep an acceptable signal level. However, it’s not perfect for every use. Let’s take a look at RG11 cable and why it’s great for long runs but not for short ones.
Built to be tough
Everything about RG11 cable is built to be stronger. The inner dielectric (the white part) is almost twice as thick as the same part in RG6 cable. All told, a typical RG11 cable is about 33% thicker than a typical RG6 cable, although every manufacturer is different. Often times, RG11 cables use heavy-duty connectors, thicker jackets on the outside, and higher-quality materials. RG11 cable is for when you want to get serious
It’s about loss over distance
The whole goal of RG11 cable is to give you a longer cable run. At the typical frequencies where satellite signals live, a 250 foot run of RG6 will have 6dB loss, or about 200% worse performance. That can be the difference between getting a signal and not getting a signal. Sure you can put in an amplifier but what if there’s no place for an amplifier between one end of the cable and the other? RG11 cable is here to help. In this same example, you can run 300 feet with RG11, and have the same loss characteristics as 250 feet of RG6.
So why not use RG11 all the time?
If RG11 is this miraculous cable that can solve all these distance problems, you would think you would use it everywhere. Unfortunately, the power of RG11 comes with some real limitations.
It’s expensive.
RG11 cable can be double the price of RG6 cable, depending on the choices you make. That number can really make a dent in your budget if you’re doing a very large project.
It’s bulky.
RG11 cable is really stiff and bulky, because it’s so much thicker than regular RG6 cable. Think about how your big down jacket makes it harder for you to maneuver around, and it’s the same thing. RG11 cable doesn’t like anything but the gentlest of bends, and the connectors can be twice as long as regular RG6 compression connectors. They’re thicker too. This means that it may simply be impossible to get RG11 connections straight to a TV or receiver.
Then there are “reflections.”
This is the hardest part to explain, but I’ll try.
Think of how, when you pour water into a funnel it splashes back up. Pour too fast and you’ll lose more water from the splash than actually goes down the hole!
That same effect comes into play with cables, and we call it “reflection.” As a signal enters a connector, some of it “splashes back” onto the cable. It’s normally not a big deal and the part of the cable that is affected by reflections is usually about a foot or so. (That’s the reason commercial installers like cable lengths to be two feet at the minimum.) However, the bulky RG11 connector and the big thick cable combine to allow reflections to travel up to 50 feet back down the cable. Keep in mind that there’s a reflection on both sides and that’s why it’s a bad idea to have RG11 cables that are shorter than 100 feet.
When reflection happens, the overall quality of the signal suffers, just like when you get water drops on a window. Often times the signal is strong enough to overcome this, but the whole point of putting in RG11 cable in the first place is to make things better, not worse.
You may not see a benefit in short runs
In a 100 foot run, you will net about 3dB more signal using RG11 than you would using RG6. However, when you use a barrel connector and a short RG6 jumper, you will lose roughly 2dB due to insertion loss. This means that the whole net gain from all that work and expense will be 1dB. That’s hardly worth the effort in most cases. I use this calculator to check losses at different frequencies and it helps me decide if RG11 is the best option.
You can mix coaxial cable types
It’s very common for RG11 to be used for long runs and RG6 to be used for shorter runs. Typically you would switch cable types at an intermediate closet where the RG11 cable will go into an amplifier and RG6 cable will come out. Generally you would not want to splice the two types together with a barrel if you could avoid it.
Folks, every tool in the A/V installer’s kit has a purpose. The purpose of RG11 cable is to make long runs easier. The purpose of RG6 cable is to make short runs easier. Use the two for what they’re intended for. Simple as that.
If you’re looking for RG11 cable or any other coaxial cable, check out the great selection at Solid Signal. If you have questions, call us at [email protected] or fill out the form below.
I went from CCS RG6 to 100%-copper RG11 and noticed marked improvements on my signal readings for an OTA antenna. I used a straight run from the antenna to the distribution point for two TVs.
I wonder if that was due to your use of an amplified antenna like the Televes DATBOSS series. It could be that you were underpowering the amplifier with your use of CCS.
No, initially I used RG6 CCS, then 100%-copper RG6 and finally 100%-copper RG11,
Every time I replaced the cable, I got better results on my signal readings using a field meter. It is easy to check if the amplifier is working or not by just disconnecting power from the power source and checking the effect on the readings. I can also check voltage at the antenna end using a voltmeter.
What happens if you underpower a mast amplifier? Does it work at all? Does it get damaged by overheating?
