Does length of Coaxial cable affect signal?

In short, yes - the greater the length of coaxial cable, the greater the signal loss. Most coaxial cables have a comfortable range of around 1650ft, after which some signal loss would be expected.

This is due to a couple of reasons, one being resistance. All materials have some kind of resistance, which means that some energy will always be lost as long as resistance exists.

In the case of a coaxial cable, the copper core acts as a conductor. Copper is a fantastic conductor, but still has some resistance. This therefore means that some electrical energy has to be lost as heat, and the longer the length of your coaxial cable, the more resistive material the signal passes through, which results in a greater loss of energy, and therefore, a greater loss of signal too.

Another reason for the loss of signal is Dielectric Loss. Put simply, Dielectric Loss refers to the signal loss caused by the insulating materials between the shielding and copper core of the coaxial cable.

 

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