Glossary

µA. Microampere One-millionth of an ampere (10-6).

AAR Association of American Railroads .
Abrasion Resistance Ability of a wire, cable or material to resist surface wear.
Physical phenomenon that attenuates light traveling in fibers by
converting it into heat, thereby raising the fiber's temperature.
Absorption
Absorption results from impurities and defects in the glass
structure.
Alternating Current. Current in which the charge-flow periodically
AC reverses and is represented by 1 = 1 º cos (2 f + f) where, 1 is the
current, 1 º is the amplitude, (f) the frequency, (f) the phase angle.
AC Alternating Current
Current in which the charge-flow periodically reverses.
(AC)
The total resistance offered by a device in an alternating current
AC Resistance circuit due to inductive and capacitive effects, as well as the direct
current resistance .
A test in which voltage, temperature, etc., are increased above
normal operating values to obtain observable deterioration in a
Accelerated Aging
relatively short period of time. The plotted results give expected
service life under normal conditions.
A chemical additive which hastens a chemical reaction under
Accelerator
specific conditions.
The half-angle of the cone within which all incident light is totally
internally reflected by the fiber core. For graded index fibers,
Acceptance Angle
acceptance angle is a function of position on the entrance face of
the core.
(1) A retractile cable with a series of equally-spaced transverse
Accordian folds. (2) A connector contact with a Z shaped flat spring to permit
high deflection without overstress.
ACM Aluminum conductor material.
A chemical additive used to initiate the chemical reaction in a
Activator
specific chemical mixture .
In an alternating current, a component in phase with the voltage.
Active Current The working component as distinguished from the idle or wattless
component.
In an AC circuit, the pressure which produces a current, as
Active Pressure
distinguished from the voltage impressed upon the circuit.
A device that enables any or all of the following a) different sizes
or types of plugs to mate with one another or to fit into a
Adapter
telecommunications outlet/connector; b) the rearrangement of
leads; c) large cables with numerous wires to fan out into smalle
Adapter-Fiber A mechanical media termination device designed to align and join
 fiber optic connectors. Often referred to as a coupling, bulkhead, or
interconnect sleeve.
The state in which two surfaces are held together by interfacial
Adhesion
forces which may be chemical or mechanical in nature .
Cables bonded by adding an adhesive coating to the surface of the
Adhesive Bonded cable components, then joining and curing the adhesive to form a
cable. See Bonded Cables.
Any conductor next to another conductor either in the same multi-
Adjacent Conductor
conductor cable layer or in adjacent layers.
The method for labeling, identification, documentation and usage
Administration needed to implement moves, additions and changes of the
telecommunications infrastructure.
The measure of the ease with which an alternating current flows in
Admittance
a circuit. The reciprocal of impedance.
AEIC Association of Edison Illuminating Companies
Aerial Cable A cable suspended in the air on poles or other overhead structure
The change in properties of a material with time under specific
Aging
conditions.
AIA Aluminum Interlocked Armor.
A telephone outside plant cable construction for aerial and duct
Air Core installation in which the insulated conductors in the cable core are
surrounded by air.
One in which air is essentially the dielectric material. A spirally
Air Spaced Coaxial Cable wound synthetic filament, beads, or braided filaments may be used
to center the conductor.
Air-Handling Plenum A designated area, closed or open, used for environmental air.
A mechanical device shaped like alligator jaws used as a temporary
Alligator Clip
connection on the sod of interconnections wire.
A combination of two or more metals to form a new or different
Alloy
metal having specific or desirable qualities.
A cable in which all interstices between conductors are filled with
All-Rubber Cable
rubber compound.
Telephone cable sheath employing a corrugated aluminum shield
ALPETH
and an outer polyethylene jacket.
A type of cable consisting of insulated conductors enclosed in a
ALS
continuous, closely fitting aluminum tube.
Electric current that continually reverses its direction. It is
Alternating Current (AC)
expressed in cycles per second (hertz or Hz).
The voltage developed a cross a resistance or impedance through
Alternating Voltage
which alternating current is flowing.
An aluminum wire or group of wires not suitably insulated to carry
Aluminum Conductor
electrical current.
 A composite conductor made up of a combination of aluminum and
Aluminum-Steel Conductor
steel wires.
A cable sheath consisting of a coated corrugated aluminum (AL)
ALVYN
shield and an outer polyvinyl chloride (VYN) jacket.
The temperature of the medium surrounding an object. Generally a
Ambient Temperature lower temperature than the temperature at which the cable is
operating.
The standard system used for designating wire diameter. The lower
American Wire Gauge
the AWG number, the larger the diameter. Also called the Brown
(AWG)
and Sharpe (B&S) wire gauges.
The maximum current an insulated wire or cable can safely carry
Ampacity without exceeding either the insulation or jacket material
limitations. (Same as Current Carrying Capacity.)
The unit of cur rent. One ampere is the current flowing through one
Ampere (AMP)
ohm of resistance at one volt potential.
The magnetic intensity at any point near a current carrying
conductor can be computed on the assumption that each
Ampere's Law infinitesimal length of the conductor produces at the point of an
infinitesimal magnetic density. The resulting magnetic intensity at
the poi
Amplitude Height of a waveform that represents signal strength.
A signaling format that uses continuous physical variables such as
Analog
voltage amplitude or frequency variations to transmit information.
A signal in which the intelligence is represented by continuously
Analog Signal
varying quantities.
The angle between an incident ray and the normal to a reflecting
Angle of Incidence
surface.
Angle formed between a refracted ray and the normal to the
Angle of Refraction surface. This angle lies in a common plane with the angle of
incidence.
To subject to high heat with subsequent cooling. When annealing
Anneal (Soften) copper, the act of softening the metal by means of heat to render it
less brittle.
A number of wires stranded in three reversed concentric layers
Annular Conductor
around a core.
A signaling device, usually electrically operated, that gives an
Annunciator
audible or visual signal (or both) when energized.
The electrode through which a direct current enters the liquid, gas
Anode or other discrete part of an electrical circuit; the positively charged
pole of an electro-chemical cell.
ANSI The American National Standards Institute.
Anti-Oxidant A substance which prevents or slows down oxygen decomposition
 (oxidation) of a material exposed to air.
A substance which prevents or slows down material degradation
Anti-Ozonant
due to ozone reaction.
Appliance wiring material is a classification of Underwriters'
Laboratories, Inc., covering insulated wire and cable intended for
Appliance Wire and Cable
internal wiring of appliances and equipment. Each construction
satisfies the requirements for use in particular applications.
Strength elements that provide tensile strength, support, and
Aramid Yarn additional protection of fiber bundles. It is commonly referred to as
Kevlar (a DuPont trademark).
The time required for an arc to establish a conductive path in a
Arc Resistance
material.
The size of a conductor cross-section, measured in circular mils,
Area of Conductor
square inches, etc.
A braid or wrapping of metal, usually steel or aluminum, used for
Armor
additional mechanical protection in harsh environments.
ASA The American Standards Association, former name of ANSI.
ASME The American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
A cable sheath consisting of a corrugated aluminum (A) shield,
ASP corrugated steel (S) shield, flooding compound and an outer
polyethylene (P) jacket.
ASTA United Kingdom approval agency.
Abbreviation for the American Society for Testing and Materials, a
non-profit industry-wide organization which publishes standards,
ASTM
methods of test, recommended practices, definitions and other
related materials.
The decrease in magnitude of the power of a signal in transmission
Attenuation between points. Attenuation is usually measured in decibels per
unit length at a specific frequency.
The difference between attenuation and crosstalk, measured in dB,
Attenuation to Crosstalk at a given frequency. Important characteristic in networking
Ratio (ACR) transmission to assure that signal sent down a twisted pair is
stronger at the receiving end, after being attenuated, than are a
The range of frequencies audible to the human ear. Usually 20-
Audio Frequency
20,000 Hz.
AWG Abbreviation for American Wire Gauge.
B & S Gauge The same as American Wire Gauge (AWG).
The main portion of network cabling, connecting equipment rooms
Backbone or communications closets. These cables often have the largest
number of fibers and/or the longest continuous cable runs.
Backbone Cable or Wire Cable or wire found in the backbone, see Backbone.
Backscattering The scattering of light in a direction opposite to the original one.
 A circuit so arranged that the impressed voltages on each conductor
Balanced Circuit of the pair are equal in magnitude but opposite in polarity with
respect to ground.
A cable having two identical conductors which carry voltages
Balanced Line
opposite in polarity and equal in magnitude with respect to ground.
A device for matching an unbalanced coaxial transmission line to a
Balun
balanced two-wire system.
Repeated circumferential bands applied to a conductor at regular
Band Marking
intervals for identification.
Banded Cable Two or more cables banded together by stainless steel strapping.
A circumferential color band applied to an insulated conductor at
Bandmarking
regular intervals for identification.
(1) The difference between the upper and lower limits of a given
band of frequencies. Expressed in Hertz. (2) A measure of the
Bandwidth
maximum frequency range over which light intensity exiting a
waveguide one kilometer in length can be varied before the attenua
An insulated wire used for the interconnection of selector switches
Bank Wire
in automatic telephone exchanges.
Bare Conductor A conductor not covered with insulating material.
Barrel-Packed Method of coiling into a fiber drum for shipment.
In data transmission, the use of a dedicated end-to-end connection
Baseband
to carry a single channel only.
Transmission of a digital or analog signal at its original
Baseband Signaling frequencies, i.e., a signal in its original form, not changed by
modulation.
The limiting conductor-load per unit length assumed for the
Basic Conductor Load
purposes of design.
A single conductor cable, insulated or uninsulated, used for
Battery Cable
carrying current from batteries to the point power is needed.
Abbreviation for billion conductor feet. A quantity derived by
multiplying the number of conductors in a cable by the amount of
BCF
cable. Usually used to indicate plant capacity or an annual
requirement.
Coaxial cable with a dielectric consisting of beads made of various
Beaded Coax
materials.
A layer of material applied to a cable immediately below the
Bedding
armoring.
Insulated copper wire for making doorbell and thermostat
Bell Wire
connections in homes.
Number of layers of insulation on a conductor, or number of layers
Belt
of jacket on a cable.
Belted-Type Cable Multiple conductor cable having a layer of insulation over the
 assembled insulated conductors.
A form of increased attenuation caused by (a) having an optical
fiber curved around a restrictive radius of curvature or (b)
Bend Loss
microbends caused by minute distortions in the fiber imposed by
externally induced forces.
Radius of curvature that a fiber optic or metallic cable can bend
Bend Radius
without any adverse effects.
A winding made non-inductive by winding together (as one wire)
Bifilar
two wires carrying current in opposite directions.
A quantity derived by multiplying the number of conductors in a
Billion Conductor Feet
cable by the amount of cable. Usually used to indicate plant
(BCF)
capacity or an annual requirement.
A wire formed of two different metals joined together (not
Bimetallic Wire alloyed). It can include wire with a steel core clad wire, or plated or
coated wire.
A spirally served tape or thread used for holding assembled cable
Binder components in place awaiting subsequent manufacturing operations
.
A device for clamping or holding electrical conductors in a rigid
Binding Post
position.
Bit One binary (0 or 1) digit.
The rate at which binary or code information is transmitted over a
Bit Rate
communicating channel. Measured in bits per second.
Outer cable covering applied by controlled inflation of the cured
Blown Jacket
jacket tube then pulling the cable through it.
Amount of adhesion between bonded surfaces, e.g. in cemented
Bond Strength
ribbon cable.
An insulated wire treated to facilitate adherence to materials such
Bondable Wire as potting compounds. Also, magnet wires used in making coils
when bonding the turns together is desired .
Cable consisting of pre-insulated conductors or multi-conductor
Bonded Cable components laid-in parallel and bonded into a flat cable. See
Solvent-Bonded, Adhesive-Bonded and Film Bonded.
An insulation construction in which the glass braid and nylon
Bonded Construction
jacket a re bonded together.
Flat cable consisting of individually insulated conductors lying
Bonded Flat Cable parallel and bonded together: application in electronics,
telecommunications or computers.
The permanent joining of metallic parts to form an electrically
Bonding conductive path that will assure electrical continuity and the
capacity to conduct safely any current likely to be imposed on it.
Bonding Conductor An insulated or uninsulated conductor forming part of the cable
 assembly which is used for the purpose of connecting non-current
carrying parts of electrical equipment to a system grounding
conductor.
Booster A device inserted into a line (or cable) to increase the voltage.
(1) Protective covering over a cable, wire or connector in addition
to the normal jacketing or insulation. (2) A form placed around
Boot
wire termination of a multiple-contact connector to contain the
liquid potting compound before it hardens.
BPF Billion paired feet.
A fibrous or metallic group of filaments interwoven in cylindrical
Braid
form to form a covering over one or more wires.
The smaller of the two angles formed by the shielding strand and in
Braid Angle
the axis of the cable being shielded.
A spool or bobbin on a braider that holds one group of strands or
Braid Carrier filaments consisting of a specific number of ends. The carrier
revolves during braiding operations.
The number of strands used to make up one carrier. The strands are
Braid Ends wound side-by-side on the carrier bobbin and lie parallel in the
finished braid.
Machine used to apply braids to wire and cable and to produce
Braiding Machine braided sleeving and braids for tying or lacing purposes. Braiding
machines are identified by the number of carriers.
Wire used in mobile-home, travel and truck trailers to supply
Brake Wire
current to the electrical braking system.
Breakdown (Puncture) A disruptive discharge through the insulation.
Failure of an insulation resulting in a flow of current through the
Breakdown of Insulation insulation. It may be caused by the application of too high voltage
or by defects or decay.
The voltage at which the insulation between two conductors breaks
Breakdown Voltage
down.
The point at which a conductor or group of conductors breaks out
Breakout from a multi-conductor cable to complete circuits at various points
along the main cable.
Multi-fiber cable constructed in the tight buffered design with
Breakout Cable individually jacketed fibers. Designed for ease of connectorization
and rugged applications for intra- or inter-building requirements.
A device used to expand a local area network by forwarding frames
Bridge
between data link layers.
The multiple appearances of the same cable pair at several
Bridged Tap
distribution points.
British Standard Wire A modification of the Birmingham Wire Gauge and the legal
Gauge standard of Great Britain for all wires. Also known as Standard
 Wire Gauge (SWG), New British Standard (NBS), English Legal
Standard and Imperial Wire Guide.
In data transmission, the use of a carrier signal, rather than direct
Broadband
modulation, to carry several simultaneous channels.
Coating used to protect optical fiber from physical damage. Types
Buffer
include tight buffer (indoor) or loose tube (outdoor).
A motorized device for removing flat cable insulation by means of
Buffing Stripper buffing wheels that melt the insulation and brush it away from the
conductors. Also called Abrasion Stripper.
A space in which the joining of inter- or intra-building
Building Entrance Area telecommunications backbone facilities takes place. An entrance
room may also serve as an equipment room.
Wire used for light and power in permanent installations utilizing
Building Wire 600 volts or less. Usually in an enclosure and which will not be
exposed to outdoor environments .
Any number of conductor strands twisted together in one direction
Bunch Strand
with the same lay length.
A group of strands twisted together in a random manner and the
Bunched Stranding same direction without regard to geometric arrangement of specific
strands.
Buncher A machine that twists wires together in random arrangement.
Several individual fibers contained within a single jacket or buffer
Bundle tube. Also a group of buffered fibers distinguished in some fashion
from another group in the same cable core.
A cable installed directly in the earth without use of underground
Buried Cable
round conduit. Also called Direct Burial Cable.
Buried Distribution and Telephone wires which are designed to provide buried service
Service Wires extensions from distribution cables to the subscriber's protector.
Bus Wire used to connect two terminals inside of an electrical unit.
A mechanical device used as a lining for an opening to prevent
Bushing
abrasion to wire and cable.
Joining of two conductors end-to-end, with no overlap and with the
Butt
axes in line.
A splice where two wires from opposite ends butt against each
Butt Splice
other, or against a stop, in the center of a splice.
Tape wrapped around an object or conductor in an edge-to-edge
Butt Wrap
condition.
A synthetic rubber with good insulating properties (i.e. low voltage
Butyl Rubber
cords).
Byte Typically a group of eight binary digits.
An abbreviation for the Canadian Standard's Association. (The
C.S.A.
Canadian counterpart of Underwriters' Laboratories.)
 A stranded conductor with or without insulation and other
coverings (single-conductor cable) or a combination of conductors
Cable
(multiple-conductor cable). In fiber optics, a jacketed fiber or
jacketed bundle in a form which can be terminated.
Typically, the cable and associated connectors that is ready to
Cable Assembly
install.
The radius that a fiber can be bent before risking increased
Cable Bend Radius
attenuation or fiber breaks.
A device used to give mechanical support to the wire bundle or
Cable Clamp
cable at the rear of a plug or receptacle.
A mechanical adapter that attaches to the rear of a plug or
Cable Clamp Adapter
receptacle to allow the attachment of a cable clamp.
Cable Core The portion of an insulated cable lying under a protective covering.
A wrapping of tapes or cords around the conductors of a multiple-
Cable Core Binder
conductor cable used to hold them together.
The material used in multiple conductor cables to occupy the
Cable Filler spaces formed by the assembly of components forming a core of
the desired shape (normally cylindrical).
The vertical or horizontal open support (usually made of aluminum
Cable Rack
or steel) that is attached to a ceiling or wall.
Cable Sheath The overall protective covering applied to cables.
A ladder, trough, solid-bottom or channel raceway system intended
Cable Tray for, but not limited to, the support of telecommunications media
(i.e., cable).
Compression molding machine used to repair cable jacketing that
Cable Vulcanizer has had a part removed for splicing, for adding connectors or other
devices or for replacing damaged sections.
A multi-core radio or television relay cable in which the conductors
are arranged in quads and each quad consists of four conductors
Cable, Star Quad
twisted together, the diagonally opposite conductors constituting a
pair circuit. Also known as spiral four cable.
System for direct burial in which a flexible conduit is extruded over
Cable-in-Duct
electrical cables for a single pre-assembled unit.
(1) A combination of all cables, wire, cords and connecting
hardware; (2) Twisting together two or more insulated conductors
Cabling
by machine to form a cable. In fiber optics, a method by which a
group or bundle of fibers is mechanically assembled.
Used in the formula for calculating the diameter of an unshielded,
Cabling Factor unjacketed cable. D = Kd, where D is the cable diameter. K is the
factor and d is the diameter of one insulated conductor.
The building and grounds of a complex (i.e. a university, college,
Campus
industrial park or military establishment).
 A non-profit independent organization which operates a listing
Canadian Standards
service for electrical and electronic materials and equipment. The
Association (CSA)
Canadian counterpart of the Underwriters Laboratories.
The ratio of the electrostatic charge on a conductor to the potential
Capacitance difference between the conductors required to maintain that charge.
Units expressed in Farads.
The inequalities of the capacitances of the wires of a telephone
circuit to other wires or to earth which will produce interference.
Capacitance Unbalance Various forms of unbalance arise according to the circuits
concerned in the measurement, 
hence side-to-side, pair-to-pair
An inequality of capacitance between the g round capacitance of
Capacitance Unbalance to
the conductors of a pair which results in a pickup of external source
Ground
energy, usually from power transmission lines.
The capacitance measured directly with all other conductors,
Capacitance, Direct
including shield, short circuited to ground.
The capacitance between two conductors with all other conductors,
Capacitance, Mutual
including shield, short circuited to ground.
Electrical interaction between two conductors caused by the
Capacitive Coupling
capacitance between them.
The opposition to alternating current due to the capacitance of the
Capacitive Reactance (Xc)
cable or circuit. Measured in ohms.
The phenomenon of liquid rising in a small interstice due to surface
Capillary Action
tension.
The woven element of a braid consisting of one or more ends
(strands) which creates the interlaced effect. Also, a spindle, spool,
Carrier
tube, or bobbin (on a braiding machine) containing yarn or wire,
employed as a braid.
CATV Acronym for Community Antenna Television.
CBO Rubber insulated Brewery Cord.
Abbreviation for Consultative Committee of International
CCITT
Telegraph and Telephone.
CCTV Acronym for Closed-Circuit Television.
CE Code, CEC Canadian Electrical Code
Belgium Approval Agency; Comite Electrotechnique Belge
CEBEC
Service de la Marque.
European Standards Agency; International Commission on Rules
CEE
for the Approval of Electrical Equipment.
Expanded or foam, consists of individual closed cells of inert gas
Cellular Plastics suspended in a plastic medium, resulting in a desirable reduction of
the dielectric constant.
CENELEC European Standards Agency; European Committee for
 Electrotechnical Norms.
A material located in the middle of a cable that provides extra
Central Member
strength and anti-buckling properties.
The place where communications common carriers terminate
Central Office customer lines and locate switching equipment that interconnects
those lines.
A written statement; normally generated by a Quality Control
Certificate of Compliance
Department, which states that the product being shipped meets
(C of C)
customer's specifications.
A report providing actual test data on a cable. Tests are normally
Certified Test Report
conducted by the Quality Control Department to confirm that the
(CTR)
product being shipped conforms to specifications.
The current produced when a D.C. voltage is first applied to
Changing Current conductors of an unterminated cable. It is caused by the capacitive
reactance of the cable, and decreases exponentially with time.
The impedance that, when connected to the output terminals of a
transmission line of any length, makes the line appear infinitely
Characteristic Impedance
long. The ratio of voltage to current at every point along a
transmission line on which there are no standing waves.
The quantity of electricity held statically in a condenser or an
Charge
insulated conductor.
Chlorinated Polyethylene A polymerized ethylene resin that has been treated or combined
(CPE) with chlorine or a chlorine compound.
Chlorosulfonated A rubbery polymer used for insulations and jackets. Manufactured
Polyethylene (CSPE) by Dupont under the tradename of Hypalon.
Spreading of a light pulse caused by the difference in refractive
Chromatic Dispersion
indices at different lengths.
Tape insulation wrapped longitudinally instead of spirally over a
Cigarette Wrap
conductor.
A complete path over which electrons can flow from the negative
terminals of a voltage source through parts and wires to the positive
Circuit
terminals of the same voltage source. When the continuity of the
circuit is broken it is called an open circuit: when con
Circuit Sizes A popular term for building wire sizes 14 through 10 AWG .
A measurement used for the are a of wire, calculated by squaring
Circular Mil (cmil)
the diameter. 1 circular mil = (.001) 2 x 10 6
A method of applying a layer of metal over another metal where
the junction of the two metals is continuously welded. In fiber
Cladding
optics, a sheathing intimately in contact with the core of a higher
refractive index material which serves to provide optical i
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) rates the clamping voltage of surge
Clamping Voltage
protectors. The lower the rating, the better the protection.
Clorosulfonated A rubbery polymer used for insulations and jackets. Manufactured
Polyethylene (CSPE) by DuPont under the trade name of Hypalon.
An insulated splice in which two or more wires overlap and enter
Closed End Splice
the splice from the same end of the barrel.
An enclosed space for housing telecommunications equipment,
Closet, cable terminations, and cross-connect cabling. The closet is the
Telecommunications recognized location of the cross-connect between the backbone and
horizontal facilities.
A material applied to the surface of a conductor to prevent
Coating environmental deterioration, facilitate soldering or improve
electrical performance.
A cable consisting of two cylindrical conductors with a common
Coaxial Cable
axis, separated by a dielectric.
A connector that has a coaxial construction and is used with coaxial
Coaxial Connector
cable.
A light source which emits a very narrow, unidirectional beam of
Coherent Source
light of one wavelength (monochromatic).
The inductive effect exhibited by a spiral-wrapped shield,
Coil Effect
especially above audio frequencies.
A laboratory test procedure whereby a sample of wire or cable is
wound around a mandrel of a specified size at a specified
Cold Bend
temperature for a given number of turns at a given rate of speed
and examined for defects.
Permanent deformation of the insulation due to mechanical force of
Cold Flow
pressure (not due to heat softening).
Cold Joint A soldered joint made with insufficient heat.
Any test to determine the performance of cables during or after
Cold Test
subjection to a specified low temperature for a specified time.
The hardening and embrittlement of a metal by repeated flexing
Cold Work
action.
A color system for circuit identification by use of solid colors,
Color Code
tracers, braids, surface printing, etc.
Commercial Building A building or portion thereof, that is intended for office use.
In multiple cable constructions, a twisting of all conductors about a
common axis with two conductor groups then selected as pairs.
Common Axis Cabling
This practice yields smaller diameter constructions than does a
separate axis construction, but tends to yield greater sus
An organization that provides regulated telephone, telegraph, telex
Common Carrier
and data communications systems.
Noise caused by a difference in ground potential. By grounding at
Common Mode either end rather than both ends (usually grounded at source) one
can reduce this interference.
 Stranded conductor rolled to deform the round wires to fill the
Compact Conductor
normal interstices between the wires in a strand.
The ability of dissimilar materials to exist in mutual proximity or
Compatibility
contact without changing their physical or electrical properties.
A wire having a core of one metal with a fused outer shell of
Composite (Clad) Wire
different metals.
A cable containing more than one type or gauge size of conductors
Composite Cable
(I.e. power and control conductors in one assembly).
Two or more strands of different metals assembled and operated in
Composite Conductor
parallel.
An insulating or jacketing material made by mixing two or more
Compound
ingredients.
A pipe type cable in which the pressure medium is separated from
Compression Cable
the insulation by a membrane or sheath.
A central core surrounded by one or more layers of helically wound
Concentric
strands in a fixed round geometric arrangement.
A strand that consists of a central wire or core surrounded by one
Concentric Strand
or more layers of spirally laid wires.
Manufactured to ASTM, ICEA, and CSA standards. The most
Concentric Stranded common fixed installation type conductors are : 1) Round-no
Conductors diameter reduction: 2) Compressed-approximately 3% diameter
reduction; 3) Compact-approximately 10% diameter reduction.
A group of uninsulated wires twisted so as to contain a center core
Concentric Stranding with one or more distinct layers of spirally wrapped, uninsulated
wires laid overall to form a single conductor.
In a wire or cable, the measurement of the location of the center of
Concentricity the conductor with respect to the geometric center of the circular
insulation.
A concentric-lay conductor, or a multiple-conductor cable
Concentric-Lay Cable composed of a central core surrounded by one or more layers of
helically laid insulated conductors.
The ability of a conductor to carry and electric charge. The ratio of
Conductance the current flow to the potential difference causing the flow. The
reciprocal of resistance.
The capacity of a material to carry electrical current that is usually
Conductivity expressed as a percentage of copper conductivity (copper being
100%).
A wire (or combination of wires not insulated from one another)
Conductor
suitable for carrying electric current.
An extrusion of black semi-conducting thermoses material over the
Conductor Shield conductor to provide a smooth interface with the insulation for
even distribution of electrical stress.
 A rigid or flexible metallic or non-metallic raceway of circular
Conduit (Electrical
cross section through which wire and cables can be pulled or
Raceway)
housed.
Connecting Hardware A device providing mechanical cable terminations.
A device used to physically and electrically connect two or more
Connector
conductors. Also used to physically connect cable to equipment.
Amount of power reflected from the connector to connector
Connector Return Loss
interface, typically expressed in decibels.
The part of a connector which actually carries the electrical current.
Contact Contacts are touched together or separated to control the flow of
electricity.
A hole in the cylindrical rear portion of contact used to check the
Contact Inspection Hole
depth to which a wire has been inserted.
The largest size wire which can be used with the specific contact.
Contact Size
Also, the diameter of the engagement end of the pin.
The parts of a connector which actually carry the electrical current,
Contacts
and are touched together or separated to control the flow.
A test to determine whether electrical current flows continuously
Continuity Check throughout the length of a single wire or individual wires in a
cable.
Simultaneous extrusion and vulcanization of rubber-like
Continuous Vulcanization
(thermoset) coating materials. Often referred to as CV.
Cable spiraling in an opposite direction than the preceding layer
Contrahelical
within a wire or cable.
A multi-conductor cable made for operation in control or signal
Control Cable
circuits.
Package of two or more insulated conductors where impedance
Controlled Impedance
measurements betweenrespective conductors are kept essentially
Cable
constant throughout the entire length.
A compound resulting from the polymerization of two different
Copolymer
monomers.
Steel with a coating of copper welded to it before drawing as
Copper Clad
opposed to copper-plated. Synonymous with Copperweld.
The trade name of Flexo Wire Division (Copperweld Steel Corp.)
Copperweld
for its copper-clad steel conductors.
A small, very flexible insulated cable constructed to withstand
mechanical abuse. (Note: There is no sharp dividing line with
Cord
respect to size between a cord and a cable, but generally, a cord is
considered to be a size No. 10 and smaller )
A cable using stranded conductors for flexibility as in distribution
Cord, Telecommunications
cords or line cords. Line cords can also use tinsel conductors.
Cordset Portable cords fitted with a wiring device at one or both ends.
 In cables, a component or assembly of components over which
other materials are applied, such as additional components, shield,
Core
sheath, or armor. In fiber optics, the transparent glass or plastic
section with a high refractive index through which the ligh
Measure of the displacement of the center of the core relative to the
Core Eccentricity
cladding center.
Core Ellipticity Measure of the non-roundness of the core.
A discharge of electricity which appears around a conductor when
Corona the potential gradient at the surface of the conductor exceeds a
certain value.
The time that the insulation will withstand a specified level of
Corona Resistance field-intensified ionization that does not result in the immediate
complete breakdown of the insulation.
The process or result of a material being eaten or worn away,
Corrosion
usually by chemical reaction.
Bare copper, usually soft drawn, buried around the perimeter of a
structure for grounding purposes. When grounding electrical
Counterpoise
transmission towers - usually running parallel to the overhead lines
along the right-of-way. A grounding installation employed wh
Coupling Efficiency Efficiency of optical power transfer between two components.
Signal losses due to small differences in numerical aperture, core
diameter, core concentricity, and tolerances in splicing connectors
Coupling Loss
when two fibers are aligned. Also known as Splicing Loss and
Transfer Loss.
A device used on cylindrical connectors to lock plug and receptacle
Coupling Ring
together.
The calculated percentage which defines the completeness with
which a metal braid covers the underlying surface. The higher
Coverage
percentage of coverage, the greater the protection against external
interference .
Textile braid or jacket of rubber plastics, or other materials applied
Covering over wire and cable to provide mechanical protection and
identification.
Chlorinated polyethylene can be used as either a thermoplastic or
thermoset. It is a tough chemical and oil-resistant material and
CPE
makes an excellent jacket for industrial control cable. As a
thermoset, it can be used as an oil-resistant cord jacket. Typi
Crazing The minute cracks on the surface of plastic materials.
The dimensional change with time of a material under a
Creep
mechanical load.
Creepage The conduction of electricity across the surface of a dielectric.
Creepage Path The path across the surface of a dielectric between two conductors.
 An insulating surface which provides physical separation as a form
Creepage Surface of insulation between two electrical conductors of different
potential.
The act of compressing a connector barrel around a cable in order
Crimp
to make an electrical connection.
Connection in which a metal sleeve is secured to a conductor by
Crimp Termination mechanically crimping the sleeve with pliers, presses or automated
crimping machines.
Smallest angle at which a meridional ray may be totally reflected
Critical Angle
within a fiber at the core-cladding interface.
A facility enabling the termination of cable elements and their
Cross-Connect interconnection, and/or cross-connection, primarily by means of a
patch cord or jumper.
Inter-molecular bonds between long chain thermoplastic polymers
Crosslinked by chemical or electron bombardment means. The properties of the
resulting thermo-setting material are usually improved.
The area of the cut surface of an object cut at right angles to the
Cross-Sectional Area
length of the object.
Undesired electrical currents in conductors caused by
electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling from other conductors or
Crosstalk
from external sources. Also, leakage of optical power from one
optical conductor to another.
Abbreviation for Canadian Standards Association, a non-profit
independent organization which operates a listing service for
CSA
electrical and electronic materials and equipment. The Canadian
counterpart of the Underwriters Laboratories.
C-SJ Same as SJ except extra-flexible conductor.
C-SJO Same as SJO except extra-flexible conductor.
Insulating and jacketing compound based on chlorosulfonated
CSPE polyethylene. Also known as Hypalon (DuPont registered
trademark).
To change the physical properties of a material by chemical
Cure reaction, by the action of heat and catalysts, alone or in
combination, with or without pressure.
Curing Cycle The time, temperature, and pressure required for curing.
The degree to which a wire tends to form a circle after removal
Curl from a spool. An indication of the ability of the wire to be wrapped
around posts in long runs.
The rate of transfer of electricity. Practical unit is the ampere which
re presents the transfer of one coulomb per second. In a simple
Current
circuit, current (I) produced by a cell or electromotive force (E)
when there is an external resistance (R) and intern
Current Carrying Capacity The maximum current an insulated conductor can safely carry
(Ampacity) without exceeding its insulation and jacket temperature limitations.
The depth a current of a given frequency will penetrate into the
Current Penetration
surface of a conductor carrying the current
An electric current that periodically reverses direction of electron
Current, Alternating (AC) flow. The number of full cycles occurring in a given unit of time
(one second) is called the frequency of the current.
Electrical current whose electrons flow in one direction only; it
Current, Direct (DC) may be constant or pulsating as long as their movement is in the
same direction.
Building(s) with grounds and appurtenances (belongings) under the
Customer Premises
control of the customer.
The ability of a material to withstand mechanical pressure, usually
Cut-Through Resistance
a sharp edge of prescribed radius, without separation.
CV Abbreviation for continuous vulcanization.
The complete sequence of alternation or reversal of the flow of an
Cycle
alternating electric current. (See Hertz.)
D.C. Abbreviation for Direct Current.
A unit to express differences of power level. Used to express power
Decibel (dB)
gain in amplifiers or power loss in passive circuits or cables.
A cable made to provide very low velocity of propagation with
Delay Line
long electrical delay for transmitted signals.
Demarcation Point A point where the operational control or ownership changes.
DEMKO Approval agency of Denmark.
Thickness of the crimped portion of a connector measured between
Depth of Crimp
two opposite points on the crimped surface.
A factor used to reduce the current carrying capacity of a wire
Derating Factor when used in environments other than that for which the value was
established.
A device that picks up light from fiber and converts the information
Detector
into an electrical signal.
Device, As Related to a An item such as a telephone, personal computer, or graphic or
Work Station video terminal.
Device, As Related to A protector, a protector mount, a protector unit or a
Protection protectomodule.
1) Any insulating medium which intervenes between two
conductors and permits electrostatic attraction and repulsion to take
Dielectric
place across it; 2) A material having the property that energy
required to establish an electric field is recoverable in whole or
That property of an imperfect dielectric whereby there is an
Dielectric Absorption accumulation of electric charges within the body of the material
when it is placed in an electric field.
Dielectric Breakdown The voltage at which a dielectric material is punctured, which is
 divisible by thickness to give dielectric strength.
The ratio of the capacitance of a condenser with dielectric between
the electrodes to the capacitance when air is between the
Dielectric Constant (K)
electrodes. Also called Permittivity and Specific Inductive
Capacity (SIC).
Power dissipated in an insulating medium as the result of the
Dielectric Loss friction caused by molecular motion when an AC Electric field is
applied.
The voltage which an insulation can withstand before breakdown
Dielectric Strength occurs. Usually expressed as a voltage gradient (such as volts per
mil).
A test in which a voltage higher than the rated voltage is applied
for a specified time to determine the adequacy of the insulation
Dielectric Test
under normal conditions. Sometimes called a "Hi-Pot" test (high
potential).
Phenomenon that results when light passes by an opaque edge or
through an opening, generating weaker secondary wavefronts.
Diffraction
These secondary wavefronts interfere with the primary wavefronts
as well as with each other to form various patterns.
A data format that uses discrete or separate physical levels to
Digital
contain information.
A signal in which the data is represented by a series of discrete
Digital Signal
steps or pulses.
An insulating coating applied to the conductor by passing the
Dip Coating conductor through an applicator containing liquid insulating
medium.
Direct Burial Cable A cable installed directly in the earth.
The capacitance measured directly from conductor to conductor
Direct Capacitance
through a single insulating layer.
Direct Current (DC) An electric current which flows in only one direction.
Direct Current Resistance
The resistance offered by any circuit to the flow of direct current.
(DCR)
The lateral direction in which the strands of a conductor run over
the top of the cable conductor as they recede from an observer
Direction of Lay
looking along the axis of the conductor or cable. Also applies to
twisted cable.
Discrete Wiring Wire or wires having distinct identity and purpose.
Spread of the signal delay in an optical waveguide. It consists of
various components: modal dispersion, material dispersion, and
Dispersion
waveguide dispersion. As a result of the dispersion, an optical
waveguide acts as a low-pass filter for the transmitted signa
Disruptive Discharge A sudden, large increase in current through an insulation medium
due to the complete failure of the medium under the electrostatic
 stress.
The tangent of the loss angle of the insulating material. (Also
Dissipation Factor
referred to as loss tangent, tand and approximate power factor.)
In telecommunications and CATV systems, the transmission cable
Distribution Cable
between the distribution amplifier and the drop wire .
A structure with terminations for connecting the permanent cabling
Distribution Frame of a facility in such a manner that interconnection or cross-
connections may be readily made.
A conductor that receives energy generated by the field of another
Disturbed Conductor
conductor or an external source such as a transformer.
The uninsulated wire in contact with an electrostatic shield
throughout its length, in an instrumentation or control cable, used
Drain Wire to discharge unwanted signals. Also provides a means of
terminating laminated shields. Sometimes used to describe the
metalli
Draw Feed Stock Rod or wire that is subsequently drawn to a smaller size.
In the manufacturing of wire, pulling the metal through a die or
Drawing
series of dies for reduction of diameter to a specified size.
A ceiling that creates an area or space between the ceiling material
Drop Ceiling and the structure above the material. Synonym: False Ceiling,
Suspended Ceiling.
A telephone cable, usually consisting of one insulated telephone
Drop Wire pair, which is used to connect a subscribers premises to open wire
lines on poles.
DRT Plastic range and dryer cord (CSA).
Two individually insulated conductors laid parallel or twisted and
Dual Coaxial Cable
placed within an overall shield and sheath.
(1) A single enclosed raceway for wires or cables. Also Conduit,
Raceway; (2) a single enclosed raceway for wires or cables usually
Duct
used in soil or concrete, (3) an enclosure in which air is moved.
Generally part of the HVAC system of a building.
Capable of being drawn out or hammered thin, or of being flexed
Ductile
or bent without failure.
Referring to a type of data transmission, either half or full. Half
Duplex duplex permits only one-way communication. Full duplex allows
simultaneous two-way transmission.
