F connector
Encyclopedia
Coaxial
In geometry, coaxial means that two or more forms share a common axis; it is the three-dimensional linear analogue of concentric.Coaxial cable, as a common example, has a wire conductor in the centre a circumferential outer conductor and an insulating medium called the dielectric separating...
RF connector
RF connector
A coaxial RF connector is an electrical connector designed to work at radio frequencies in the multi-megahertz range.RF connectors are typically used with coaxial cables and are designed to maintain the shielding that the coaxial design offers. Better models also minimize the change in transmission...
commonly used for "over the air" terrestrial television
Terrestrial television
Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...
, cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
and universally for satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
and cable modems, usually with RG-6/U cable
RG-6
RG-6/U is a common type of coaxial cable used in a wide variety of residential and commercial applications. The term "RG-6" itself is quite generic and refers to a wide variety of cable designs, which differ from one another in shielding characteristics, center conductor composition, and...
or, in older installations, with RG-59/U cable
RG-59
RG-59/U is a specific type of coaxial cable, often used for low-power video and RF signal connections. The cable has a characteristic impedance of 75 ohms. The 75 ohm impedance matches a dipole antenna in free space. "RG" was originally a unit indicator for bulk radio frequency cable in the...
. It was invented by Eric E. Winston in the early 1950s while working for Jerrold Electronics
Jerrold Electronics
Jerrold Electronics was a provider of cable television equipment, including subscriber converter boxes, distribution network equipment , and headend equipment in the United States.-History:...
on their development of cable television. In the 1970s it became commonplace on VHF television antenna connections, as coaxial cables replaced twin-lead
Twin-lead
Twin-lead cable is a two-conductor ribbon cable used as a transmission line to carry radio frequency signals.- Characteristics and uses:...
, and later for UHF also.
The F connector is inexpensive, yet has good 75 Ω impedance match up to 1 GHz and has usable bandwidth up to several GHz. One reason for its low cost is that it uses the solid conductor (center wire) of the specified types of coaxial cable
Coaxial cable
Coaxial cable, or coax, has an inner conductor surrounded by a flexible, tubular insulating layer, surrounded by a tubular conducting shield. The term coaxial comes from the inner conductor and the outer shield sharing the same geometric axis...
as the pin of the male connector. This design is subject to the surface properties of the inner conductor (which must be solid wire) and is not corrosion resistant; hence waterproof versions are needed for outside use (for example, on aerials). The male connector body is typically crimped
Crimp (joining)
Crimping is joining two pieces of metal or other malleable material by deforming one or both of them to hold the other. The bend or deformity is called the crimp.- Uses :...
, or sometimes screwed, on to the exposed outer braid. The cable industry standard now is to use compression fittings. Female connectors have a 3/8-32 UNEF thread
Unified Thread Standard
The Unified Thread Standard defines a standard thread form and series—along with allowances, tolerances, and designations—for screw threads commonly used in the United States and Canada...
(9.525mm diameter). Most male connectors have a matching threaded connecting ring, though push-on versions are also available. Push-on F connector ends provide poor shielding against airborne signals (e.g., a nearby TV transmitter will interfere with a CATV station).
It is suitable for domestic terrestrial, cable, and satellite TV installations and offers significant improvements over the Belling-Lee connector (IEC 169-2) used on European terrestrial receivers. It requires slightly more care to properly install the male connector to the cable than with Belling-Lee type and attention should always be paid to the quality of the connector and matching with the cable size.