Antenna cables play an important part on how well the antenna will work (and what it will cost).

One of the commonly used cables is RG-58. It is cheap – but not good for frequencies above 1800MHz (like UMTS and HSPA).

Cables like HDF‐195 (also known as LMR-195) have the same physical dimensions as RG-58 but only about 0.55dB vs. 1dB loss per meter.

If “dB” doesn’t really tell you anything, here is an example: with 10m cable, you will end up with 28% of the signal at the end with HDF195, but only with about 10% with RG58.

Make it 20m cable, and you are left with 8% with LMR195 and only 1% with RG58.

This is also why it is so important to keep your cable short. The losses are dramatic.

So don’t be disappointed if your antenna with an RG­‐58 cable will not deliver what it promises. You get what you pay for.