# What’s the mystery cable in my basement? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 13, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-mystery-cable-in-my-basement/615679 "2012-03-13T19:39:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-mystery-cable-in-my-basement/615679/1 "2012-03-13T19:39:39Z")
(I figured this is too mundane and pointless for GQ) We are finishing our basement, and there are several runs of different kinds of cables and wires and such stapled all over the ceiling. Most I have figured out I can remove such as three different runs of phone line that go towards the fuse box but aren’t connected to anything. The way the house is wired we could have a phone in every room but we don’t have a home phone line. The one I’m still wondering about is a coaxial cable that runs next to one of the phone lines and them disappears through the wall and outside. It’s white, (IIRC) 18 AWG, and not connected to anything inside the house. We’ve had two different internet and cable providers and neither used it. I’ll have to double check, but I don’t recall seeing it outside so I’m guessing it’s buried. Anyone have any ideas or know how I can find out what it’s for? I was considering cutting it off near the wall, but could it be for something I may want later, like a security system, my neighbor’s cable, or Star Trek-like transporter? Also, anyone have suggestions of what to do with 75+’ of phone line? Can I use it for something else, recycle it, or scrap it? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-mystery-cable-in-my-basement/615679/2 "2012-03-13T19:50:00Z")
Could it be an obsolete TV antenna connection that was abandoned when cable TV was installed? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-mystery-cable-in-my-basement/615679/3 "2012-03-13T20:16:59Z")
75’ of used phone wire isn’t worth much. Probably not even worth attempting to recycle. On the flip side, I just ran about 400 feet of Cat5 through my house for LAN, phones and IPTV. If your mystery cable truly is coax, and your current cable TV installation doesn’t use it, it should be safe to cut. If it’s labeled as RG-59, it’s really obsolete. (RG-59 leaks signal like crazy, but the current standard is RG-6, or even RG-6 QS) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-mystery-cable-in-my-basement/615679/4 "2012-03-13T20:23:36Z")
It could be to an old UHF/VHF antennae, that was subsequently taken down, after cable was installed. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-mystery-cable-in-my-basement/615679/5 "2012-03-13T20:51:48Z")
Guess I hadn’t thought about it being for a TV antenna, I should have remembered they also used coax. :smack: I’ll see if there’s also some outside where it would come out. > [@gotpasswords](#): > > 75’ of used phone wire isn’t worth much. Probably not even worth attempting to recycle.) That’s what I figured. I’ll put it in the trash with those crazy stamps I have with the upside-down airplane. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-mystery-cable-in-my-basement/615679/6 "2012-03-13T20:56:48Z")
If you disconnect it, the internet will\<\ **Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-mystery-cable-in-my-basement/615679/7 "2012-03-13T20:58:37Z") if it is phone wire it can be saved for low voltage hookup wire. if it is phone wire it can be saved for really strong wire bag twist ties. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-mystery-cable-in-my-basement/615679/8 "2012-03-14T13:07:30Z")
After much searching I found it in the back burried behind a bush. (I love alliteration). It was chopped some time ago it looks. It is RG-59 so all of it will go. > [@johnpost](#): > > if it is phone wire it can be saved for low voltage hookup wire. > > if it is phone wire it can be saved for really strong wire bag twist ties. Hmm . . . twist ties sound like a good idea. Thanks!