Understanding RF Coax Cables and RF Amplifiers

All of you may have heard the terms RF coax cable and RF amplifier. These two components are an important part of our telecommunication system. In this article, we will discuss both one by one in order to understand their structure and features.

RF Coaxial cable:

This transmission line technology is used for transmitting the signals. A coax cable consists of two concentric conductive cylinders which are separated by a dielectric spacer. A distributed impedance is created by the capacitance and inductance along the coaxial line. This impedance is known as the characteristic impedance.

The resistive losses usually occur along the coaxial cable. However, the coaxial cables can transmit electromagnetic (EM) energy with much less loss as compared to wireless methods. The cable can be protected from the environmental factors by using an outer shield. This will help in reducing the losses caused due to the environment.

Flexibility and durability:

For creating highly flexible cables, the conductive strands of the coaxial cable are braided and layered. These types of cables are lightweight as well as durable. If the concentricity of the conductive cylinders of the coaxial cable is maintained, then bending and flexing does not largely impact the performance of the cable which is why connectors are usually used with coaxial cables.

Coaxial Cable Uses

The primary purpose of using these cables is to transmit audio and video signals. In modern homes, there is at least one coax cable in every room. The TV services are usually provided by using coaxial cable. Coaxial cables are also used for connecting a personal antenna to a television set or digital converter box.

RF Amplifiers

The radio signal which is generated by any input microphone system like a walkie-talkie or radio station system is usually weak. Hence, it becomes difficult for the receiving antenna to detect the signals properly.

This issue can be resolved by using an RF amplifier as it boosts the strength of weakened electric signals.

RF Amplification

The amplification method is the same as other amplifiers. It gets the distortions in the radio signal and then distorts them even further. Hence, the RF amplifier makes the small differences larger, that can be transmitted and received more easily. The issue with this process is that when the signal becomes more distorted, then the frequency does not remain clear. Hence, the signal becomes different from its originality.

In order to solve this issue, amplifiers ensure that every part of the signal is replicated completely as the signal is enhancing and getting transferred to a high-power system.

RF Amplification Devices

Triode is a device which is basically used for the enhancement of the signal. A diode may also be used for this purpose with one added part known as the control grid. The modern RF amplifiers make sure that the signal is boosted to maximum strength with little distortion.

Hence, this was the basic information related to coaxial cables and RF amplifiers. If you have any questions related to the article, please feel free to ask in the box below: