F Type Connector for TV Coax Cables


The F connector or F-type connector is a form of coax cable connector that is widely used with domestic television equipment.The F connector is cheap and can perform to frequencies in excess of 2 GHz making it ideal for terrestrial and satellite links between antennas / down-converters or LNBs and the television itself.


In Europe, cables for down-converted satellite signals that fall between 950–2150 MHz from LNBs and DC power and block signalling from satellite receivers exclusively use F connectors.


The connector is usually used with RG-6/U cable, although it can also be used with the older RG-59/U cable.


The F type connector provides some significant improvements over the Belling Lee connectors (IEC 61169 part 2) that are widely used in Europe. These connectors were developed around 1922 and naturally their performance is not up to that of UHF TV.


F connector development


The F connector was developed in the USA in the 1950s by Eric E Winston of Jerrold Electronics, a company that was developing equipment for the domestic TV cable market.


The connector became widely adopted for VHF and then UHF television in the USA. It was cheap and performed well within domestic TV situations.


With the globalisation of TV equipment, and the wider adopting of satellite TV, the connector has come into more global use, first for satellite TV and then for terrestrial TV cables.


With its increased use it has been standardised by the International Electrotechnical Commission under its standard IEC 60169 which standardised radio frequency connectors.


F connector basics


The F type connector is an inexpensive connector that provides the required performance for many domestic TV related applications. The connector has male and female connections, uses a threaded outer to provide reliable contacts and it provides good 75Ω match for signals extending well above 1 GHz.


The thread for the F-type connector is a 3?8 in-32 unified extra fine (UNEF) thread. The female connector has a receptacle for the centre conductor and a barrel containing the spacing dielectric on the inside and on the outside is the thread.


The male has a captive nut with a thread on the inside and the centre pin - typically this is the centre conductor of the coax itself. The connectors are arranged so that the dielectrics of the two halves are in contact, thereby producing an almost constant impedance across the connectors. In this way, the male F connector consists of only a body, which is generally crimped onto or screwed over the cable shielding braid, and a captive nut. These do not require tight tolerances and this means costs can be controlled. Push-on versions are also available.


What is the best BNC connector? This article will discuss some of the most popular options that are available and present videos on how to connect these types of BNC connectors to coax cable. I hope that it will help readers decide which is the best choice for them.


BNC connectors are used in video applications with RG59 and RG6 coaxial cable. They are the industry standard connector for CCTV video surveillance systems. Almost always, devices such as CCTV cameras, surveillance DVRs, and security monitors have a BNC female video input or output on them. So, the coaxial cable that connects these types of devices needs to have BNC male connectors on both ends of the cable run.


Crimp-on BNC connectors are available in two styles: 2 piece and 3 piece. The two piece style is much more popular, so that is the type that we will discuss here. Installation using two piece BNC crimp-on connectors requires two tools: a coax cable stripper and a coax crimping tool. The attachment process takes a little longer than the other methods, but this is still a favorite among professional installers because the connector stays very secure when done.


Please watch the below video to see how BNC crimp-on connectors are attached to RG59 cable.


What Does IEC Connector Mean?


An IEC connector refers to a type of electronic cable that meet the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. The specification for IEC connectors is IEC-60320. The connectors mount with cables are commonly referred to as female connectors or sockets, whereas the connectors mount with panels are known as male connectors or plugs.

IEC-60320 is a standard for male and female connectors used in cables and electric devices such as computers, workstations, laptops, printers and so on. Note that the IEC-60320 standard applies to different range and types of electrical devices. There is a range of standardized connectors that differ in regards to current capacities, temperature ratings and number of conductors. The main purpose of these cables is to attach an electronic appliance to its power source.


Techopedia Explains IEC Connector


In the classification of IEC connectors, odd numbers denote the female connectors. The corresponding male connector number is the number of female connectors plus one. Thus, C1 is female connector and C2 is the matching male connector. The set of thirteen male and female connectors are summarized below:

C1 and C2: These connectors have 2 conductors, a rated current of 0.2 ampere and a maximum temperature of 70°C.

