General Characteristics
| Cable Type | Impedance (Ω) | Typical OD | Velocity Factor | Capacitance (pF/ft) | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RG-174 | 50 | Very thin | 0.66 | 30.8 | Short jumpers, portable |
| RG-58 | 50 | Small | 0.66 | 28.8 | HF/VHF short runs |
| RG-8X | 50 | Medium | 0.66 | 30.8 | HF/VHF base/mobile |
| RG-213 | 50 | Large | 0.66 | 30.8 | HF base stations |
| RG-6 | 75 | Medium | 0.66 | 20.3 | RX-only, SDR, TV |
| LMR-240 | 50 | Medium | 0.84 | 24.2 | HF/VHF/UHF |
| LMR-400 | 50 | Large | 0.85 | 23.9 | VHF/UHF/SHF |
| LMR-600 | 50 | Very large | 0.87 | 23.4 | Long VHF/UHF runs |
Attenuation Comparison (dB / 100 ft)
| Cable | 14 MHz (20 m) | 50 MHz (6 m) | 144 MHz (2 m) | 432 MHz (70 cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RG-174 | 3.1 | 6.1 | 10.2 | 18.1 |
| RG-58 | 1.7 | 3.3 | 5.6 | 10.0 |
| RG-8X | 1.3 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 8.2 |
| RG-213 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 4.5 |
| RG-6 (75 Ω) | 1.0 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 6.0 |
| LMR-240 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 5.3 |
| LMR-400 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.7 |
| LMR-600 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.7 |
Maximum Power Rating (Watts, approx.)
| Cable | HF (3–30 MHz) | VHF (144 MHz) | UHF (432 MHz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| RG-174 | ~300 W | ~80 W | ~50 W |
| RG-58 | ~800 W | ~240 W | ~130 W |
| RG-8X | ~500 W | ~150 W | ~80 W |
| RG-213 | ~2800 W | ~840 W | ~450 W |
| RG-6 | ~850 W | ~250 W | ~140 W |
| LMR-240 | ~2100 W | ~660 W | ~380 W |
| LMR-400 | ~4800 W | ~1480 W | ~830 W |
| LMR-600 | ~8000 W | ~2420 W | ~1350 W |
Practical Selection Guide (Quick)
| Application | Recommended Cable |
|---|---|
| Portable HF | RG-58, RG-8X, LMR-240 |
| Base HF | RG-213, LMR-400 |
| VHF/UHF short | RG-213, LMR-240 |
| VHF/UHF long | LMR-400 / 600 |
| RX-only / SDR | RG-6 |
| Jumpers | RG-316 / RG-174 |
Connector Loss
| Connector | VHF (144 MHz) | UHF (432 MHz) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PL-259 / SO-239 | ~0.1 dB | ~0.2–0.3 dB | Non-constant impedance, loss rises fast above 300 MHz |
| N-Type | ~0.05 dB | ~0.05–0.1 dB | Constant impedance, preferred for VHF/UHF |
Note: At UHF, two PL-259 connectors can equal or exceed 10–15 m of RG-213 loss. This is why N-type is strongly recommended for emergency, repeater, and EME work.
Please Note: The values provided above are for reference purposes only. Actual values may vary depending on the manufacturer, product specifications, and other quality factors.