COAXIAL CABLE SPECIFICATIONS
MAJOR TYPES
DATA SHEET COMPILED BY PAUL HARDEN NA5N
 COAX     CONDUCTOR          INSULATION        SHIELD          JACKET
TYPE
Strands
Diameter
Material
Diameter
Cover
Material
Diameter
Velocity Factor
pf/ft.
Atten/100ft
50 Ohm .
RG-8
7/19
0.108
FP
0.285
97%
PE
0.405
0.78
26
0.5db
RG-8*
7/19
0.108
FP
0.285
*96%
PE
0.480
0.78
26
0.5db
RG-8A
7/21
0.085
PE
0.285
97%
NC
0.405
0.66
30
0.5db
RG-9*
7/21
0.86
PE
0.280
*96%
NC
0.420
0.66
30
0.6db
RG-58
Solid
0.32
PE
0.116
95%
PV
0.193
0.66
29
1.2
RG-58A
19/33
0.35
PE
0.116
96%
PV
0.195
0.66
31
1.4db
RG-58A*
7/28
0.37
PE
0.114
*96%
PV
0.240
0.66
31
1.5db
RG-58C
19/33
0.35
PE
0.116
96%
NC
0.195
0.66
31
1.4db
RG-141#
Solid
0.037
TF
0.116
#96%
FG
0.190
0.70
29
1.1db
RG-174
7/34
0.019
PE
0.060
88%
PV
0.101
0.66
31
3.3db
RG-223#
Solid
0.035
PE
0.116
#*97%
NC
0.212
0.66
31
1.2db
9913
Solid
0.108
FP
0.285
100%
PV
0.405
0.84
24
0.4db
72 Ohm
 
RG-11
Solid
0.064
FP
0.285
95%
PV
0.405
0.78
17
0.4db
RG-11A
7/26
0.048
PE
0.285
97%
PV
0.405
0.66
21
0.7db
RG-59
Solid
0.023
PE
0.146
95%
PV
0.146
0.66
21
1.1db
RG-59*
Solid
0.032
FP
0.143
*96%
PE
0.315
0.78
17
1.0db
RG-59B
Solid
0.023
PE
0.146
95%
NC
0.242
0.66
21
1.1db
 
                  * = Double shielded Coax                # = Silver plated centre conductor and shield
 
  1. 1. Centre conductor is copper or tinned copper except where indicated by #
  2. 2. Insulation dielectric Codes PE: Polyethylene FP: Foam Polyethylene TF: High Temperature Teflon
  3. 3. Jacket Material Codes PE: Polyethylene PV: PVC   NC: Non-contaminating FG: Fiberglass
  4. 4. VF = Velocity factor of coax  (eg 0.66 = 66%)
  5. 5. pf/ft = Capacitance (in pf) per foot
  6. 6. Attenuation/100ft = coax attenuation per 100ft at 10Mhz
  7. 7. Diameters for centre conductor, insulation and jacket are used for selecting proper connector (BNC, PL259, etc)

 The physical length of coax is:
Coax length (ft) = 948/f    One wavelength
                        = 246/f     Quarter wavelength
For example:
A Quarter wavelength of RG-58/U (VF = 0.66) at 7.040Mhz would be 23.06ft in length
Credit for this information is to Paul Harden NA5N QRP-L #38