Coax Cable – How to Terminate
Our life is surrounded by appliances such as televisions, hi-fi systems, radio systems, computers etc. and coax cable is used in most of these appliances. One of the biggest advantages of using coax cable is that these are extremely easy to install as well as maintain. However there are certain precautions that need to be considered while installing and terminating this type of cable.
There is a wide variety of coax cable available in market. Choosing the right type of cable is often a difficult task and it all depends on the type of application for which the cable is being chosen. For example, a video antenna or domestic hi-fi system uses a coax cable of 75 ohms, while a professional system uses a cable of 50 ohms. Another important factor contributing towards the decision of choosing this type of cable is the signal loss. The diameter of the cable determines the amount of the signal that is lost. The cables with bigger diameters will ensure that the loss of the signal will be less.
Step-by-step coax cable termination:
If installation of coax cable is important then its proper termination is also as much important. In most cases RF connector can be used to terminate the cable. Given below are some steps that you can use to terminate a coax cable:
1. First you need to ensure that the coax cable is properly cut so that it is clean. Once you have adjusted the cable stripper according to your cable type, clip the end of the cable with the stripper. It is recommended that you test the stripper on a piece of paper, before using, in order to ensure that it’s good for use. This test will also help you in adjusting the height of the blade and not cutting the ground wire.
2. Next you will need to twist the stripper two to three times around the wire. However, you might need to twist the stripper more. Keep on spinning the stripper until the core of the wire is reached and the jacket has been cut. After this you will need to remove the insulation and ground wire pieces.
3. Now peel the ground wire like a banana so that it does not get in the way when the connector is being installed. Also you must ensure that the ground wire is not near the conductor in the center as it usually becomes a cause of short circuit. Another thing that you will need to ensure is that the ground wires are not cut so deep that they are falling apart.
4. Now your coax cable is ready to be inserted into the connector. Again ensure that all the ground wires are properly pushed back. This will reveal the inner core or dielectric of the cable which you push inside the connector. Keep twisting the cable when you are putting the connector over it as this will ensure that the ground wire stays in contact with the connector.
5. Last but not the least, use a crimp tool to crimp the connector. It is very important to properly crimp the connector and this can be achieved through our Ideal Crimp Tool. This tool is specially designed to ensure that you don’t overdo it. With the help of the locking device you can be positive that the perfect crimp will be achieved. Other crimp tools usually lack this feature and thus you get an added advantage.