rg6 vs rg59, but I don’t know which one is better to choose.
I wouldn't waste much time overthinking it.
The RG numbering system goes way back to the 1930s. Back then we didn't have such a wide and varied use for coax, and so specifying by a simple term wasn't much of an issue. The RG number didn't really give much technical information other than impedance and some physical characteristics such as the outside diameter and thickness of the core. That didn't matter much though because the cable was made to work for certain purposes, and the materials of the day didn't really allow for anything other than copper, so no aluminium or copper coated steel, and no need for plastic foils (Mylar) etc. There weren't lots of different specs for RG59 or RG6.
Fast forward to the end of the 20th Century and the first quarter of the 21st and things are very different. We have audio and baseband video, high-band component along with modulated RF signals in the UHF and VHF range not to mention digital signalling such as SDI. Coax cables might well still be RG59-sized or RG6-sized
My advice is to forget about RG59 straight away. Unless you're buying it from a specialist such as me then most of what you'll find in the market is the stuff used for baseband CCTV at 5-6MHz. That's no good for aerial signals up to 750Mhz. It's also thinner than RG6 so you've got to mess about checking plug sizes will fit which is a ball-ache.
RG6-sized coax is mostly suitable for TV/satellite reception, but there are differing qualities. The cheap stuff uses copper-coated-steel (CCS) for the core and aluminium braid + metalised plastic (Mylar) foil for the shield. The outer sheath tends to be looser and not so well protected against UV. When the cable gets a little moisture inside then the aluminium braid rots and within 12-18 months the cable dies.
Good stuff is Webro WF100, Triax TX100, Labgear PF100. These should all be 100% copper cables. That is to say that the core and the braid and the foil are all made from nothing but copper. Copper cables can get saturated with water but won't rot through inless there are chemical agents at work. This is why water pipes are made of copper.
The electrical performance tends to be superior too. Resistance and attenuation is lower, sometimes significantly.
There are probably a few of us on here that can make up cables to length with the appropriate connector ends properly fitted. Postage aside, they're not that expensive either. You can go to B&Q and pick up one of their rubbish pre-made 2m coax fly leads and pay more than you would for some WF100 of a similar length with plugs fitted. It's a false economy to look elsewhere.
