COAXIAL CABLE

Coaxial cable, or coax, is an electrical cable with an inner conductor surrounded by a flexible, tubular insulating layer, surrounded by a tubular conducting shield. The term coaxial comes from the inner conductor and the outer shield sharing the same geometric axis.

Coaxial cable design choices affect physical size, frequency performance, attenuation, power handling capabilities, flexibility, strength and cost. The inner conductor might be solid or stranded; stranded is more flexible. To get better high-frequency performance, the inner conductor may be silver plated. Sometimes copper-plated iron wire is used as an inner conductor.

Coaxial cable is still the most common means of data transmission over short distances. This established technology provides a wide range of products suitable for most electronic systems. As computer speed increases and services require more data bits per second, the upper limits of coaxial cable's carrying capacity are being reached. Fiber-optic cable has replaced coax in many applications.


Coaxial cable is still the most common means of data transmission over short distances. This established technology provides a wide range of products suitable for most electronic systems. As computer speed increases and services require more data bits per second, the upper limits of coaxial cable's carrying capacity are being reached. Fiber-optic cable has replaced coax in many applications.