Can someone provide some insight on what connectors to use. I currently use the little whip that came with the DVB-T USB stick. I’ve built a bigger outdoor antenna on the roof, and I’m trying to hook that in and boost my reception, but I’m having a hard time getting the connectors right.
The existing little whip antenna has a thin wire that pushes into USB stick. The wire has an end that looks similar to an RCA connector, but it is not RCA. It is definitely male, though. That’s what pushed into the end of my DVB-T SDR stick.
I keep seeing descriptions of SDR USB sticks and they keep mentioning MCX connectors, so I ordered an adapter with male MCX and it does not work at all - no way will it push into the USB stick. I know female MCX will not work, because the end of the USB stick is female.
COAX, F type, PL239, BNC, SMA, MCX - why do we need 23 different combinations - gives you a headache
I’ve got RG-58U with stranded center wires coming down from the roof. How can I get this to plug into the DVB-T? Thanks ahead of time.
Hi, I have come across several dongle manufacturers, so you will need to verify the mfr and type of antenna connection.
I have the Nooelec R820T dongle which has a female MCX port on the dongle itself with the small whip antenna with male MCX.
If you have this setup and need an adaptor to input R coax, Amazon has a F coax female to MCX male pigtail which plugs directly into the dongle (allowing coax to dongle connection).
Here is the info:
RF coaxial coax cable F female to MCX male right angle RG316 6’’
If you are going to make a 1/4 wave spider using a PL259 and running RG6 Coax, you might consider this: amazon.com/gp/product/B00CXN … UTF8&psc=1
at about $5.00 to connect from PL259 to the coax
I’d pick a connector that works with your cable and then find a pigtail or adaptor to fit. You can get a pigtail with pretty much any combination of connectors off ebay/amazon.
Personally I use mostly F connectors because they’re readily available around here for satellite cabling and easy to deal with. (But that’s not going to work with stranded cable since they use the center conductor as the pin…)
could I solder the center strand together to make it stiffer to work like the center wire of solid coax?
I wish the guy would have told me I had stranded center rg58U before I climbed on my roof and risked life and limb and run it inside and splice it and now come to make the final connection is not a true solid wire.
How long is the RG-58 cable? RG-58 cable losses at 1.1 GHz are pretty high. I think RG-6 is much better at this frequency. The dongle is probably expecting a 75Ω line anyway.
Yes cable attenuation will be high with RG58. Only about a quarter of the power will arrive at the receiver compared with RG6 over a 100 foot run. If you are in the UK, WF100 is readily available from satellite TV suppliers and is a bit better still.
length of rg-58u is only 12 feet or so. not really feasible to change the feedline now…antenna is all pvc glued up now and installed up on the roof (would have to risk life and limb to go up there again). To switch to RG-6 now would basically be starting all over with all new parts.
still appreciative of tips or advice about soldering / connecting / adapting rg-58u stranded center to a coax end. I have an F-type to PAL adapter. So if I can just get a solid center wire, I’m plugged in and ready to go.
I just picked up a couple of these MCX plug male to IEC PAL DVB-T TV female adapters for $1.11 each. Looks like they will do the trick to connect to antennas they sell her in Thailand with PAL maie connectors on them.
