Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/15845-flexible-cable-assemblies

Flexible Cable Assemblies

January 17, 2011


EAM's flexible cable assemblies offer reliable, easier-to-install alternatives to traditional semi-rigid cable assemblies. Constructed with high-performance flexible cables, such as TFlex® from Times Microwave Systems, these 50 ohm flexible cable assemblies meet all MIL-C-17 requirements with shielding effectiveness comparable to standard semi-rigid cables. Suitable for applications through 20 GHz, these flexible cable assemblies feature PTFE (Teflon®) dielectric with silver plated copper tape and braid shield and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) jacket. EAM's flexible cable assemblies feature excellent corrosion resistance with stable attenuation and phase characteristics over time. They are available in standard and custom lengths with outside diameters of 0.104 (T-Flex 405), 0.160 (T-Flex 402), and 0.270 in. (T-Flex 401). Outer conductors, noted in pull-down with models, are 0.086, 0.141, and 0.250 in. respectively. They offer the convenience of flexibility but with performance comparable to standard semi-rigid cables, with attenuation of 0.12 dB/ft. at 1 GHz and 0.45 dB/ft. at 10 GHz, and 0.66 dB/ft at 18Ghz for a 0.160 in. outside-diameter flexible cable assembly. The VSWR for a 3-ft., 0.141-in.-diameter SMA assembly remains low through 18 GHz.

EAM's flexible cable assemblies can be terminated with the same coaxial connector types used for semi-rigid cables, including SMA, BNC, 7/16, SMP, and TNC connectors.