Product Information

Coaxial Cable Connectors

In order to attach coax lines and/or jumpers to antennas at one end and the transceiver equipment at the other, the coax must be fitted with the proper connector. When choosing the proper connectors for the main coax lines and the jumper assemblies, if used, there are several factors to consider: type (N or DIN), gender (male or female), field attachable or factory attached and finally, with the smaller diameter cables (usually ½” diameter or smaller), solder-on or captivated center pin. 

The type of connector is usually dictated by the antenna and the transceiver equipment. The transceiver equipment connector type is almost always fixed depending on the manufacturer, frequency and purpose. The antenna can have several different connector options so it is very important to make sure what connector type the antenna is, whether existing or new prior to ordering the corresponding connector for coax that will connect to the antenna. Although there are many types of connectors, the primary two currently being used in wireless communications are the N-type and 7/16” DIN-type connectors.

N-type connectors are the most common connectors that are already in use, but the 7/16” DIN connectors are now being used more frequently for new installations, change-outs and upgrades. The 7/16” DIN offers better insertion and return loss (see Antenna and Line Testing  ) performance.  Because of the larger surface areas of both the 7/16” DIN connector’s inner and outer conductors, they make a better electrical connection to cause this benefit of performance. Also, because of the design of the connection itself between the male and female parts, there is less likelihood of cross-threading the connection or damaging the respective center-pins due to misalignment.

Be sure to choose the proper gender, either male or female, of the connector to properly mate with the corresponding opposite gender of the antenna, jumper or transceiver equipment. Also, check to see if the connector being ordered is compatible with the cable it is to be installed upon.

Jumpers of any given length can easily be ordered with factory attached connectors and the main coax lines can then be run to the  proper length and location to mate with the pre-made jumper assemblies. The other option is to cut the jumper material to the proper length at the site and field-attach the connectors. The main coax lines typically utilize field-attachable connectors as it is very difficult to determine the exact length of the main lines ahead of time.  However, if the individual runs of coax are ordered on separate spools then it may be practical to have the leading end of the coax factory installed.

On the smaller diameter cable types there are two other choices of connectors: solder-on center pin or self-captivated center pin. Virtually all of the connectors sold now utilize the self-captivated center pin to avoid the unpredictability of the soldering ability of the technician in the field. In the “old days” this inconsistency was a huge cause of performance problems due to the difficulty of troubleshooting this problem.

Discount levels per customer can have a varied range based upon the manufacturer and the volume of business being provided. Some vendors’ list price reductions will be based upon an agreement to purchase a contracted amount of transmission line; others will base it upon the total volume of products purchased during the year, some will calculate it upon your month-to-month buying volume. For estimating purposes, the default pricing, as detailed below, is a discounted amount that should be obtainable through most manufacturers and distributors for captivated connectors for any appreciable volume. Check with your vendor to obtain current pricing on right angle, bulkhead and other specialty connectors.

Include taxes and freight in your estimate.

We recommend that you contact our valued connector manufacturers and distributors for your site-specific requirements.