C3 and C4: These connectors have 2 conductors, a rated current of 2.5 amperes and a maximum temperature of 70°C.

C5 and C6: These connectors have 3 conductors, a rated current of 2.5 amperes and a maximum temperature of 70°C.

C7 and C8: These connectors have 2 conductors, a rated current of 2.5 amperes and a maximum temperature of 70°C. This set allows up to 4 meters length, whereas all the previous connectors allow only 2 meters of cable length.

C9 and C10: These connectors have 2 conductors, a rated current of 6 amperes and a maximum temperature of 70°C.

C11 and C12: These connectors have 2 conductors, a rated current of 10 amperes and a maximum temperature of 70°C but are no longer part of the standard.

C13 and C14: These connectors have 3 conductors, a rated current of 10 amperes and a maximum temperature of 70°C. It is also known as the IEC cold connector. It allows up to 10 meters in length.

C15 and C16: These connectors have 3 conductors, a rated current of 10 amperes and a maximum temperature of 120°C. It is also known as the IEC hot connector or kettle lead.


What Is an RCA Connector?


Radio Corporation of America (RCA) jacks and plugs are found on some of the most commonly used varieties of radio frequency (RF) coaxial cables. A male RCA connector consists of a central contact pin and an outer sleeve, each of which can be crimped or soldered to a shielded wire within a cable. Multiple RCA cables are typically required for any given application, since each one can only carry a single audio or video signal. Three RCA cables are required for a system that has stereo audio and composite video, while five are needed for stereo audio with component video. Modern high definition video signals can be transmitted through analog RCA connectors, though digital signals require different solutions.


The RCA connector was invented in the 1940s and was first used to connect an amplifier to a phonograph. They are sometimes referred to as phono connectors due to this original purpose, even though they can be used to carry both audio and video from many different devices. By the 1950s, the RCA connector had largely replaced the tip ring sleeve (TRS) connector in most high fidelity audio systems, and they remained popular even after the introduction of digital audio and video. Most audio-visual equipment comes equipped with RCA connectors, and some speakers do as well.


5 Common Types of RF Connectors


Do you find it difficult to identify what RF connector type you're going to use in an application? If so, don’t worry. In this article, you will learn about the different types of RF connectors and what applications they are commonly used for.


RF (radio frequency) connectors are connectors that are designed to work at radio frequencies for signal transmission of products like radios, antennas, coaxial cables, etc. However, these connectors have a variety of types.


Here are 5 of the most commonly used types of RF connectors.


5 Most Common RF Connector Types


The 5 most common RF connector types include


Type N Connectors


UHF Connectors


TNC Connectors


BNC Connectors


SMA Connectors


1. Type N Connector


The Type N connector is a threaded, weatherproof, medium sized connector for durable applications that can easily handle frequencies up to 11 Ghz. This type of connector follows MIL-STD-348 and widely used in lower frequency microwave systems where ruggedness and low cost are needed.


2. UHF Connector


The Ultra High Frequency (UHF) connector is also a threaded RF connector that carries signals at frequencies up to 100 MHz. It’s not waterproof and non-constant surge impedance. It can be used in amateur radio, Citizens band radio, and marine VHF radio applications.


3. TNC Connector


TNC is a threaded version of BNC connector and has better performance compared to BNC connector at microwave frequencies. It is used in radio and wired applications.


4. BNC Connector


BNC is a miniature quick connect/disconnect RF connector commonly used at low frequency applications. It is originally used for the military sector and has gained wide acceptance in composite video on commercially used video devices and RF applications up to 2 GHz.


5. SMA Connector


SMA or SubMiniature version A connectors are semi-precision coaxial RF connectors operating up to 18 GHz, though some proprietary versions are rated to 26.5 GHz. It is commonly used in RF power amplifiers, RF isolator, microwave systems, mobile telephone antennas, WiFi antenna systems and radio astronomy at 5 GHz+.