(1) A cable composed of two insulated single conductor cables
twisted together. (2) A cable composed of two fibers typically
Duplex Cable
62.5/125 mm Multi-Mode, placed in parallel under a thermoplastic
sheath.
Duplex Parallel Typically used in the thermo-couple industry to denote two parallel
conductors of dissimilar metals insulated in parallel without twist
and jacketed. Commonly applied to thermo-couple grades and
 extension wires.
Durometer A measure of hard n e s s .
A symbol for voltage. Usually used to represent direct voltage or
E
the effective (root-mean-square) value of an alternating voltage.
Earth British terminology for zero reference ground.
Like concentricity, a measure of the center of a conductor's location
with respect to the circular cross section of the insulation.
Eccentricity
Expressed as a percentage of displacement of one circle within the
other.
Circulating currents induced in conducting materials by varying
Eddy Current
magnetic fields.
Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association of Canada
EEMAC
(U.S. counterpart is NEMA).
EFTS Abbreviation for Electronic Funds Transfer System.
EIA Abbreviation for Electronic Industries Association.
A rubber or rubber-like material which will stretch repeatedly to
Elastomer 200 percent or more and return rapidly and with force to its
approximate original shape.
A conductor through which a current enters or leaves a nonmetallic
Electrode
conductor.
The production of chemical changes by passage of current through
Electrolysis
an electrolyte.
A term describing the method of raw copper preparation to ensure a
Electrolytic Tough Pitch good physical and electrical grade copper finished product
containing less than 1/10 of 1% impurities. (ASTM B5.)
Pertaining to the combined electric and magnetic fields associated
Electromagnetic
with movements of electrons through conductors.
Electromagnetic Coupling Energy transfer by means of a varying magnetic field.
A rapidly moving electric field and its associated moving magnetic
Electromagnetic Field
field.
The production of a voltage in a coil due to a change in the number
Electromagnetic Induction
of magnetic lines of force (flux linkages) passing through the coil.
Flowing currents generate magnetic fields. Depending on the
Electromagnetic strength and proximity, these magnetic fields can induce unwanted
Interference (EMI) current in 
nearby conductive media, negatively affecting signal transfer.
Electromotive Force Pressure or voltage. The force which causes current to flow in a
(E.M.F) circuit.
A length of conductive or semiconductive material used in an
Electronic Wire and Cable
electronic application.
Pertaining to static electricity or electricity at rest. A constant
Electrostatic
intensity electric charge .
 A copper or laminated aluminum/mylar tape wrap around a signal
or instrumentation circuit (pair, triad, etc.) to protect from the
Electrostatic Shield
electric field radiated by a voltage source. The grounded shield
intercepts static interference and carries it off to ground.
Electro-Tinned Electrolytic process of tinning wire using pure tin.
The fractional increase in the length of a material stressed in
Elongation
tension.
The tensile strain in a test piece stretched to breaking point, the
Elongation at Break conditions being such that the stress is substantially uniform over
the cross - section.
A marker identification by means of thermal indentation leaving
Embossing
raised lettering on the sheath material of cable.
Loads which occur when larger than normal currents are carried
Emergency Overloads
through a cable or wire over a short period of time.
EMI Abbreviation for electromagnetic interference.
EMRC Energy Mines and Resources Canada
A conductor with a baked-on enamel film insulation. In addition to
Enameled Wire magnet wire, enameled insulation is used on thermocouple type
wires and other wires.
Quality of the surface at an optic-fiber's end, commonly described
End Finish as mirror, mist, hackle, chipped, cracked, or specified by final grit
size used in polishing.
In braiding, the number of essentially parallel wires of threads on a
Ends
carrier.
Energize To apply rated voltage to a circuit or device in order to activate.
An entrance to a building for both public and private network
Entrance Facility,
service cables (including antennae) including the entrance point at
Telecommunications
the building wall and continuing to the entrance room or space.
The point of emergence of telecommunications conductors through
Entrance Point,
an exterior wall, a concrete floor slab, or from a rigid metal conduit
Telecommunications
or intermediate metal conduit.
A space in which the joining of inter- or intra-building
Entrance Room or Space,
telecommunications backbone facilities takes place. An entrance
Telecommunications
room may also serve as an equipment room.
Ethylene-propylene-dene monomer rubber. A material with good
EPDM
electrical insulating properties.
Ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber. A material with good
EPR
electrical insulating properties.
An even distribution of current between the parallel cables in a
Equal Load Sharing
power circuit.
Equilay More than one layer of helically laid wires with the direction of lay
reversed for successive layers, but with the length of lay the same
 for each layer.
A centralized space for telecommunications equipment that serves
Equipment Room, the occupants of the building. An equipment room is considered
Telecommunications distinct from a telecommunications closet because of the nature of
complexity or the equipment.
ESTA Australian approval agency, Electricity Trust of South Australia.
A process applied to fluoro plastic wire in which the wire is passed
Etched Wire through a sodium bath to create a rough surface to allow epoxy
resin to bond the fluoro plastic.
A local area network (LAN) which uses the CSMA/CD (Carrier
Ethernet Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) access method on
a bus topography.
Abbreviation for electrolytic tough pitch copper. It has a minimum
ETPC
conductivity of 99.9%.
The angle between the output radiation vectors and the axis of the
Exit Angle
fiber or fiber bundle.
The effects of electrical waves or fields which cause sounds other
External Interference
than the desired signal; static.
Electronic wiring which interconnects subsystems within the
External Wiring
system.
Cable with conductors which a re uniformly insulated and formed
Extruded Cable by applying a homogeneous insulation material in a continuous
extrusion process.
The process of continuously forcing a plastic or elastomer and a
Extrusion conductor core through a die, thereby applying a continuous
coating of insulation or jacket to the core or conductor.
General Cable's trademark for polyethylene fused to aluminum for
F.P.A.
use as cable shielding.
FAA Federal Aviation Administration.
A ceiling that creates an area or space between the ceiling material
False Ceiling and the structure above the material. Synonym: Drop Ceiling,
Suspended Ceiling.
The standard unit of capacitance. A one farad capacitor is one in
Farad which a one coulomb charge produces a one volt potential
difference between the plates.
Resistance to metal crystallization which leads to conductors or
Fatigue Resistance
wires breaking from flexing.
FDDI (Fiber Distributed
A standard for a 100 Mbs fiber optic area network.
Data Interface)
Feedback Energy that is extracted from a high-level point in a circuit and
applied to a lower level. Positive feedback reduces the stability of a
device and is used to increase the sensitivity or produce oscillation
 in a system. Negative feedback, also called inv
In telecommunication or CATV systems, the transmission cable
Feeder Cable from the head end (signal pickup) to the trunk amplifier. Also
called a Trunk Cable.
(1) A conductor that connects patterns on opposite sides of a PCB.
Also called Interfacial Connection; (2) A connector or terminal
Feedthrough
block, usually having double-ended terminals which permit simple
distribution and bussing of electrical circuits.
Insulators that carry a metal conductor through the chassis while
Feed-Through Insulators
preventing the 'hot' lead from shorting to the ground chassis.
Fluorinated ethylene propylene, a melt extrudable fluorocarbon
FEP
resin. Teflon is a DuPont registered trademark.
Composed of and/or containing iron. A ferrous metal exhibits
Ferrous
magnetic characteristics (i.e. steel armor).
A short tube used to make solderless connections to shielded or
Ferrule
coaxial cable.
Fext Far end crosstalk.
FI Approval agency of Finland; Electrical Inspectorate.
A single, separate optical transmission element characterized by
Fiber
core and cladding.
A high speed point-to-point, ANSI Optical Communications
Fiber Channel Standard that supports data transfer rates up to 1,062.5 Mbs (1
Gps).
Controlled fracture of an optical fiber along a crystalline plane
Fiber Cleaving
which results in a smooth surface.
Pulse spreading in a fiber caused by differing transit times of
Fiber Dispersion
various modes.
A lightwave or optical communications system in which electrical
information is converted to light energy transmitted to another
Fiber Optics
location through optical fibers, and is there converted back into
electrical information.
A loose, crush-resistant cylinder applied over individual fibers to
Fiber Tubing
provide mechanical protection.
Field An area of influence around a magnet or electric charge.
A suitable insulated winding to be mounted on a field pole to
Field Coil
magnetize.
An aerial cable configuration in which the conductors and the
Figure 8 Cable strand which supports the cable are integrally jacketed. A cross-
section of the finished cable approximates the figure eight.
Filament Fiber characterized by extreme length.
Filled Cable A telephone cable construction in which the cable core is filled
with a material that will prevent moisture from entering or passing
 through the cable.
(1) A material used in the cable to fill large interstices between
Filler electrical components; (2) A substance, often inert, added to a
compound to improve properties and/or decrease cost.
Film A thin plastic sheet.
Fine Stranded Wire Stranded wire with component strands of 36 AWG or smaller.
A material, device, or assembly of parts installed in a cable system
Firestop in a fire-rated wall or floor to prevent passage of flame, smoke, or
gasses through the rated barrier.
Fixture wires according to the National Electrical Code are
designed for installation in lighting fixtures and in similar
Fixture Wire
equipment where enclosed or protected and not subject to bending
or twisting in use. They also are used for connecting lighting fixtu
The ability of a material not to propagate flame once the heat
Flame Resistance
source is removed.
Ability of a material to p revent the spread of combustion by a low
Flame Retardance
rate of travel so the flame will not be conveyed.
Flammability The measure of the material's ability to support combustion.
A test to determine the ability of a cable to resist ignition when
Flammability Test placed near a source of heat or flame and to self-extinguish when
removed from this source.
A disruptive discharge around or over the surface of a solid or
Flashover
liquid insulator.
A woven braid of tinned copper strands rolled flat at time of
Flat Braid
manufacture to a specified width.
Flat Cable A cable with two smooth or corrugated but essentially flat surfaces.
A wire having a rectangular cross section as opposed to round or
Flat Conductor
square conductors.
Flat Conductor Cable A cable with a plurality of flat conductors.
A cable containing one or more cores, each formed of a group of
Flat Under Carpet Cable wires, the diameters of the wires being sufficiently small to afford
flexibility.
The measurement of the ability of a conductor or cable to withstand
Flex Life
repeated bending before breaking.
The ease with which a cable may be bent without sustaining
Flexibility
damage.
The quality of a cable or cable component which allows for
Flexible bending under the influence of outside force, as opposed to
limpness which is bending due to the cable's own weight.
A cable containing one or more cores, each formed of a group of
Flexible Cable wires, the diameters of the wires being sufficiently small to afford
flexibility.
Floating Referring to a circuit which has no connection to ground.
(1) The lines of force which make up an electrostatic field; (2) The
Flux rate of flow of energy across or through a surface; (3) A substance
used to promote or facilitate fusion .
FNC Federal Networking Council (formerly FRICC).
A cable utilizing a foamed polyolefin inner layer covered by a solid
Foam Skin Cable
polyolefin skin as the conductor insulation.
Foamed Plastics Plastic insulations having a cellular structure.
Foamskin Polyethylene foam insulation with polyethylene outerskin.
Foil A thin, continuous sheet of metal.
Abbreviation for fiber optic test procedures, which are defined in
FOTP
TIA/EIA Publication Series 455.
A flammability rating established by Underwriters' Laboratories for
FR-1 wires and cables that pass a specially designed vertical flame test.
This designation has been replaced by VW-1.
Free Connector A connector for attachment to the free end of a wire or cable.
The number of cycles, now expressed as hertz, by an alternating
Frequency current in one second. The hertz is equivalent to the older unit
cycles per second.
The characteristic of a device denoting the range of frequencies
Frequency Response
over which it may be used effectively.
One of several CSA flame test designations for wires and cables
FT1 which pass the C22.2 No. 0.3 test requirements. (Other
designations include FT2, FT4, etc.)
Funnel Entry Flared or widened entrance to a terminal or connector wire barrel.
Wire made from an alloy that melts at a relatively low
Fuse Wire
temperature .
A metallic coating which has been melted and solidified, forming a
Fused Coating
metallurgical bond to the base material.
Individual strands of heavy tinned copper wire stranded together
Fused Conductors
and then bonded together by induction heating.
A PTFE insulated hookup wire. The spiral wrapped conductor is
Fused Spiral Ta p e
passed through a sintering oven whereoverlaps are fused together.
A splice accomplished by the application of localized heat
Fusion Splice sufficient to fuse or melt the ends of two lengths of optical fiber,
forming a continuous single fiber.
G round Potential Zero potential with respect to the ground or earth.
The increase of voltage, cur rent, or power over a standard or
Gain
previous reading. Usually expressed in decibels.
Galvanometer An instrument for detecting or measuring small electrical current.
Gang Strip Simultaneous stripping of all conductors in a flat or ribbon cable.
 A self-contained pressure cable in which the pressure medium is an
Gas Filled Cable
inert gas having access to the insulation.
Gauge A term used to denote the physical size of a wire.
Giga A numerical prefix denoting one billion (10 9 ).
Gigabit One billion bits of information.
