October 5, 2006 -- Andrew Corp. has introduced a family of premium-quality corrugated aluminum cabling as a cost-effective extension to its Heliax family of copper corrugated transmission line systems.
According to the company, use of aluminum as the outer conductor in radio frequency transmission lines provides long distance wireless operators with an alternative to all-copper cabling that is lower cost, lighter weight, and highly flexible.
"With the uncertainty of copper pricing impacting our industry, use of alternative metals in transmission line systems provides a cost-effective option for our customers around the world," notes John DeSana, group president for antenna and cable products at Andrew Corp. "Andrew has leveraged its real-world experience in manufacturing aluminum cable and developed products specifically for wireless applications, ensuring that customers will receive a high level of performance at a lower cost through this aluminum alternative."
The company says its systems approach minimizes the difference in mechanical properties of the two metals, and that the long-term performance of the aluminum cable can approach that of traditional all-copper transmission lines.
"Aluminum is known to be less ideal than copper for use in handling RF transmission," continues DeSana. "Andrew's extensive development and testing has led to a new solution that elevates aluminum transmission line systems to be an option for operators seeking a lower cost alternative with minimal sacrifice in quality and performance."
The 50-ohm Heliax corrugated aluminum cable family is available in 7/8 inch and 1-5/8 inch diameters. Further, the company has combined the Heliax corrugated aluminum cable with its Positive Stop connectors. The company says the combination of products helps deliver performance and longevity that is unmatched by any aluminum transmission line installation using standard smooth wall cable or generic connectors.
The company contends that the product will be the first globally available aluminum cable for long-distance wireless networking, and the first offered as a total platform that includes connectors and accessories.