Most amplifiers have a voltage range. They will work when the power level is a little low. Below that they often shut down. A well made amplifier designed for outdoor use shouldn’t be harmed by temperature.
Hi, saw this article. I have a further question on RG11 mixing and reflections. If I run about 65 feet of aerial RG11 from the utility pole (internet provider!) to the box on the side of the house, where there it goes into a straight pass-thru connector to RG6, which goes on another 70 feet into the house before terminating (cable modem), whould that be safe from the reflection concern cited in the article? It’s 75 ohm all the way through, even though it is transitioning through slight different mediums. (And also quad-shield for both cables. I’m an old school educated electrical engineer, I should know this better and I don’t anymore!)
There would still be some concern about reflections due to the short run of RG11. The reflections happen when the signal hits the connector. Can you do 100′ of RG11 and 35 feet of RG6? That’s only a 1dB difference in loss at 2150MHz.
In fact if you do the entire run with a single RG6 line, the excess loss in the cable is 2dB, but you will make that back because you will probably lose 2dB through two connectors and a barrel if you use a mixed RG6/RG11 run. So there’s no real benefit to doing a mixed RG6/RG11 run at that distance.
The dB loss or attenuation in this article is not correct. RG11 has an attenuation of 4dB / 1dB loss from high to low over 100 feet. your RG6 will have a 6dB / 2dB loss at a 100 foot length. you loss should be calculated at 100 foot distances, as far as a 65 foot aerial line from tap to ground block at the side of the house you should be fine as long as the connectors have been installed properly. Also. not many cable or satellite providers don’t use any frequency over 1500MHz, as most stop with docsis at 1150MHz to 1250MHz. the rest of the frequency between 1250Mhz and 1500Mhz is used for moca or the equivalent depending on your provider.
I’m cabling a warehouse Comcast ran about 80ft of RG11, I think it 18 gauge, I’m running RG6 quad shielding about 150ft to office area. The customer is going wireless through out the offices. Will this work or should I be installing RG11.
Thanks
At 150 feet, RG11 will give you a little better performance but probably not make enough of a difference to compensate for the extra cost and extra effort of working with it. The actual difference between the two cables is 3-5dB loss.
I’m wiring a warehouse, Comcast ran approximately 80ft. of RG11 to the back of the warehouse. I have RG6 18 gauge, quad shielding going about 150ft. Will the signal be strong enough to service a wireless in office area. Office area is 3000sq ft.
Really hard to know if Comcast’s signal will be strong enough. If isn’t, a CATV amplifier like this one will help: https://www.solidsignal.com/winegard-24db-distribution-amplifier-for-tv-antenna-or-catv-hda-200
Thank you, I will keep that in mind.
Can I run a rg11 coaxial cord 300 feet to hook up my cellphone signal boosters outdoor antenna I live in a valley and the only place to get signal close to me is 300feet up a hill becide my house
Yes. You’ll have up to 20dB loss over that run, which may limit the booster’s ability to help you, but in most cases it should work.
Is their any way to minagate that
unfortunately you can’t use line amplifiers on cell phone signal boosters, it’s an FCC rule.
I have a 125 foot run of RG11 cable into my house. Where can I purchase an adapter that will connect RG11 to RG6 cable which I use inside my home? By Gregg L. Friedman MD
Any 3GHz rated f-female barrel will do. You may not need 100 but getting small quantities is hard because of the shipping.
https://www.solidsignal.com/eagle-aspen-100-directv-approved-3ghz-barrel-connectors-dtvff-10-b
Any 3GHz rated f-female barrel will do. You may not need 100 but getting small quantities is hard because of the shipping.
https://www.solidsignal.com/eagle-aspen-100-directv-approved-3ghz-barrel-connectors-dtvff-10-b
Hello,
I did install an antenna on a mast of approximatively 15~16 foot high for OTA and I’m only getting reception at night in between 2AM to 6AM.
I’m using a RG6 coax of about 25ft (to reach the device inside). Is RG11 could help in my case?
And also, we’re located right in between two big centers, transmitters are at about 80KM from us at the East and about the same distance from the West side.
A amplifier has been used however, it didn’t really help at all. I notice only a slight increase in the signal strength.
There trees around the antenna but there a radius clearance of 50ft~60ft (and more). Is the trees could influence the reception even if there a clearance between the antenna and them?
The reported signal stench is about 35~36% during the day. When I do have reception at night or very early in the morning, the signal is at 40~45%+
Thanks for your advices.
Guillaume
I doubt RG11 would help in this situation. The run is too short for you to benefit.