Old timer told me to stop wrapping coax around the ground block

About 6 months back I was on a job in Elmhurst and this guy with 30 years experience watched me wrap the coax cable around the ground block for extra security. He told me I was creating a choke point that would mess up signal strength over time. I switched to just using a straight compression fitting and leaving a drip loop instead. Signal complaints on that route dropped by like 40 percent I bet. Has anyone else had an old timer call them out on some basic habit they picked up?

2 comments

2 Comments

dixon.spencer15d ago

I read something from an RF engineer blog a while back that basically said the same thing. He had test data showing a 2-5 dB loss at higher frequencies when you wrap coax tight around a ground block, something about the sharp bend creating an impedance mismatch. It's wild how that little habit you pick up can quietly mess with your work without you even knowing. I'm glad you mentioned the drip loop too, that's another one of those things that seems minor but saves you from water creeping in later on.

allen.charlie15d ago

That bit about the 2-5 dB loss from wrapping coax tight around a ground block really got me. I used to think a tight wrap was just good practice, keeping things neat and secure. But seeing that test data makes me wonder how much signal I've been losing over the years with my own installations. The drip loop thing I always knew about from working with outdoor cables, but I never connected the two habits in terms of performance.