Prime RG6 Coax

[charlesrshell]

Does anyone have experience with RG6 coax from Prime Wire Co? Is it pretty good quality? Which is best to use, solid copper or copper clad steel?

 

[RandallA]

For satellite TV solid copper because the loss of voltage is less but either one should be fine. As far a Prime Wire cable, I've never heard of it. Do they have specs for their cable somewhere?

 

[charlesrshell]

I can't find anything either. On the box it says Swept tested to 3,000 MHZ and SBCA approved. It is also on DishTV approved accessories list. I bought a 500 foot dual box from the local retail Dish TV shop. I didn't realize it was copper clad steel till I got home with it. I never dreamed that satellite installers would use nothing but solid copper. I called the shop back and they said they have used it for a long time and that is what Dish sends them. I was totally shocked. From everything I know solid copper is the best way to go. He said I can bring it back and he will exchange for the solid copper with a price increase. Have you heard of this SBCA thing?

:: SBCA ONLINE ::

 

[rcdallas]

Copper Clad will work fine. Dish pretty much switched to it probably umm...... 6 months ago or so and I can't recollect any issues with it besides not being able to use it on Wildblue installs.

Thank Lil' Bush for copper increase!

 

[charlesrshell]

Well, I haven't installed it yet. I think I am going to exchange it. The retail shop told me the same thing that he has to use solid copper for Wild Blue.

 

[downriver]

Prime Wire Cable

I purchased some Prime RG6 and wrote them an e-mail with questions. I received a prompt, courteous, knowledgeable reply. Click on the link and contact Susan James.

 

[rcdallas]

Are you concerned with signal loss due to the copper clad? Unless your using RG59, I wouldn't sweat it. If it's on the Dish Approved list I'd ride with it unless you were doing some 500' pole mount where it came down to fractions of a nanosecond.

 

[charlesrshell]

I guess I shouldn't be concerned with it. The longest run from dish to receiver is 139 feet. It looks like good stuff. Appears to be stronger than solid copper.

 

[RandallA]

Since your longest run is only 139 ft., I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[rcdallas]

From a tech point of view in a previous life - good to go bro!

 

[KKlare]

Copper-clad steel is useful for suspended cables as it is stronger in tension.
Solid copper is useful for DC transmission of more than a few tens of feet length.
I had a Dish-installed steel core rust out in the fitting and leave 1/2 inch inside the DPP44. The moisture got into the unsealed fitting despite our normally dry conditions. So be careful with boots and grease. Short cables that were all copper would have prevented it.
-Ken

 

[charlesrshell]

Thanks to all for your help. I am going to use the copper clad steel. Do anyone know about the SBCA cert thing? :: SBCA ONLINE ::

 

[mdwatt]

SBCA approval is like ISO 9001 certification for manufacturers, or like UL listings for ground blocks and such. They're just an organization that checks out various products that are intended for use in the cable and satellite industries and put their seal of approval on it as being ok for use for it's intended purpose. My only gripe with Prime wire is that sometimes the jacket likes to split on it if it's real cold and you're working with it. Last winter I pulled about a 100' run from dish to house and started to bury it. I got about 25' of it buried and noticed that the jacket was split on it right where the two strands were molded together, showing the braiding and foil inside. That's not the only time it happened, but was probably the worst. Doesn't do too bad during warmer weather though. Seems to do ok with signal and all that. I'm gonna be redoing my house soon with solid copper though. Just because I'm picky and I want every ounce of signal I can get.

 

[Foxbat]

At RF frequencies, all the electron migration is at the surface of the conductor due to the skin effect. That's why copper-clad works just fine for DBS installations. Solid copper handles higher current DC, like the power supplied to the switch and/or LNBf, because the electrons move through the entire conductor.

 

[mdwatt]

At RF frequencies, all the electron migration is at the surface of the conductor due to the skin effect. That's why copper-clad works just fine for DBS installations. Solid copper handles higher current DC, like the power supplied to the switch and/or LNBf, because the electrons move through the entire conductor.

.....which is why solid copper is required for satellite internet installtions, i.e. Direcway & Wildblue. It takes a lot of power from the modem to send a signal all the way back to the satellite in space.