GT100 Cable

[DogRuffRacing]

Hi All

Was in B&Q yesterday and see they sell Tower GT100 coax satellite cable at £38 for 100 meters, i pulled the plastic endcap off the cable and it has the foam dielectric like the wf100, i take it this cable is fine to use? its cheap and local so ideal if its the same spec.

Thanks

 

[rolfw]

I've not used it, but it looks like it should be OK. There is a lot of poor quality cable around being sold as CT100 or equivalent in some electrical wholesalers.

 

[Rick]

Wow that sounds expensive. One of the local independants near me will sell 100m of RG6 for £19 to the public.

I've not tried Towers cable, but their clips and capping are garbage.

 

[A nonymous]

Their cable isn't the best either in all honesty

 

[wod]

What about screw fix etc ?

I wonder what cable they sell on 100m reels

To the op do you need all that cable as you could just buy a cut length from the various sat shops ?

 

[PaulR]

Accoording to my Screwfix catalogue they do:

A fairly low spec RG6 (copper clad steel centre, copper/aluminium shield) for £23.76/100m. They also do PF100 at £43.98/100m, a low low smoke PF100 at £67.81/100m and shotgun (presumably a 58 rather than a 100 and also with an aluminium sheath) for £73.03/100m. All have foam insualation.

I usually find that Toolstation have better prices than Screwfix but their choice is limited to either a low spec RG6 (aluminium/aluminium shield) at £22.30/100m or CT100 at £43.94/100m Both have five cell insulation rather foam.

 

[A nonymous]

I know Wilkinsons do normal 75ohm TV cable, but not sure about CT100. If they do it will be well priced.

Failing that ebay is your best friend

Nano

 

[DogRuffRacing]

Wow that sounds expensive. One of the local independants near me will sell 100m of RG6 for £19 to the public.

I've not tried Towers cable, but their clips and capping are garbage.

I assumed possibly wrongly that this would be the same as the other 100 spec cables ie webro wf100 or triax tx100 ect ect its cai approved

I think i will stick with the known wf100

Cheers

 

[wod]

I think i will stick with the known wf100

That is all I use for any needed cabling as its available in brown which I prefer to black.

 

[davjen]

Has anyone had experience with Volex-Radex CT125 cable? I bought some at least 10 years ago but in the end have never used it mainly because it is white? Losses on this heavier cable is supposed to be much less than CT100, I believe.

 

[PaulR]

No direct experience but from its part number it'll have five cell insulation rather foam and, yes, as it's larger it'll have lower loss than CT100.

The 100 and 125 refer to the diameter of the centre conductor (1mm and 1.25mm respectively). In order to maintain the 75ohm impedance the ratio of diameter of inner to to outer means that the outer shield is larger on the 125. This therefore means that you'll need special plugs as normal ones won't fit.

I take it that the white doesn't fit against the wall? There's no difference in durability really.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Has anyone had experience with Volex-Radex CT125 cable? I bought some at least 10 years ago but in the end have never used it mainly because it is white? Losses on this heavier cable is supposed to be much less than CT100, I believe.

Since the advent of HD muxes on terrestrial it is all I use now as it does compensate for the filtering out of certain frequencies inside the cheaper wall-plates and di/triplexer sockets.

The problem you might get if you are not careful, is potential ingress of water on
any badly sealed connector,
a damaged outer cover, or
somebody nicking the cable with a wall clip.

Be very careful if you are using it on satellite cable for obvious reasons, but in its favour the better f-connectors can be fitted to it without trouble.

 

[PaulR]

...it is all I use now...

You only use 125 cable? Surely you meant 100 cable.

 

[Channel Hopper]

No, for terrestrial around London there is the issue of one HD mux which causes no end of trouble for existing systems using an older style Group A antenna, and many of the
'orrible diplexer systems top and bottom introducing FM to the far end.

Replacing the 100 cable for a decent bit of 125 has eliminated the dreaded 'no HD channels' on new-fangled full 'full HD' TVs in almost all residences I have worked on in the past year, no need to change the aerial, or the socket.

Give price beforehand following inspection for running the cable though, as some runs have been a right pig.

 

[PaulR]

Wow, amazing. Presumably later this year after DSO you'll be able to go back to 100 cable though.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Wow, amazing. Presumably later this year after DSO you'll be able to go back to 100 cable though.

If the powers do go up as claimed then many will require attenuation at the socket.