Gigahertz (GHz) A unit of frequency equal to one billion hertz.
A short length of wire soldered onto a circuit component and used
Gimmick
as a small adjustable capacitor.
GND Abbreviation for ground.
A type of optical fiber in which the refractive index of the core is in
Graded-Index the form of a parabolic curve, decreasing toward the cladding. This
type of fiber provides high bandwidth capabilities.
An optical fiber core that has a non-uniform index of refraction.
The core is composed on concentric rings of glass, which have
Graded-Index Fiber
refractive indices that decrease from the center axis. The refractive
index is changed in a systematic way from the center to t
(1) An electrical term meaning to connect to the earth or other large
conducting body to serve as an earth thus making a complete
Ground
electrical circuit; ( 2) A wire intended to be used for grounding
(also called grounding conductor).
Ground Conductor A conductor in a transmission cable or line that is grounded.
The insulation used between a winding and the magnetic core or
Ground Insulation
other structural parts, usually at ground potential.
The generation of undesirable current flow within a ground
Ground Loop conductor, owing to the circulation currents which originate from a
second source of voltage.
Expanded copper mesh which is laminated into some flat cable
Ground Plane
constructions as a shield.
Ground Potential Zero potential with respect to the ground or earth.
A cable assembly fitted with appropriate terminations to supply
Ground Power Cable
power to an aircraft from ground power unit.
GTO Gast tube sign and oil-burner ignition cable. 5,000V-15,000V.
A trade name of Allied Chemical for their copolymer of ethylene
Halar
and chlorotrifluor-ethylene. Abbreviation ECTFE.
A term used to identify any of the four elements chlorine, fluorine,
Halogen bromine and iodine, grouped together because their chemical
properties are similar.
Hard Drawn Copper Wire Copper wire that has been drawn to size and not annealed.
An arrangement of wires and cables, usually with many breakouts,
Harness which have been tied together or pulled into a rubber or plastic
sheath, used to interconnect an electric circuit.
 A non-continuous helical stripe applied to a conductor for
Hash Mark Stripe
identification.
Distortion of flow of a material or configuration due to the
Heat Distortion
application of heat.
The time of heat aging that a material can withstand before failing
Heat Endurance
a specific physical or electrical test.
Ability of a substance to maintain physical and chemical identity
Heat Resistance
and electrical integrity under specified temperature conditions.
In cabling, a method of sealing a tape wrap jacket by means of
Heat Seal
thermal fusion.
A test to determine stability of a material by sudden exposure to a
Heat Shock
high temperature for a short period of time.
Flexible stranded copper conductor, cotton wrapped with rubber
Heater Cord
insulation and asbestos roving .
A continuous, colored, spiral stripe applied over the outer perimeter
Helical Stripe
of an insulated conductor for circuit identification purposes.
Helix Spiral winding.
Unit of inductance such that the induced voltage in volts is
Henry numerically equal to the rate of change in current in amperes per
second.
A gas-tight enclosure that has been completely sealed by fusion or
Hermetically Sealed
comparable means.
Unit of measure of frequency of alternating current. One hertz is
Hertz
equal to one cycle per second.
Hertz (Hz) A term replacing cycles-per-second as a unit of frequency.
A cable insulating system composed of two or more layers of
Heterogeneous Insulation
different insulating materials.
High Temperature Wire Electrical wire and cables having thermal operating characteristics
and Cable of 150°C and higher.
Cables rated over 35Kv. The National Electrical Code defines any
cable over 600 volts as High Voltage for the purposes of Article
High Voltage (HV)
710. However, Article 326 delineates the generally accepted
parameters of Medium Voltage and High Voltage .
A test designated to determine the highest voltage that can be
Hi-Pot (High Potential) applied to a conductor without breaking down the insulation (see
Dielectric Test).
Ability of a connector to remain assembled to a cable when under
Holding Strength
tension.
A complete cable insulation structure whose components cannot be
Homogeneous Insulation
identified as layers of different materials.
Hook-up Wire A single insulated conductor used for low current, low voltage
(usually under 600 volts) applications within enclosed electronic
 equipment.
The wiring/cabling between the telecommunications
Horizontal Cabling
outlet/connector and the horizontal cross-connect.
A cross-connect of horizontal cabling to other cabling, i.e.
Horizontal Cross-Connect
horizontal, backbone, or equipment.
A colored stripe running horizontally with the axis of a conductor,
Horizontal Stripe sometimes called a longitudinal stripe, used as a means of circuit
identification.
A term denoting the covering of a surface by means of dipping the
Hot Dip
surface to be coated into a molten bath of the coating material.
Method of alpha numerical coding. Identification markings are
Hot Stamping made by pressing heated type and marking foil into softened
insulation surfaces. See Surface Printing .
A process of passing bare wire t h rough a bath of molten tin to
Hot Tin Dip
provide a coating.
Rubber and asbestos-insulated heater cord . No braid on individual
HPD conductors but with braid overall. Also made with neoprene
insulation and no asbestos or PVC/NBC.
Two-conductor, neoprene-insulated heater cord. Parallel
HPN
construction. For use in damp locations.
HS 600V rated Rubber insulated Heater Cord .
HSJ 300V rated Rubber insulated Heater Cord .
An assembly of two or more cables (of the same or different types
Hybrid Cable
or categories) covered by one overall sheath.
A material capable of absorbing and retaining moisture from the
Hygroscopic
air.
Dupont's trade name for their chlorosulfonated polyethylene, an
Hypalon®
ozone resistant synthetic rubber.
Hz Abbreviation for Hertz.
Abbreviation for Insulated Cable Engineers Association. (Formerly
ICEA
IPCEA).
International Electrotechnical Commission, similar to the ISO in
IEC
structure and scope.
IEEE Abbreviation for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Ignition Cable Cable designed for Automotive Ignition Systems.
A test for determining the mechanical punishment a cable can
withstand without physical or electrical breakdown by impacting
Impact Strength
with a given weight, dropped a given distance, in a controlled
environment.
Device used to punch new conductor onto ID's. This tool is
Impact Tool
typically equipped with a cutting blade for either 66 or 110 blocks.
 The total opposition that a circuit offers to the flow of alternating
Impedance current or any other varying current at a particular frequency. It is a
combination of resistance R and reactance X, measured in ohms.
A condition in which the impedance of a particular circuit cable or
Impedance Match component is the same as the impedance of the circuit, cable or
device to which it is connected.
Connecting cables and devices together which have the
Impedance Matching
sameimpedance value in ohms.
Impedance Matching A transformer designed to match the impedance of one circuit to
Transformer that of another (BALUN).
To fill the voids and interstices of cable or the fabric of a cable
Impregnate
with a compound.
Impulse (or Pulse) A surge of unidirection a polarity.
The voltage breakdown of insulation under voltage surges on the
Impulse Strength
order of microseconds in duration.
An insulation test in which the voltage applied is an impulse
Impulse Test
voltage of specified wave shape.
IMSA International Municipal Signal Association.
A light source which emits wide, diffuse beams of light of many
Incoherent Source
wave lengths.
Fluid with refractive index same as fiber core; used to fill air gap
Index Matching Fluid
between fiber ends at connectors.
The ratio of light velocity in a vacuum to its velocity in a given
Index of Refraction
transmission medium.
An electric current set up in a circuit by cutting lines of force; a
Induced Current
current caused by electromagnetic induction.
The property of a circuit or circuit element that opposes a change in
Inductance current flow, causing current changes to lag behind voltage
changes. It is measured in Henrys.
The phenomenon of a voltage, magnetic field, or electrostatic
Induction charge being produced in an object by lines of force from the
source of such fields.
Crosstalk resulting from the action of the electromagnetic field of
Inductive Coupling
one conductor on the other.
The range of electromagnetic wavelengths between the visible part
Infrared (IR)
of the spectrum (750 nm) and microwaves (30 µm).
A collection of those telecommunications components, excluding
Infrastructure,
equipment, that together provide the basic support for the
Telecommunications
distribution of all information within a building or campus.
As measure of the attenuation of a device by determining the
Insertion Loss output of a system before and after the device is inserted into the
system .
Insertion Tool A small, hand-held tool used to insert contacts into a connector.
All cable and equipment inside a central office or subscriber's
Inside Plant (ISP)
premises.
Wire designed to carry a telephone circuit(s) through the customer's
Inside Wire
premises.
Insulated Wire A conductor of electricity covered with a non-conducting material.
A device which mechanically couples and electrically insulates the
Insulating Joint
sheath and armor of contiguous lengths of cable.
A material having good dielectric properties permitting close
Insulation
assembly of conductors in cable and equipment.
The degree of tightness of the insulation over the base conductor,
Insulation Adhesion measured in terms of force required to remove a specified length of
insulation from the wire.
The area of a terminal, splice, or contact that has been formed
Insulation Crimp
around the insulation of the wire .
Extended cylinders at the rear of crimp-type contacts designed to
Insulation Grip
accept the bared wire and a small length of its insulation.
A designation used to identify the insulation thickness required to
Insulation Level protect a high voltage cable under ground fault conditions.
Expressed as a percentage (e.g. 100% level, 133% level).
A method of crimping whereby lances cut the insulation of the
Insulation Piercing
wires and enter into the strands to make electrical contact.
That property of an insulating material which resists electrical
Insulation Resistance current flow through the insulating material when a potential
difference is applied.
A two part shield consisting of a non-metallic component and a
Insulation Shield (HV metallic component. The first component is an extrusion of black
Cable) semi-conducting thermoset material over the insulation which
provides uniform radial stress distribution across the insulation.
High voltage stress which causes molecular separation in the
insulation at sharp projections in the conductor. Controlled by
Insulation Stress
conductor and insulation shielding, called a stress relief shield.
Measured in volts per mil.
All of the insulation materials used to insulate a particular electrical
Insulation System
or electronic product.
Insulation Thickness The wall thickness of the applied insulation.
A layer of insulation or semi-conductive material applied by
Integral Belt extrusion over two or more insulated, twisted or parallel conductors
to form a round smooth diameter.
Intensity Irradiance.
Interaxial Spacing Center to center conductor spacing.
Interbuilding Between buildings.
 A connection scheme that provides for the direct connection of
Interconnect individual cables to another cable or to an equipment cable without
a patch cord.
Companies which sell, install and maintain telephone systems for
Interconnect Companies
end users.
The wiring between modules, between units, or the larger portions
Interconnecting Cable
of a system.
The physical wiring between components (outside a module)
Interconnecting Wire between modules, between units or between larger portions of a
system or systems.
Mechanically joining devices together to complete an electrical
Interconnection
circuit.
The two surfaces on the contact side of both halves of a multiple-
Interface contact connector which face each other when the connector is
assembled.
Any to electrical signal induced into a conductor by electrical or
Interference
electro-magnetic means.
Intermediate Cross-
A cross-connect between 1st level and 2nd level backbone cabling.
Connect
Electronic wiring which interconnects components, usually within
Internal Wiring
a sealed subsystem.
Voids or valleys between individual strands in a conductor or
Interstices
between insulated conductors in a multiconductor cable.
Intrabuilding Within a building.
Generally the dissociation of an atom or molecule into positive or
negative ions or electrons. Restrictively, the state of an insulator
Ionization
whereby it facilitates the passage of current due to the presence of
charged particles usually induced artificially.
The minimum value of falling rms voltage which sustains electrical
Ionization Voltage (Corona
discharge within the vacuous or gas filled spaces in the cable
Level)
construction or insulation.
In insulations, the exposure of the material to high energy
Irradiation emissions for the purpose of favorably altering the molecular
structure by crosslinking.
ISA Instrument Society of America.
ISDN (Integrated Service A digital data communications network providing full integration
Digital Network) of data, voice and video.
ISO International Standards Organization
A plug-in type terminal widely used in electronic apparatus for
Jack
temporary connections.
Jacket A material covering over a wire insulation or an assembly of
components. An overall jacket on a complex cable grouping is also
 often referred to as a sheath. In fiber optics, a covering over a fiber,
bundle of fibers, or cable which protects against th
Joint Army-Navy specification (replaced by current Military
JAN Specification
Specifications).
A joule is a measurement of energy y. The joule rating on a surge
protector indicates the amount of energy that a device is capable of
Joule
absorbing. In general, the higher the joule rating, the better the unit
is able to pro t e c t your equipment and the lo
An assembly of twisted pairs without connectors used to join
Jumper telecommunications circuits/links at the cross-connect. In fiber
optic cable the cable that has connectors terminated on both ends.
Jumper Cable A short flat cable interconnecting two wiring boards or devices.
PVC insulated connectors twisted together and used for cross-
Jumper Wire
connecting on distributing frames.
Junction A point in a circuit where two or more wires are connected.
A natural fiber of plant base formed into rope-like strands. Used in
Jute
cables for filling the interstices to give a round cross-section.
kcmil One thousand circular mils (MCM).
KEMA KEUR Approval agency of the Netherlands
Kevlar DuPont's trade name for Aramid material (see Aramid Yarn).
