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Flame Rating Environments

Plenum: A building space used for air distribution, such as a drop ceiling or raised floor.  Cable jacket must be flame-resistant and low-smoke.

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Riser: Ducts, floor shafts, or openings running vertically between one or more floors.  The cable jacket is non-conductive and resistant to oxidation.  Plenum rated jackets may be used in a riser space.

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General Purpose:  An area that is not Riser or Plenum on the same floor or space.  Both Riser and Plenum rated jackets may be used in a General Purpose space.

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Outside Plant (OSP): Cable jacket material designed to withstand the rigors of an outdoor environment, but without the flame rating needed to enter a building environment more than 50 feet.

Cable Structure

Another key factor is selecting a proper cable is: application.  Below are some common applications which have a specialized cable structure:

Common Indoor/Outdoor Cable Applications

Campus/Building Backbone:  In order to simplify fiber networks by eliminating splice points and additional fiber terminations, indoor/outdoor rated cables reduce points of failure and associated down time for a wide range of institutions including hospitals and educational facilities.

Multiple Dwelling Units (MDU):  Providing Fiber to the Home (FTTH) in a building with multiple dwellings presents challenges that are addressed by specially designed indoor/outdoor cable assemblies. MDU Assemblies employ a bend-insensitive fiber, along with a robust indoor/outdoor cable jacket, for optimal flexibility and performance in a wide range of building deployments.

Small Cell and Antennas Cables:  A variety of specialized cables are offered to address Wireless and DAS installations.  Appropriate Indoor/Outdoor and OSP cables withstand the wide temperature range, UV radiation, and factors unique to the antenna environment.  Explore our Small Cell Brochure for more details.

Common OSP Cable Applications

Aerial Cables: Deployments above ground on poles or towers, which removes the need for underground digging. Some designs are self-supported, while others employ a “messenger” wire to help support the cable’s weight between poles. The UV-resistant properties of the cable jacket are key for long term protection in such an environment.

Direct Burial: In installations with no duct structure, cabling can be buried in a trench or by using a vibration plow. A rugged, armored cable is ideal of such situations. Direct Burial cables often include corrugated steel tape, which provides an extra layer of fiber protection with excellent water-blocking capabilities.

Drop Cables: These cables provide the final link between a distribution point and the end user for FTTx applications, such as Fiber to the Home (FTTH). For such applications a drop cable will generally contain 1-12 fibers and employ dielectric strength members to provide a high crush resistance.

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True RF transparency enables exceptional small cell performance with no visual clutter.

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Connections More Vital Than Ever

Today, a flawed coaxial connection can severely reduce performance on digital systems like ThinNET (EtherNET), Wireless networks like WiFi and WLAN’s and high-end video like SDTV, DTV and HDTV. Where just a few years ago a poorly installed CCTV connector might have yielded a 1dB or less loss on a CCTV system, the same bad connection can now yield a 10dB loss on a > 1GHz system. That could mean that only about a third of the signal would get through the connection.

Let’s review a few of the factors to be considered when building coaxial connections and cable assemblies.

Advantages of Compression

• Simple and fast field installation using hand tools with little experience needed
• Superior pull strength compared to crimp or solder
• Superior weather seal
• Piece connector with no components to lose or improperly install

Disadvantages of Compression

• Specialized tooling required for cable preparation and connector attachment
• Limited connector to cable selections
• Higher connector cost compared to crimp or solder

Connector Attachment and Low PIM

Passive Intermodulation (PIM) is essentially interference caused by unwanted signals mixing in the passive components of a wireless network. Some wireless networks like LTE are more susceptible to PIM. Installing low PIM components can avoid this problem. There are three elements to cable assemblies for low PIM performance. The connector and cable must be designed and manufactured to exhibit low PIM performance. Most braided cables will not qualify as low PIM. The connector to cable connection is the third important element in low PIM performance. The ground connection must be robust, uniform and consistent. Although crimp connectors provide adequate electrical and mechanical performance they generally exhibit poor PIM performance. Specially designed solder connectors will perform well at reducing PIM. To achieve good grounding, specialty soldering methods and tools are required. High power inductive soldering stations apply concentrated heat to effectively melt and flow the solder without damaging the cable or connector. Due to the large size and power requirements of induction solder equipment; attachment of low PIM solder on connectors in the field is not an option. Specially designed compression connectors and installation tools for corrugated cables may be used for field installation with good low PIM results.

