Coaxial cable: Where to use?

A coaxial cable has inner conductors surrounded by several insulating layers. A conducting shield and jacket are then wrapped around the insulation layers to prevent signal interference such as EMI. A coaxial cable differs from other shielded cables used for carrying lower-frequency signals. In other words, they are used in almost every single home for cable television connections. They are also extremely popular in Local Area Networks (LAN) in industrial settings because of their shielding and resistance to signal interference from devices such as motors and other electronic equipment.

 

Coaxial cables are copper-based wires and are composed of four layers. The center of a coaxial cable has a thin wire conductor. Surrounding the copper wire is a layer of plastic for insulation. Op top is a wire mesh layer for more insulation and the last later is another rubber later. Each end of the cable has a thin layer of copper that can be screwed into the receiving electronics (i.e. cable box).

In addition to the common shielding and jacketing in most designs, industrial coaxial cables often feature jackets that are UV, chemical, halogen and flame resistant.

Where are coaxial cables used?

Coaxial cables are used as transmission lines for radio frequency, video and data signals. They have traditionally been used as feed lines to connect radio transmitters and receivers with antennas, internet connections, digital audio and cable television signals.

They have many advantages compared to other types of transmission lines. They work well at high frequencies. And they are often used when there is poor attenuation. Some designs can even eliminate distorted signal transmission.

Although there are not many, the main disadvantage is that they can be difficult to install because the cable must be screwed onto the electronic unit. Another disadvantage is that these cables are pretty bulky and cannot be smaller, therefore only one size of coaxial cables exist.