The mechanical feature of a connector system that guarantees
correct orientation of a connection, or prevents the connection to a
Keying
jack, or to an optical fiber adapter of the same type intended for
another purpose.
Kilo A numerical prefix denoting 1000.
Kilocycle A term denoting one thousand cycles. (See Kilohertz)
Kilohertz One thousand hertz, or one thousand cycles per second.
Unit of measure for length equal to 1000 meters and about 3,281
Kilometer
feet.
Kilovolt A term denoting one thousand volts.
Kilowatt A term denoting one thousand watts.
Abbreviation used to denote a measurement unit of thousands of
KPSI pounds per square inch. Commonly used in the fiber proof test
tensile strength measurement.
kV Kilovolt (1000 volts).
kW Kilowatt
Pennwalt trade name for polyvinylidene fluoride. Typically used as
Kynar
insulation for wirewrap wire.
A method of grouping wires by securing them in bundles of
Lacing and Harnessing
designated patterns.
Lacquer The term used in cable manufacture to designate the liquid resin or
 compound applied to a fibrous braid to prevent fraying, wicking,
moisture absorption, etc., in the braid.
Flat cable consisting of insulated conductors lying parallel,
Laminated Flat Cable adjacent conductors joined by a web. Application in electronics,
telecommunications, computers, etc.
A tape consisting of two or more layers of different materials
Laminated Tape
bonded together (i.e. aluminum/Mylar®) .
Flexible stranded paralleled 2-conductor cord, rubber or plastic
Lamp Cord insulated. Used for speaker cord, fans, lamps, etc., where not
subject to hard usage.
A network spanning a limited geographical area, providing data
LAN (Local Area Network) communications between computers and peripherals and switching
equipment.
A device which produces a narrow band of light and is used as a
transmitting device for light signals traveling along optical fibers.
Laser
Laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated
Emission of Radiation.
A semiconductor diode that, when pulsed, a laser diode emits
Laser Diode
coherent light.
Angle between the propagation direction of the incident light and
Launch Angle
the optical axis of an optical waveguide.
The length measured along the axis of a wire or cable required for a
Lay single strand (in stranded wire) or conductor (in cable) to make one
complete turn about the axis of the conductor or cable.
The twist in the cable as indicated by the top strands while looking
Lay Direction along the axis of the cable away from the observer. Described as
right hand or left hand.
Layer Consecutive turns of a coil lying in a single plane.
In a leaching wire the plasticizer will migrate when exposed to
Leaching and Non-
heat. A non-leaching wire will retain its plasticizer under extreme
Leaching
temperature conditions and remain flexible after baking.
A wire, with or without terminals, that connects two points in a
Lead
circuit.
Lead Cured A cable that is cured or vulcanized in a metallic lead mold.
The placement or routing of wire and component leads in an
Lead Dress
electrical circuit.
The conductor or conductors that connect the antenna proper to
Lead-in
electronic equipment.
The undesirable flow of current through or over the surface of an
Leakage Current
insulation.
LED Acronym for Light Emitting Diode. It is a semiconductor device
that emits incoherent light from a p-n junction (when biased with
 an electrical current).
A test performed on a material or configuration to determine the
Life Cycle length of time before failure in a controlled, usually accelerated
environment.
In the laser and optical communications fields, the portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum that can be handled by the basic optical
Light
techniques used for the visible spectrum extending from the near
ultraviolet region of approximately 0.3 micron, through t
A building or portion thereof that is intended for use with one to
Light Commercial Building
four (1-4) non-residential exchange access lines per tenant.
Scattering of light by reflection or transmission. Diffuse reflection
Light Diffusion results when light strikes an irregular surface such as a frosted
window or coated light bulb.
A semiconductor device that emits incoherent light from a p-n
Light Emitting Diode junction (when biased with an electrical current). Commonly called
LED.
Light Intensity Ratio Ratio of input light intensity to the output light intensity.
An object capable of emitting light. In fiber optics, the light source
Light Source
is normally an LED or a laser.
Lightguide A flexible bundle of fibers used to transmit light.
Light-Intensity Ratio Ratio of input light intensity to the output light intensity.
Lightwave
Communications using light to carry the information.
Communications
Electromagnetic waves in the region of optical frequencies. The
term "light" was originally restricted to radiation visible to the
Lightwaves
human eye, with wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm. However,
it has become customary to refer to radiation in the speed regi
Percentage of oxygen necessary to support combustion of a
Limiting Oxygen Index
specified material.
The maximum deviation (in degrees or percent) of a thermocouple
Limits of Error or thermocouple extension wire from standard emf temperature to
be measured.
Limpness The ability of a cable to lay flat or conform to a surface.
The degree to which the conductors of a cable are alike in their
Line Balance electrical characteristics with respect to each other, to other
conductors, and to ground .
A cord terminating in a plug at one end used to connect equipment
Line Cord
or appliances to a power outlet.
A voltage loss occurring between any two points in a transmission
Line Drop
line due to there sonance reactance or leakage of the line.
The total of the various energy losses occurring in a transmission
Line Loss
line.
 The value of the potential existing on a supply or power line. Rated
Line Voltage
voltage of cables.
An assembly of telecommunications facilities between two points,
Link
not including terminal equipment.
Equipment included in a list published by an organization,
acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, that maintains
Listed
periodic inspection of production of listed equipment, and whose
listing states either that the equipment or material meets appropri
Abbreviation for loss of coolant accident, a system malfunction
LOCA
associated with nuclear generating stations.
A geographically limited communications network intended for the
Local Area Network (LAN)
local transport of data, video, and voice.
A tape shield, flat or corrugated, applied longitudinally with the
Longitudinal Shield
axis of the core being shielded.
A tape applied longitudinally with the axis of the core being
Longitudinal Wrap
covered, as opposed to a helical, or spiral, tape wrapped core.
The total resistance of two conductors measured round trip from
Loop Resistance
one end. Commonly used term in the thermocouple industry.
Wiring method which avoids tee joints by carrying the conductor
Looping-in
or cable to and from the point to be supplied.
Type of cable design in which coated fibers are encased in buffer
Loose-Tube tubes offering excellent fiber protection and segregation. Mainly
used in outdoor cable types.
Loss Energy dissipated without accomplishing useful work.
The product of the dissipation and dielectric constant of an
Loss Factor
insulating material.
Lossy Line A cable having large attenuation per unit of length.
An insulating material that has a relatively low dielectric loss, such
Low Loss Dielectric
as polyethylene or Teflon.
Cable configuration specially constructed to eliminate spurious
electrical disturbances caused by capacitance changes or self-
Low Noise Cable
generated noise induced by either physical abuse or adjacent
circuitry.
Low Tension Low voltage, as applied to ignition cable.
Defined by the National Electrical Code as 600 Volts and less.
Low Voltage AEIC, ICEA, and UL generally define cables rated up to 2KV as
Low Voltage.
A termination, usually crimped or soldered to the conductor, with
Lug
provision for screwing on to the terminal.
m Abbreviation for meter.
mA. Milliampere One-thousandth of an ampere (10-3).
Macrobending Macroscopic axial deviations of a fiber from a straight line.
 Insulated wire intended for use in windings on motor, transformer,
Magnet Wire
and other coils for electromagnetic devices.
The region within which a body or current experiences magnetic
Magnetic Field
force.
The rate of flow of magnetic energy across or though a surface
Magnetic Flux
(real or imaginary) .
Caused by current frequency. An AC powerline creates a magnetic
Magnetic Noise field around that cable. This magnetic field causes the magnetic
noise in neighboring control or instrumentation circuits.
A cross-connect for first level backbone cables, entrance cables and
Main Cross-Connect
equipment cables.
A tape laid parallel to the conductors under the sheath in a cable,
imprinted with the manufacturer 's name and the specification to
Marker Tape
which the cable is made. Other information such as date of
manufacture may also be included.
A colored thread laid parallel and adjacent to the strands of an
insulated conductor which identifies the cable manufacturer. It may
Marker Thread
also denote a temperature rating or the specification to which the
cable is made.
A combination of components providing multiple television
Master Antenna Television
receiver operations from one antenna or group of antennas
(MATV)
normally on a single building.
Loss due to fluctuations in the refractive index and to
Material Scattering Loss
inhomogeneities in material composition and temperature.
Acronym for Master Antenna Television System-a combination of
MATV components providing multiple television receiver operations from
one antenna or group of antennas normally on a single building.
MCF Million conductor feet.
MCM One thousand circular mils (kcmil).
Acronym for Medium Density Polyethylene. MDPE is a form of
MDPE polyethylene commonly used as a jacketing material for outdoor
fiber optic cables. (See PE.)
Media,
Wire, cable, or conductors used for telecommunications.
Telecommunications
Medium Voltage 2001 Volts to 35KV.
Meg or Mega A numerical prefix denoting 1,000,000 (106) .
MegaHertz One million Hertz.
Megarad A unit for measuring radiation dosage.
Megohm One million ohms.
A group of insulated wires to be cabled with other stranded groups
Member
into multiple-membered cable.
Messenger The linear supporting member, usually a high strength steel wire,
 used as the supporting element of a suspended aerial cable. The
messenger may be an integral part of the cable, or on the exterior.
Mft A popular abbreviation for 1000 ft.
Mho The unit of conductivity. The reciprocal of an Ohm.
MHz Megahertz (one million cycles per second). Formerly mc.
Micro A numerical prefix denoting one millionth.
One millionth of a farad. This is the common unit for designating
Micro Farad
capacitance in electronics and communications.
Curvatures of the fiber which involve axial displacements a few
micrometers and spatial wavelengths of a few millimeters.
Microbending
Microbends cause loss of light and consequently increase the
attenuation of the fiber.
Loss due to small geometrical irregularities along the core-clad
Microbending Loss
interface of the fiber.
Microfarad One-millionth of a farad, commonly abbreviated mF.
One millionth of a meter or a micron. Conventional unit of
Micrometer (µm)
measurement for optical fibers.
One-millionth of a microfarad (uuf, uufd, mmf, mmfd mm F are
Micromicrofarad
common abbreviations).
Micron (m) Millionth of a meter = 10-6 meter.
Noise in a system caused by mechanical vibration of components
Microphonics
within the system.
Microwave A short (usually less than 30 cm) electrical wave.
A unit used in measuring diameter of a wire or thickness of
Mil insulation over a conductor. One one-thousandth of an inch
(0.001").
Milli A prefix denoting one-thousandth (10-3).
Cable and thermocouple wire consisting of one or more conductors
Mineral Insulated surrounded by magnesium oxide insulation and enclosed in a
liquid- and gas-tight metallic sheathing.
Miniature Wire Insulated conductors of approximately 20-34 AWG.
A flame retardant cable especially constructed to withstand long
Mining Cable time immersion or exposure to moisture for underground use in the
environment of a mine or tunnel.
A termination having a different impedance from that for which a
Mismatch
circuit or cable is designed.
Pulse spreading due to multiple light rays traveling different
Modal Dispersion
distances and speeds through an optical fiber.
One of the components of a general configuration of a propagating
Mode
wave front.
Mode Field Diameter The diameter of optical energy in a singlemode fiber. Because the
 MFD is greater than the core diameter, MFD replaces core
(MFD)
diameter as a practical parameter.
Device which places and receives data signals over a common
Modem
carrier's communication facility.
Modular Jack This term is outmoded, see Outlet/Connector, Telecommunications.
A telecommunications connector for wire or cords per the Part 68
Modular Plug Rules. A modular plug can have 6 or 8 contact positions but not all
the positions need be equipped with contacts.
A process whereby certain characteristics of a wave, often called
Modulation the carrier, are varied or selected in accordance with a modulating
function.
Modulus of Elasticity The ratio of stress to strain in an elastic material.
The amount of moisture , in percentage, that a material will absorb
Moisture Absorption
under specified conditions.
The amount of moisture, in percentage, that a material will absorb
Moisture Absorption
under specified conditions.
The ability of a material to resist absorbing moisture from the air or
Moisture Resistance
when immersed in water.
Molded Plug A connector molded on either end of a cord or cable.
Consisting of a single wavelength. In practice, radiation is never
Monochromatic perfectly monochromatic but, at best, displays a narrow band of
wavelengths.
Monomer The basic chemical unit used in building a polymer.
Wire which connects to the usually fragile and easily damaged
magnet wire found in coils, transformers, and stator or field
Motor Lead Wire
windings. General requirements are abrasion resistance, toughness,
flexibility, dielectric strength, thermal resistance and low pe
MPF Million paired feet.
MTW Thermoplastic insulated machine tool wire .
Multi-Conductor More than one conductor within a single cable complex.
A cable consisting of two or more conductors, either cabled or laid
Multi-Conductor Cable in a flat parallel construction, with or without a common overall
covering.
A single communication cable used for the transmission of audio,
Multimedia Cable
data and video signals.
An optical waveguide in which light travels in several modes.
Multimode Fiber
Typical core and cladding sizes are 62.5 and 125 µm, respectively.
An optical fiber that will allow many bound modes to propagate.
Multimode Optical Fiber The fiber may be either a graded-index or step-index fiber. See
also: Optical Fiber Cable.