The post Crimp vs. Solder vs. Compression: Pros & Cons appeared first on RF Industries.

At the halfway point of fiscal 2018, revenue has outpaced all of fiscal 2017.

RF Industries (Nasdaq: RFIL) on April 30 wrapped up the biggest quarter in its nearly four decades of existence. It brought $22.4 million worth of sales, up from $7.6 million in the year-ago quarter. The business publicly announced its numbers June 11.

“I like being under the radar and outworking people, and that’s kind of what I think we did,” said Robert Dawson, who is finishing his first year as CEO.

Dawson, 44, doesn’t seem eager to take all the credit. In an interview, he said he had a pretty good start when he took the top job. But several things went well in the second quarter.

Quick-Turnaround Orders

RF Industries’ core business is quick-turnaround orders, fulfilled in days or weeks. The business aimed for 10 percent to 15 percent growth while layering in opportunities to get larger projects in the industrial and wireless carrier markets.

“We’ve done a good job of getting ourselves in front of the right people,” Dawson said.

RF Industries has also leveraged distribution channels. Generally, the CEO said, if an original equipment manufacturer needs a custom, unique or heavy product, RF Industries sells the piece directly. “Whereas if we can throw it on a shelf at a distributor, and they can hold it as inventory for us, they’re truly a force multiplier for us in the marketplace,” he said.

Read the Full Story in the San Diego Business Journal

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SAN DIEGO, CA, July 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via NEWMEDIAWIRE — RF Industries, Ltd, (NASDAQ: RFIL), a national manufacturer and marketer of interconnect products and systems, today announced that effective July 10, 2020 Mark Turfler will be stepping down as CFO, a position he has held since January 2014. Peter Yin, RF Industries Senior Vice President, Finance & Operations, has been appointed interim Chief Financial Officer, effective July 11, 2020.

“On behalf of all of us at RF Industries, I want to thank Mark for his many contributions over the years, and for serving as a steady partner for me when I joined the company,” said Robert Dawson, President and CEO of RF Industries. “He leaves the company in a much stronger financial position, and I wish him all the success in his future endeavors.”

“I look forward to the contributions Peter will make in his expanded role,” Dawson continued. “Peter has played a central role on my leadership team and is well prepared to assume his new key position here at RF Industries.”

Mr. Yin joined RF Industries in September 2014 as Corporate Controller and was promoted to Senior Vice President, Finance & Operations in November 2019. He previously worked at Sony Corporation of America in Corporate Audit and at Grant Thornton in the Assurance practice.

“I am excited about my new role at RF Industries as we continue to pursue our growth strategy,” said Peter Yin.

RF Industries will commence a formal search for a permanent Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Turfler’s departure is not related to any disagreements relating to operating, accounting or financial reporting matters.

About RF Industries

RF Industries designs and manufactures a broad range of interconnect products across diversified, growing markets including wireless/wireline telecom, data communications and industrial. The Company’s products include RF connectors, coaxial cables, data cables, wire harnesses, fiber optic cables, custom cabling, energy-efficient cooling systems and integrated small cell enclosures. The Company is headquartered in San Diego, California with additional operations in Long Island, New York, Vista, California, Milford, Connecticut and North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Please visit the RF Industries website at www.rfindustries.com.

Contact:

MKR Investor Relations Inc.

Todd Kehrli

Analyst/Investor Contact

(323) 468-2300

rfil@mkr-group.com

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Throughout any Distributed Antenna System (DAS) there are a variety of RF connectors used to join the cabling to the component interface. While many of the common connector types will work in a DAS environment, some are better suited than others when it comes to reducing interference. PIM is a major cause of signal degradation in DAS and choosing the right connector type to help reduce PIM is imperative.

Which Connector Type is best for DAS?

For DAS, you will want to use low PIM connectors and depending on the type of DAS some connectors will perform better than others. In some cases, the DAS architecture or the components being installed will require you to use one connector over another. Most common connector types will perform well within the lower frequency bands when properly installed but it is when you have a DAS operating in the higher frequency bands that you begin to discover PIM issues.

The key is to choose a connector that will perform well in both low and high frequency bands. This will allow you to use the same connector type throughout the entire DAS system without fear of having problems later down the road should additional frequencies be used.

How Connectors Cause PIM

PIM is new frequencies generated by the transmit signals when they encounter non-linear junctions or materials in the RF path. To keep it simple PIM is interference. When this interference (PIM) is generated it falls over into the uplink band which increases the noise floor and interferes with the mobile device signals leading to access failures, slower data rates and dropped calls.

• Connectors can cause PIM in a variety of ways:

  • Poor Cable Termination
  • Damaged or Poorly made Connector – broken or cracked solder, nickel plating, shipping damage
  • Loose Connector – not properly torqued
  • Over-torqued or broken connector
  • Metal flakes inside connector – flakes appear with each mating cycle. Worse if touching conductors.
  • Metal flakes inside cable

Of the common connector types used in DAS, test results have shown that Type N connectors do not perform well when testing PIM at the higher frequency bands.

PIM Testing – Connector Results*

Testing results using 700MHz, 850 MHz, 1900 MHz, 2600 MHz – PIM was introduced to see how the connectors performed across a range of frequency bands. The connectors were subject to the same test configuration to compare results.

Connector Type	700 MHz (dBm)	850 MHz (dBm)	1900 MHz (dBm)	2600 MHz (dBm)	Delta (dBm)
N Type	-100	-95	-80	-72	28
7-16	-118	-112	-107	-97	31
4.1-9.5	-121	-121	-112	-102	19
4.3-10	-129	-124	-127	-120	9

N Type – average results – if connector loosens from vibration or incorrect torque the connector will fail PIM miserably – not a great performer in the lower frequency bands but performs worse at higher frequency bands – No middle ground with N Type – PIM was either very good or very bad.

7-16 DIN – similar results to the Type N connector but did perform slightly better. Like the Type N connector, the 7-16 DIN performed worse at higher frequency bands.

4.1-9.5 – better PIM results than the N or 7-16 DIN connectors. Very little PIM at lower frequency bands and only performed slightly worse at the 1900 and 2600 bands.

4.3-10 – (push-pull connector) Very good results – PIM was flat across all frequency bands. This seems to be a great connector for use in DAS systems – using the push pull connector there is no way to create an un-torqued connection and virtually eliminates the metal flakes that are created when mating and un-mating other connectors.

Connector Summary

Loose connector PIM is worse at higher frequencies – the 4.3-10 connector performed the most consistently of all connectors across all frequency bands – the 4.3-10 connector appears to be the best choice for use in a DAS environment.

No matter which connector is chosen it is important to ensure that the connector is properly terminated onto the cable and the connector is properly torqued when installed on the interface. Even a slight loosening of the connector (through vibration) will cause PIM to increase significantly.

*Anritsu test results 2015

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To support current needs and future growth, RF Industries has expanded production capacity for RF coax cable assembly manufacturing. Both low PIM (Passive Intermodulation) and conventional coax assembly areas have expanded.

Low PIM coax cable assemblies require special manufacturing equipment and processes as well as test equipment and methodologies for proper performance. Low PIM cable assemblies are critical to the performance of 4G and 5G wireless networks in reducing interference and minimizing system degradation. Low PIM coax cable assemblies are manufactured using a variety of cable brands terminated with RF Industries or other brands of connectors. PIM testing capabilities include multiple stations measuring high or low frequency bands. Dual band PIM testing ensures the assembly will meet or exceed the performance levels required by neutral host providers. All PIM test data and documentation are available online through a single serial ID.

Conventional coax cable assemblies utilize a variety of cable and connector types depending on the application. RF Industries manufactures coax cable assemblies using a variety of cable brands terminated with RF Industries or other brands of connectors.

In addition to assemblies using braided cables, RF Industries has the capabilities to manufacture corrugated cable assemblies. The use of state-of-the-art, high-capacity coiling/recoiling equipment allows RF Industries to handle larger diameter cable sizes and addresses customer required lengths up to hundreds of feet.

RF Industries manufactures coax cable assemblies in the United States for fast response to customer requirements.

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