Checkout of a roll of Commscope 4510404 CCS RG11A/U

I saw an eBay listing for 305m (1000′) rolls of Commscope 4510404 CCS RG11A/U which looked interesting, time for some due diligence.

Being a brand name product, specifications were probably available and indeed were quickly found.

The cable is a CCS RG11A/U (Zo=75Ω), and from the centre conductor DC resistance value (12.5Ω/305m) and 1.63mm (#14) size, it appeared likely that it was 21% IACS Copperweld, and that the cladding thickness should be 49µm. At that copper thickness, near copper like performance was likely down to perhaps 7MHz (where it is 2 skin depths thick).

A roll was ordered as it was likely to be quite usable cable and at $99 including shipping (~25kg) it should be good value.

Checkout

On delivery, first test was to check the label and it looks authentic Commscope 4510404.

Next test was to cut a small sample off and extract some centre conductor and carefully scrape the copper off on one side of the steel core. The wire was then measured in a micrometer from copper to copper and the instrument zeroed. Then the wire was turned to measure the minimum diameter where the copper was removed, and the thickest section where steel was visible with a magnifier measured 54µm less than the copper to copper diameter. The copper cladding does indeed seem to be nominally 49µm, 21% IACS CCS.

Above, measurement of the wire with copper scraped away. The copper to copper diameter was confirmed at 1.63mm (#14). Note some RG11 uses 1.024mm (#18) diameter conductor, but foamed dielectric requires the thicker conductor.

So, this is a Series 11 cable, PE jacket, non-plenum, and flooded (Migra-heal).

Some PPC EX11 compression F connectors were purchased prospectively, and one could be applied to the free cable end.

Measurement of MLL

80m band

The technique is to make a measurement near to the frequency of interest of Rin at resonance of the length of line with open circuit at the far end, and to calculate the matched line loss (MLL) using Calculate transmission line Matched Line Loss from Rin of o/c or s/c resonant section.

Rin was measured at 22.8Ω @ 3511kHz.

Above, MLL is calculated at 0.0089dB/m which is only slightly worse than a copper RG11, and better than copper RG213.

160m band

Rin was measured at 19.0Ω @ 1854kHz.

Above, MLL is calculated at 0.0074dB/m a bit worse than a copper RG11, and better than copper RG213.

References