Multiple Conductor An insulated central conductor with one or more tubular stranded
Concentric Cable conductors laid over it concentrically and insulated from one
 another.
A combination of two or more conductors cabled together and
Multiple-Conductor Cable
insulated from one another and from sheath or armor where used.
Combining two or more signals into a single bit stream that can be
Multiplex
individually recovered.
Simultaneous transmission of two or more messages over the same
Multiplexing
cable pair.
The capacitance between two conductors when all other
Mutual Capacitance (Cm)
conductors, including the shield, are short circuited to ground.
The ratio of voltage induced in one conductor to the time rate of
Mutual Inductance
current change in the separate conductor causing this induction.
DuPont's trademark for polyethylene terephthalate (polyester) film
Mylar
used in the form of a tape.
Nano A numerical prefix denoting one-billionth (10-9).
Nanometer (nm) One billionth of a meter (10 -9 meter).
Nanosecond One billionth of a second (10 -9 seconds).
A U.S. consensus standard published by the National Fire
National Electrical Code®
Protection Association (NFPA) and incorporated in OSHA
(NEC)
regulations. (The Canadian Counterpart is the CE Code.)
The NEC Article which covers remote control signal and
National Electrical Code®
communication power limited circuits that are not an integral part
Article 725
of the device or appliance.
National Electrical Code® The NEC Article which covers the fire and burglar alarms
Article 760 installation of wire and equipment operating at 600 Volts or less.
National Electrical Code® The NEC Article which covers telephone, telegraph as well as
Article 800 outside wiring for fireand burglar alarms.
NBS National Bureau of Standards
A Class 2 power-limited type cable for general use applications
NEC Type CL2 within a building under NEC Article 725, this type design is
"Listed" by UL. These cables meet a 70,000 BTU flame test.
A Class 2 power-limited cable which is suitable for use in plenums
in accordance with NEC Article 725. The cable meets the
NEC Type CL2P
requirements of UL 910 the Steiner Tunnel test which classifies
fire and smoke characteristics. The cable is "Listed" by UL.
A Class 2 power-limited cable which is suitable for use in riser
NEC Type CL2R shafts in accordance with NEC Article 725. These cables meet the
UL 1666 flame test and are "Listed" by UL.
A Class 2 power-limited cable which is suitable for restricted
applications (Iess than 0.25" in diameter in residences, exposed
NEC Type CL2X
lengths less than 10f t.) or else in raceways under NEC Article 725.
These cables meet a VW-1 flame test and a re Listed by UL.
NEC Type CM A general application communications cable, Listed by UL, for use
 within buildings under NEC Article 800. It meets the requirements
of the 70,000 BTU flame test.
A general application fire p rotection cable for use within buildings
NEC Type FPL in accordance with NEC Article 760. These cables are Listed by
UL and meet the 70,000 BTU flame test.
A general use, multipurpose cable which may be employed
NEC Type MP interchangeably in either a communications (Article 800), power-
limited (Article 725) or fire protective (Article 760) application.
Abbreviation for National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
NEMA
(The Canadian counterpart is EEMAC).
NEMKO Approval agency of Norway.
A synthetic rubber with good resistance to oil, chemicals and
Neoprene
flame. Also called polychloroprene.
1) Series of points connected by communications channels; 2)
Network of telephone lines normally used for dialed telephone
Network
calls; 3) Network of communications channels connected to the use
of one customer. For purposes of data communications applications
NEXT Near end cross talk
NFPA National Fire Protection Association.
In a cable or circuit, any extraneous signal which tends to interfere
Noise
with the signal normally present in or passing through the system.
DuPont's trademark for a temperature resistant, flame-retardant
Nomex® 
nylon.
A material incapable of taking up or absorbing moisture from the
Non Hygroscopic
air.
Type of PVC jacket material whose plasticizer will not migrate into
Non-Contaminating the dielectric of a coaxial cable and thus avoids contaminating and
destroying the dielectric.
Measure of the range of angles of incident light transmitted through
a fiber. Depends on the differences in index of refraction between
Numerical Aperture (NA)
the core and the cladding. (The number that expresses the light
gathering ability of a fiber.)
NVP Nominal Velocity of Propagation.
An abrasion resistant thermoplastic with good chemical resistance
Nylon
used for wire and cable jacketings.
Off Center Conductor displaced within the cross-section of its insulation.
Percentage of a specified gas released during the combustion of
Offgassing
insulation or jacketing material.
Abbreviation for oxygen-free, high conductivity copper. It has no
OFHC residual deoxidant, 99.95% minimum copper content and an
average annealed conductivity of 101%.
Ohm A unit of electrical resistance, the resistance of a circuit in which a
 potential difference of one volt produces a current of one ampere.
Cable aged in an accelerated manner by placement in an oil bath
Oil Aging
and heated to a p re-set temperature for a stated time.
A self-contained pressure cable in which the pressure medium is
Oil-Filled Cable
low viscosity oil having access to the insulation.
Opaque Not permitting the passage of light.
Foamed or cellular material with cells which are generally
Open Cell
interconnected.
Optical Communication
Fiber with a protective jacket.
Cable
Materials which offer a low optical attenuation to transmission of
Optical Conductors
light energy.
Optical Fiber Cable An assembly consisting of one or more optical fibers.
Optical Fiber Duplex A mechanical media termination device designed to align and join
Adapter two duplex connectors.
Optical Fiber Duplex A mechanical media termination device designed to transfer optical
Connector power between two pairs of optical fibers.
The ratio, expressed in decibels, of optical power reflected by a
Optical Return Loss (ORL) component or an assembly to the optical power incident on a
component or assembly that is induced into a link or system.
Optical Time Domain An instrument used to measure the transmission performance of
Reflectometer (OTDR) optical fibers.
Dielectric waveguide with a core consisting of optically transparent
material of low attenuation (usually silica glass) and with cladding
Optical Waveguide
consisting of optically transparent material of lower refractive
index than that of the core. It is used for the tra
Oscillatory Surge A surge which includes both positive and negative polarity values.
Abbreviation for Occupational Safety and Health Act. Specifically
OSHA the Williams-Steiger law passed in 1970 covering all factors
relating to safety in places of employment.
Outgassing The dissipation of gas from a dielectric evidencing decomposition.
A metallic or nonmetallic box mounted within a wall, floor or
Outlet Box,
ceiling and used to hold telecommunications outlet/connectors or
Telecommunications
transition devices.
Outlet/Connector, A connecting device in the work area on which horizontal cable
Telecommunications terminates.
All cables and wires extending outward from the network
Outside Plant (OSP) protectors on the main distribution frame to connect the terminal
equipment to the Outside Plant.
Approval agency of West Germany; Oesterreichischer Verband fur
OVE
Elektrotechnik.
Over Current The current which causes an excessive temperature rise in a
 conductor.
Overall Diameter Finished diameter over wire or cable.
Individual strands of tinned copper wire stranded together and then
Overcoat
covered with a tin coating.
A stranded conductor made from individual strands of tin coated
Overcoat Conductor
wire stranded together, and then given an overall tin coat.
The amount the trailing edge laps over the leading edge of a spiral
Overlap
tape wrap.
The maximum level of current, voltage, or power which a device
Overload Capacity
can withstand before it is damaged.
Percentage of oxygen necessary to support combustion in a gas
Oxygen Index
mixture. Flame retardant materials have a higher oxygen index.
Reactive form of oxygen, typically found a round electrical
Ozone
discharges and present in the atmosphere in small quantities.
Exposure of material to a high concentration of ozone to give an
Ozone Test accelerated indication of oxidation in normal environments and in
proximity to ozone producing apparatus.
The ratio of active cross-sectional area of fiber core, or cores, to the
Packing Fraction
total end surface of the fiber or fiber bundle.
Two wires forming a single circuit, held together by twisting,
Pair binding or a common jacket. Also known as a balance transmission
line.
Pairing The union of two insulated single conductors through twisting.
A commonly used term for air core (unfilled) direct burial
PAP
telephone cable with a corrugated aluminum shield.
A construction in which two or more conductors are laid parallel
Parallel
and surrounded and separated by an insulating material.
Two or more cables used to share the current in heavily loaded
Parallel Cable
power circuits which permits the use of smaller conductors.
A duplex construction of two insulated conductors laid parallel and
Parallel Pair
then covered overall with a braid or jacket.
A stripe applied longitudinally on a wire or cable parallel to the
Parallel Stripe
axis of the conductor.
A cable sheath consisting of an inner polyethylene (P) jacket,
PASP corrugated aluminum (A) shield, corrugated steel (S) and an outer
polyethylene (P) jacket.
A cable with plugs or terminals on each end of the conductors to
Patch Cable
temporarily connect circuits of equipment together.
A length of cable with connectors on one or both ends used to join
Patch Cord
telecommunications links/circuits at the cross-connect .
Patch Cord Cable Bulk cable used in the manufacture of patch cords.
 A cross-connect system of mateable connectors that facilitates
Patch Panel
administration.
A facility for the placement of telecommunications cable.
Pathway
Synonym: Raceway.
The process of feeding a cable or wire from a bobbin, reel, or other
Pay-Off
package.
PBT Poly-Butylene Terephthalate. A type of plastic.
PCB Printed Circuit Board .
Abbreviation used for polyethylene. Polyethylene is a type of
plastic, commonly used as a jacketing material for outside plant
PE cables, 
that possesses good mechanical properties including good moisture
resistance. However, it is very flammable and not sui
Peak Voltage The maximum instantaneous voltage
Conductivity of a material expressed as a percentage of that of
Percent Conductivity
copper.
Quantity of plating on a conductor expressed as a percentage by
Percent Plating
weight.
Conductivity of a material expressed as a percentage of that of
Percentage Conductivity copper. Also used to indicate ratio of conductance between the
phase conductor and the neutral in power cables.
The uniformly spaced variations in the insulation diameter of a
transmission cable that result in reflections of a signal, when its
Periodicity
wavelength or a multiple thereof is equal to the distance between
two diameter variations.
The ratio of the capacitance of a condenser with dielectric between
the electrodes to the capacitance when air is between the
Permittivity
electrodes. Also called Permittivity and Specific Inductive
Capacity (SIC).
A particular stage or point of advancement in an electrical cycle.
The fractional part of the period through which the time has
Phase
advanced measured from some arbitrary point usually expressed in
electrical degrees where 360° represents one cycle.
A change in the phase relationship between two alternating
Phase Shift
quantities.
Photodetector (Receiver) Converts light energy to electrical energy.
An abbreviation for Plastic Insulated Conductor: conductors
PIC
covered with an extruded coating of plastic.
Distance between two adjacent crossover points of braid filaments.
Pick The measurement in picks per inch indicates the degree of
coverage.
PICO A prefix denoting one-millionth of one-millionth (10-12).
 One trillionth of a farad. A unit capacitance usually used to
Picofarad designate capacitance unbalance between pairs and capacitance
unbalance of the two wires of a pair to ground. (abbreviation pf)
A fiber optic connector that is terminated to one end of an optical
fiber cable. A short length of optical fiber, permanently fixed to a
Pigtail
component, used to couple power between the component and a
transmission fiber.
Fine stranded, extra flexible, rope lay lead wire attached to a shield
Pigtail Wire
for terminating purposes.
In flat cable, the nominal distance between the index edges of two
Pitch
adjacent conductors.
Diameter of a circle passing though the center of the conductors in
Pitch Diameter
any layer of a multi-conductor cable.
Plain Conductor A conductor consisting of only one metal.
A weave used on woven cables. Threads between the wires act as
Plain Weave binders and give the cable lateral stiffness and linear flexibility.
Also called Standard and Square Weave.
A cabler capable of laying down any number of shielded,
Planetary Cabler overbraided, jacketed single conductors or pairs, called groups, or
any combination of them in sequence.
A twisting machine whose payoff spools are mounted in rotating
cradles that hold the axis of the spool in a fixed direction as the
Planetary Twister
spools are revolved about one another so the wire will not kink as it
is twisted.
Also called thermoplastic, high polymeric substances, including
Plastic both natural and synthetic products, but excluding the rubbers, that
are capable of flowing under heat and pressure.
Change in dimensions under load that is not recovered when the
Plastic Deformation
load is removed.
A chemical agent added in compounding plastics to make them
Plasticizer
softer and more flexible.
Plating The application of one metal over another.
The air handling space such as that found above drop-ceiling tiles
Plenum or in raised floors. It is also the most stringent fire code rating for
indoor cables.
A cable that meets the most stringent flammability and smoke-
Plenum Cable generating tests and is approved by a recognized agency such as
UL for installation in plenums without the need for conduit.
All-rubber, parallel-jacketed, two-conductor, light duty cord for
PLSJ
pendent or portable use in damp locations. 300V.
PLT Same as PLSJ except thermoplastic insulation.
Plug The part of the two mating halves of a connector which is movable
 when not fastened to the other mating half.
The number of individual strands or filaments twisted together to
Ply
form a single thread.
An interconnecting technique wherein the connections between
Point-to-Point Wiring
components are made by wires routed between connecting points.
