Coaxial Cables Explained

Posted: Dec 10, 2010 |

Without one, your TV would only feature a handful of channels (none in high-def), the ham radio in your basement would have even less of an audience, and your Internet connection might still be stuck in the (gasp) dial-up age.

Simply put, coaxial cables keep our worlds wired. Let's take a look at what makes them so important:

So how do they work?

Basically, coaxial cables consist of three interdependent parts: an inner conductor (a copper core), which is surrounded by a tubular insulating layer (dielectric insulator), which fits snugly just beneath the metallic tubular conducting shield. The inner conductor and outer conducting shield share the same axis, which is why—you guessed it—the cables got the name "coaxial."

Boil them down, and coaxial cables aren't very different from most power cords. They're still used to transmit A/C electric current from a source to a receiver and back again, reversing direction several times each second.


What's the difference?

The primary improvement over other cables exists in the fact that coaxial cables can carry radio frequency current at a much higher rate with almost no power loss. They achieve this by insulating the core conductor, grounding the metallic shield, and keeping spacing exactly consistent from end to end, creating loss-free paths for the radio waves to travel.

Other forms of radio transmission lines sometimes lose power if installed too closely to metal objects (like metal poles, steel construction elements, or gutters). Coaxial cables also feature better external electromagnetic interference.

So how does this work in real life?

Insignificant power loss in a normal main electrical cord doesn't usually equal a loss of functionality. But radio frequency loss essentially equals a loss of content (in other words, that song you love wouldn't sound quite so harmonious with so many gaps and stutters). The coaxial design, therefore, is critical to application performance.

So the result is a reliable cable that is spaced properly for its entire length, and one that delivers loss-free signals to the applications that use them. In real life, this means coaxial cables are excellent for use as computer network connections, and transmission lines for radio frequency and cable television signals.

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