RF Cable Groups

This document has been composed to provide a industry reference for the major coaxial cable groups and their nominal specifications. Cable grouping is important to ensure compatibility across different manufacturers. Rather than introduce a brand new cable type with unique dimensions, RF cable manufacturers typically produce their cable to align with a well known cable group. This ensures connectors from one company can be used on another company's cable.

This can sound confusing, so to help illustrate the point consider the following example. Powertec produce coaxial cables such as our PTL-240, which sits alongside others including CommScope CNT-240, Telegärtner G30, Times Microwave LMR-240, and many others, who all manufacture an "L-240" group cable.

Cable Groups by Attenuation (dB/m)

Cable Groups by Max. Frequency

Explore RF Cable Groups

Group	Description	Max. Freq.	Att. @ 1 GHz
L-500	L-500 is a heavy duty 50 Ω full sized coaxial cable with an overall diameter of 12.7 mm and finds its use as a general purpose feeder cable for SCADA, WiFi, UHF, and other telemetry systems, although less popular than their L-400 and L-600 counterparts. The double shielded outer conductor provides ...	12.6 GHz	0.11 dB/m
L-400	L-400, sometimes referred to as LMR-400, is a low loss coaxial cable with a 10.16 mm outer diameter. Supporting frequencies beyond 6 GHz it's a popular choice for entry- to intermediate-level wireless communications systems. Due to its braided outer conductor the cable cannot be used for PIM ...	16.2 GHz	0.14 dB/m
L-300	L-300 is a 50 Ω mid-size coaxial cable with an overall diameter of 7.62 mm, providing a compromise between form-factor/bend radius, and attenuation/power handling. The double shielded outer conductor provides exceptional RF shielding exceeding 90 dB, and PE jacket for a service life in excess of 20 ...	24.5 GHz	0.21 dB/m
L-240	L-240, sometimes referred to as LMR-240, is a low loss coaxial cable with a medium sized 6.10 mm outer diameter. This series is without a doubt the most popular choice of RF cable, due to its efficient compromise between performance and cost. L-240 cable provides the flexibility and easy ...	31 GHz	0.26 dB/m
L-200	L-200 was as a high performance drop-in replacement for L-195. The cable was designed with a marginally larger center conductor than RG-58 and LMR-195 to provide reduced attenuation, while still maintaining a 4.95 mm overall diameter. The double shielded outer conductor provides exceptional RF ...	36 GHz	0.34 dB/m
L-195	L-195 was designed as a high performance drop-in replacement for RG-58, RG-122, RG-303, and RG-142. The double shielded outer conductor provides excellent RF shielding exceeding 90 dB, and its PE jacket provides for a service life in excess of 20 years. L-195 cables are occasionally referred to as ...	41 GHz	0.39 dB/m
L-100	L-100 coaxial cable is designed as a high performance drop-in replacement for RG-174 and RG-316. The double shielded outer conductor provides exceptional RF shielding exceeding 90 dB, and 2.79 mm overall diameter makes the cable type suitable for high frequency microwave applications up to 63 GHz ...	63 GHz	0.78 dB/m
7/8 Corrugated	7/8-Inch (7/8") corrugated coaxial cable is a heavy duty feeder cable designed for lengthy runs within large antenna systems. 7/8-Inch jumper cables are commonly found within Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), along with older UHF and cellular base stations. While designs can vary between ...	5.2 GHz	0.04 dB/m
3/8 Corrugated	3/8-Inch (3/8") corrugated coaxial cable is a medium duty jumper cable designed for short interconnections within large antenna systems. 3/8-Inch jumper cables are one of three main cable types used in Distributed Antenna Systems. While designs can vary between manufacturers, 3/8-inch cables always ...	13.5 GHz	0.12 dB/m
1/4 Corrugated	Quarter-Inch (1/4") corrugated coaxial cable is a flexible, light duty jumper cable designed for short interconnections within large antenna systems. Quarter-Inch jumper cables are one of three main cable types used in Distributed Antenna Systems. While designs can vary between manufacturers, quarter ...	18.6 GHz	0.20 dB/m
1/2 Corrugated	Half-Inch (1/2") corrugated coaxial cable is a heavy duty feeder cable designed for integration into large antenna systems. Half-Inch feeder cables are one of three main cable types used in passive Distributed Antenna Systems. While designs can vary between manufacturers, half-inch cables always ...	8.8 GHz	0.07 dB/m
1.37 mm Mini-Coax	Micro-coaxial cables measuring 1.37mm (outer diameter) are typically utilised internally within RF devices. These include but are not limited to, cellular and GPS modules, and WLAN devices. Due to their small size, these cables are also suitable for use in miniature electronic devices such as ...	6 GHz	1.60 dB/m
1.13 mm Mini-Coax	Microcoaxial cables with a diameter of 1.13mm are typically found inside high-frequency RF devices. These applications can be found in various industries, including telecommunications, aerospace, medical, and automotive. The compact size and flexibility of these cables make them ideal for use in ...	6 GHz	2.30 dB/m
1-5/8 Corrugated	1-5/8-Inch (1-5/8") corrugated coaxial cable is a heavy duty feeder cable designed for large horizontal or vertical runs within major antenna systems. 1-5/8-Inch feeder cables, such as the popular CommScope AVA7-50 pictured, are commonly found within Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), along with ...	2.7 GHz	0.02 dB/m
0.81 mm Mini-Coax	0.81 mm mini-coaxial cable is typically found inside devices that require high-frequency transmission up to 6 GHz, such as in cellular modems and GNSS transceivers. It is also used in medical equipment and military installations due to its compact size and reliable performance. The cable is most ...	6 GHz	2.65 dB/m