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Aluminum Semi-Rigid Cable
12/14/93
1/27/95
2/13/95
Comments on: Bending Pre-terminated Semi Rigid Coaxial Cables
Ref: Aluminum Semi-Rigid Cable
All cable cores move when coaxial cables are bent. The stronger jackets such as hard copper
hold more tightly onto the core. This is a major difference between the "easy bend" cables and
conventional cables.
Because of the weaker aluminum metal jacket the cable core has lower adhesion to the
aluminum outer conductor than to the copper outer conductor.
The core assembly moves in all short cables, aluminum and copper, from bending and
temperature cycling.
Therefore our standard procedure is to bend cables before trimming. The bend in the cable
minimizes the subsequent travel of the core.
We recommend that center pins of cables bent after connector installation be gauged and
trimmed. The center pin can be from .075 to .100 long. We make these at 095 to allow some
movement. Larger movement has been known to result in damage to marginally constructed female
contacts such as those found on coaxial switches. We have a specially modified pointing tool to
shorten the long center pins.
Captivated coaxial connectors with internal socket contacts are often used to mitigate or solve
this problem. Such connectors however often increase the SWR and insertion loss at higher
frequencies
All cables that are bent after terminating should have the center pin length measured and
adjusted.
A rigid connector mated to the cable minimizes this problem. A "connector saver" can be used
for this purpose. The teflon can most often be "pushed back" into the connector to improve the SWR
and insertion loss.
If the pins are made shorter, the pin that recedes becomes too short.
In sum, we strongly recommend that cables be bent before termination whenever possible.
| ASI 8145B | Special Pointing Tool | $190.00 | 1 - 3 Weeks |
| CG SMA-MPL | Pin Length Gauge | $159.60 | Stock |
| O T - 4582 | Dielectric Recess Tool | $ 16.50 | 1 - 6 Weeks |
| S/M 2997-6003SF | Connector Saver JXP | $ 16.80 | Stock |
| O T - 948 | Locator | $ 24.40 | Stock |
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