Attenuation in dB per 100 ft (30.5 m) of cable. Higher frequencies always have more loss.
Loss per 100 ft
| Cable | 50 MHz | 150 MHz | 450 MHz | 900 MHz | 2.4 GHz | 5.8 GHz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RG-174 | 6.5 | 11.5 | 21 | 31 | 55 | 95 |
| RG-58 | 3.1 | 5.3 | 9.5 | 14 | 24 | 42 |
| RG-6 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 4.8 | 7.0 | 11.5 | 18.5 |
| RG-8X | 2.0 | 3.5 | 6.5 | 9.6 | 17 | 28 |
| RG-8/U (typ.) | 1.3 | 2.3 | 4.2 | 6.3 | 10.8 | 17.5 |
| LMR-240 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 5.9 | 10.0 | 16.3 |
| LMR-400 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 5.4 | 9.0 |
| LMR-600 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 5.7 |
| Hardline 1/2" | 0.24 | 0.45 | 0.83 | 1.20 | 2.05 | 3.30 |
Notes
- Always multiply by actual cable length — for a 25 ft run, divide the 100 ft figure by 4.
- Connector losses: typically 0.1–0.3 dB per pair of connectors. Add two for source + load.
- For long outdoor runs at 900 MHz and above, budget for hard-line or LMR-400+.
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