What is a standard home television aerial RF coaxial connector called? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: jj5
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 05:14:12 am
content: Can anyone tell me what the following standard connector is called? I've shown a photo of the male and female variants. This is just a standard home aerial cable. It doesn't appear to be F-Type, BNC, SMA, N-Type... so, what is it?

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 05:16:18 am
content: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belling-Lee_connector

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 07:58:22 am
content: Huh. I've been using them all my life and had no idea.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 08:10:05 am
content: Quote from: jj5 on March 08, 2024, 05:14:12 amI would call them "the work of the devil!".They make SCART connectors & PL259/SO239s look like masterpieces of engineering!The modern versions are even more horrific than the original ones.

author: thermistor-guy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 08:26:54 am
content: Quote from: jj5 on March 08, 2024, 05:14:12 amIn Australia they are also called PAL connectors e.g.:https://www.4cabling.com.au/tv-antenna-cable-adapter-f-type-female-to-pal-female-adaptor-straight.htmlhttps://bitek.com.au/products/connectors-adaptors/pal-connector/

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 08:51:48 am
content: "But wait!---there's more!"Sadly, in Oz, TV sets are delivered with an antenna input consisting of a female Belling-Lee.That should be the only place such a horror exists, as TV antenna cabling uses the much superior "F" connector.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F_connectorUse the compression type F connectors on all the fixed wiring, which will ultimately appear on your wall as a female "F".The final flexible coax to your TV should have a male "F" type both ends, then fit an "F" female to "Belling Lee" male adaptor.The "Belling Lee" end of the adaptor is a far better engineered connector than the original could be even in the wildest dreams of the B/L designers back in 1922.The silly thing is that a much-improved version of the B/L original could have been designed at any time since 1922, but they stuck to the horrible original "through thick & thin".Unfortunately the plastic so-called "PAL connectors" you can buy these days are even worse than the original!

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 01:49:55 pm
content: As soon as I saw that connector I knew the post was non-U.S. We used that exact same connector on Iceland where the analog television standard was also P.A.L. Here in the states I have made use of the threaded female 'F' connector to 'push on' male connector adapter. Makes it so much easier to move equipment out of place for dusting, cleaning or P.M. issues. Cheers mate!

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 02:11:11 pm
content: Over here we call it IEC antenna connector. F connectors are primarily used for satellite TV/radio.

author: Edison
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2024, 02:20:45 pm
content: It is an IEC connector + number according to the construction type.It is used for both 75 Ohms - TV and radio - only in the opposite design - for the TV there is a pin at the connection point on the outside and in the TV there is a socket, for the radio it is the oppositeEDIT: they can also be found in a metal pro version

author: thermistor-guy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2024, 12:16:15 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on March 08, 2024, 08:51:48 amI haven't owned a TV in about 15 years, so my experience with the "PAL" connectors is limited.But years back, I did install a PAL compression connector on RG6 quad coax for a relative, and it proved reliable.OP: if you do need to use PAL connectors, you can get high-quality compression types.Example (not a recommendation):https://www.selby.com.au/cables/connectors/antenna-connectors/10pk-tv-antenna-pal-male-compression-rg6-connectors-ap1cq10.html

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2024, 12:36:47 am
content: Quote from: thermistor-guy on March 09, 2024, 12:16:15 amIt is still easier to standardise on compression type "F" connectors & just use "F" to "PAL" adaptors.Jaycar do a nice space saving "L" shaped one.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2024, 01:03:54 am
content: Quote from: madires on March 08, 2024, 02:11:11 pmWhen I was replacing the old TV antenna & coax in my house some years ago, I found that all the antenna splitters, etc which were available used "F" connectors.(I have so much signal level, that I could afford to use passive splitters)RG6 was also the standard, although it is lossier than the old style "semi- air dielectric stuff we used to use.The latter had a horrible wispy shield which would not be very effective in noisy locations, whereas RG6 has a very effective shield.Compression "F" connectors are also made for RG59, but that cable has quite high attenuation at UHF.Back in the day, my old work "piped" RF from off air around the building (mainly so the "suits" could see what the competition were up to).We also had a couple of modulators so making the outputs of various studio available.Some of the channel outputs used (then) "unused" UHF channels.I had reason to replace a longish run of the old "antenna cable", but had run out, so tried using RG59.On UHF, it was like fitting an attenuator, taking even the strong local modulator signal down into the noise!