Belden's 1505A has become the industry standard for many coax applications. Belden has manufactured many of their coax cables to provide precision transmission for analog and digital applications.
When to use RG59 or RG6!
The 1505A (RG59) and the 1694A (RG6) have been the industry standards for coax installations, production and more. But when do I need an RG59 or an RG6? First we must know the differences.
RG59 vs RG6!
The difference between the two, in terms of construction, results in a better frequency range for the RG6 cable. RG6 cables are often certified to work up to 3Ghz. Although RG59 cables may work above the 2Ghz level, it is not always the case and problems may still appear later as the conditions change. Another key difference is the much lower attenuation of RG6 cables. With very long lengths of cable, the attenuation can degrade the signal to a point where it becomes noticeable. Using an RG6 cable simply means that you are able to use longer cables before you have problems with attenuation.
One of the few downsides to the RG6 cable is when it is used for applications that operate below 50Mhz. A good example of this is HDTV, which only operates at around 37Mhz. The shielding of RG6 cables cannot properly prevent noise at levels of below 50Mhz and the signal may be worse with an RG6 cable than with an RG56.These type of specs are usually found in CCTV systems where multiple cameras are used in and around fluorescent lighting. RG59 excels at shielding the signal from RF that can be caused by fluorescent lighting. But it's prime purpose is to transport RF signal from your anntena to your TV.
Because of these differences, each of these two cables are often used for specific purposes despite being interchangeable. RG6 is the cable of choice for satellite receivers because it allows for better signal quality as well as insurance that any future specification that could use frequencies close to 3Ghz would still be compatible with the current wiring. RG59 is used for video signals as it would provide the best signal quality for the frequencies in use. Not to mention the cheaper price per length of RG59 cables compared to RG6 cables.
To sum it up, RG59 is an excellent choice for short runs of coax and CCTV installs as well as patch cables and the RG6 is fantastic for longer runs and for digital TV there is no argument that its performance is superior to RG59.
Know your cables!