Polarization The orientation of a flat cable or a rectangular connector.
Act of smoothing ends of fibers to an optically smooth finish,
Polishing
generally using abrasive.
Chemical name for Neoprene. A rubber-like compound used for
jacketing where wire and cable will be subject to rough usage,
Polychloroprene
moisture, oil, greases, solvents and chemicals. May also be used as
low insulating material.
Polyethylene terephthalate which is used extensively in the
Polyester production of a high strength moisture resistant film used as a cable
core wrap (see Mylar).
A family of insulating materials derived from polymerization of
Polyethylene (PE) ethylene gas. They are basically pure hydrocarbon resins with
excellent dielectric properties.
A general name for polymers containing halogen atoms. The
Polyhalocarbon
halogens are fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine.
A substance made of many repeating chemical units or molecules.
Polymer The term polymer is often used in place of plastic, rubber or
elastomer.
A chemical reaction in which low molecular weight molecules
Polymerization unite with each other to form molecules with higher molecular
weights.
A family of thermoplastics based upon the unsaturated
hydrocarbons known as olefins. When combined with butylene or
Polyolefin
styrene polymers they form compounds such as polyethylene and
polypropylene.
A thermoplastic similar to polyethylene but stiffer and having
Polypropylene (PPE) higher softening point (temperature); excellent electrical
properties .
This thermoplastic material is used primarily as a cable jacket
material. It has excellent oxidation, oil, and ozone resistance. 
Polyurethane (PUR)
Some formulations also have good flame resistance. It is a hard
material with excellent abrasion resistance. It has outstandi
A thermoplastic material composed of polymers of vinyl-chloride
Polyvinylchloride (PVC) which may be rigid or elastomeric, depending on specific
formulation.
Porosity Multiple air voids in an insulation or jacket wall.
Portable Power Cable Flexible, all rubber insulated for hard usage. Some cables have
shielded conductors (metallic or non-metallic) and can have
 neoprene sheath overall.
All-rubber, parallel light duty rip-cord for use on lamps and small
POSJ
appliances. 300V, 60°C.
POT Thermoplastic, parallel, light duty rip-cord. 300V, 60°C to 105°C.
The sealing of a cable termination or other component with a liquid
Potting which thermo-sets into an elastomer or solid compound to exclude
moisture .
Power The rate at which energy is transferred.
Cables of various sizes, construction and insulation, single or
Power Cables multi-conductor, designed to distribute primary power to various
types of equipment .
The ratio of resistance to impedance. The ratio of the actual power
of an alternating current to apparent power. Mathematically, the
Power Factor
cosine of the angle between the voltage applied and the current
resulting.
Stranded wire which has been fused, topcoat tinned, or overcoat
Pre-Bond
tinned.
A glass structure from which an optical fiber waveguide can be
Preform
drawn.
The use of pressurized gas or dry air inside Air Core cables to
prevent the entry of water at faulty splices or minor sheath cracks.
Pressurization
It can also trigger an alarm when major faults occur and can assist
in locating the damaged areas.
The practice of concealing station wire or cable in the walls of
Pre-Wiring buildings while they are being constructed. It is cheaper and more
satisfactory for the owner.
The transformer winding which receives the energy from a supply
Primary
circuit.
The plastic coating applied directly to the cladding surface of the
Primary Coating
fiber during manufacture to preserve the integrity of the surface.
A non-conductive material, usually the first layer over a current
Primary Insulation carrying conductor, whose prime function is to act as an electrical
barrier for the applied potential.
The minimum protection required on all exposed facilities to
Primary Protection
comply with NEC requirements.
A printed circuit intended to provide point-to-point electrical
Primary Wiring
connections.
Ability to select various circuit patterns by interconnecting
Programming
appropriate contacts on one side of a connector plug or panel.
Time required for a signal to pass from the input to the output of a
Propagation Delay
device.
Propagation Time Time required for an electrical wave to travel between two points
 on a transmission line.
Protocol A set of rules for communicating.
Non-Uniform current distribution over the cross-section of a
Proximity Effect conductor caused by the variation of the current in a neighboring
conductor.
PTFE Abbreviation for Polytetrafluoroethylene.
A device to access a raceway used to facilitate placing of wire or
Pull Box
cables.
Cord or wire placed within a raceway and used to pull wire and
Pull Cord/Pull Wire
cable through the raceway.
The maximum pulling force that can be safely applied to a cable
Pull Strength
without damage.
The maximum pulling force that can be safely applied to a cable
Pull Tension
without damage.
A device which may be fastened to the conductor or conductors of
a cable or formed by or fastened to the wire armor and to which a
Pulling Eye
hook or rope may be directly attached in order to pull the cable into
or from a duct.
A current or voltage which changes abruptly from one value to
another and back to the original value in a finite length of time.
Pulse
Used to describe one particular variation in a series of wave
months.
A type of coaxial cable constructed to transmit repeated high
Pulse Cable
voltage pulses without degradation.
Refers to the packaging of wire and cable. The term itself refers to
Put-Up
the quantity of product that is ready to be stored or shipped.
Abbreviation used for polyvinyl chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is a
PVC plastic material that is widely used as a jacketing material in indoor
cables.
Abbreviation denoting polyvinylidene fluoride, a fluoropolymer
PVDF plastic material often used as a jacket in plenum cables, especially
in larger fiber count cables.
A series of four separately insulated conductors, generally twisted
together in pairs. Also, a series-parallel combination of transistors
Quad
with increased reliability because failure of one transistor will not
disable the entire circuit.
Three-bay machines which can twist four wires together and cable
Quadders
braided and shielded wires with varying lay lengths.
Any channel designed for holding wires or cables, i.e. conduit,
electrical metallic tubing, sleeves, slots, underfloor raceways,
Raceway
cellular floors, surface raceways, lighting fixture raceways,
wireways, cable troughs, busways, auxiliary gutters, and ventila
 The vertical or horizontal open support (usually made of aluminum
Rack
or steel) that is attached to a ceiling or wall.
The frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum that are used for
Radio Frequency
radio communications.
A winding in rotating equipment wherein the wires do not lie in an
Random Winding
even pattern .
The maximum temperature at which an electric component can
Rated Temperature
operate for extended periods without loss of its basic properties.
The maximum voltage at which an electric component can operate
Rated Voltage
for extended periods without undue degradation or safety hazard .
RBOC (Regional Bell A holding company formed by the divestiture of AT&T to provide
Operating Company) both regulated and non-regulated telephone services.
Rural Electrification Administration. A branch of the U.S.
REA
Department of Agriculture. Now RUS.
The opposition offered to the flow of alternating current by the
Reactance
inductance or capacitance of a component or circuit.
With AC, that component of the voltage drop which is in
Reactance Drop quadrature with the current and equals the current in amperes
multiplied by the reactance in ohms between the two points.
A detector and electronic circuitry to change optical signals into
Receiver
electrical signals.
A powdery, brown-red growth found on silvercoated copper
Red Plaque
conductors and shield braids.
The drawing of wire which has already been drawn to an
Redraw intermediate size, through a series of dies, to reach a desired wire
size.
A joint between two lengths of cable where the conductors are not
Reducing Joint
the same size.
A revolvable flanged device made of wood or metal, used for
Reel
winding flexible metal wire or cable.
Reel Drum Diameter Diameter of the drum (or hub) of the reel.
Reel Flange Diameter (Reel
Diameter of the reel flanges
Height)
Reel Traverse Width of space between reel flanges.
Reel Width Overall width of reel.
The junction of a thermocouple which is at a known reference
Reference Junction temperature. Also known as the cold junction. It is usually located
at the emf measuring device.
The abrupt change in direction of a light beam at an interface
Reflection between two dissimilar media so that the light beam returns into the
media from which it originated.
Reflection Loss The part of a signal which is lost due to reflection of power at a line
 discontinuity.
The process of connecting two solder-coated conductive surfaces
Reflow Soldering
by remelting of the solder to cause fusion.
The bending of a beam of light at an interface between two
Refraction dissimilar media or in a medium whose refractive index is a
continuous function of position (graded index medium).
The ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to that in an optically
Refractive Index
dense medium.
Alignment of one object with relation to another. Also called
Registration
Register.
The outermost covering of a cable that has a cable sheath
Reinforced Sheath construction in layers with a reinforcing material, usually a braided
or double spiral fiber, molded in place between layers.
A material used to reinforce strengthen or give dimensional
Reinforcement
stability to another material.
The magnetic induction that remains in a magnetic circuit after the
Remanence
removal of an applied magnetomotive force.
A device which consists of a transmitter and a receiver or
transmitter, used to regenerate a signal to increase the system
Repeater
transmission length. In an optical-fiber communication system, an
optoelectronic device or module that receives an optical signal,
An organic substance of natural or synthetic origin characterized by
being polymeric in structure and predominantly amorphous. Most
Resin
resins, though not all, are of high molecular weight and consist of
long chain or network molecular structure.
A measure of the difficulty in moving electrical current through a
Resistance
medium when voltage is applied. It is measured in o h m s .
Resistive Conductor A conductor with high electric resistance.
A cable that returns by its own stored energy from an extended
Retractile Cable
condition to its original contracted form.
A cord having specially treated insulation or jacket so that it will
Retractile Cord
retract.
Backward reflected energies from uneven parts of the cable
Return Loss structure causing impedance variations. Return Loss is necessary
for bi-directional applications.
Return Wire A ground wire or the negative wire in a direct-current circuit.
RF Abbreviation for radio-frequency.
RFI Radio Frequency Interference.
Radio Government, Universal. RG is the military designation for
RG/U
coaxial cable and U stands for general utility.
RHH Rubber-insulated, heat resistant building wire, 90°C, dry locations.
RHH-2 Ditto, 90°C, wet or dry.
 Rubber-insulated building wire, heat and moisture resistant, 75°C
RHW
dry or wet.
A flat cable of individually insulated conductors lying parallel and
Ribbon Cable held together by means of adhesive or woven textile yarn, generally
used for telecommunication.
One or more ridges running laterally along the outer surface of a
Ridge Marker
plastic insulated wire for purposes of identification.
Cabling equipment that maintains component sequence, and can
Rigid Bay
produce cables with distinct layers.
Non-flexible coaxial cable, usually a metal tube armored coaxial
Rigid Coaxial Cable
cable.
A circumferential color band applied to an insulated conductor at
Ring Banding
regular intervals for identification.
Ring Tongue A solderless terminal that connects wire to a stud.
The process of locating or identifying specific conductive paths by
Ringing Out
means of passing current through selected conductors.
(1) Two or more insulated conductors in a parallel configuration
which may be separated to leave the insulation of each conductor
Rip Cord
intact; (2) A small filament cord used to rip through the outer cable
sheath.
Pathways for indoor cables that pass between floors. It is normally
a vertical shaft or space. A riser cable rating indicates good
Riser
flammability characteristics, but not necessarily low smoke as in a
plenum type.
The vertical section of a building cable extending from one floor to
Riser Cable
another.
Root Mean Square (RMS) The effective value of an alternating current or voltage.
Rope Concentric A group of standard conductors assembled in a concentric manner.
A conductor composed of a central core surrounded by one or more
Rope Lay Conductor
layers of helically laid groups of wires used in portable cables.
A conductor composed of a center group of twisted strands
Rope Strand surrounded by one or more layers of similar groups of twisted
strands.
Rope Unilay A group of stranded conductors assembled in a unilay manner.
Round Conductor A conductor whose cross-section is substantially circular.
Shields constructed from bare, tinned or silver plated copper wire
Round Wire Shields
that include braided, spiral, and reverse spiral.
A device that determines how to forward a packet toward its
destination, based on tables that indicate the costs, congestion
Routers
status, and other factors associated with possible routes. Also called
a Level 3 Relay or an Intermediate System.
Routing The path followed by a cable or a conductor.
 A general term used to describe wire insulation and jackets made of
Rubber thermosetting elastomers, such as natural or synthetic rubbers,
EPR, neoprene, Hypalon, butyl rubber and others.
DuPont's trade name for their flame retardant polyethylene
Rulan
insulating material.
In the breaking strength or tensile strength tests, the point at which
Rupture the material physically comes apart, as opposed to elongation, yield
strength, etc.
RUS Abbreviation for Rural Utilities Service.
Heavy duty, rubber-insulated portable cord . Stranded copper
conductors with separator and individual rubber insulation. Two or
S
more color coded conductors cabled with filler wrapped with
separator and rubber jacketed overall. 600V.
SAE Society of Automotive Engineers.
SAE Society of Automotive Engineers.
SANZ Standards Association of New Zealand.
SBC Soft bare copper.
A copolymer of styrene and butadiene. Also GR-S or Buna-S. Most
SBR
commonly used type of synthetic rubber.
Property of glass that causes light to deflect from the fiber and
Scattering
contributes to optical attenuation.
Screen A shield placed over the entire core.
A cable core design where an aluminum shield divides the cable
Screened Cables
core into two electrically separate compartments.
A nonconductive material that protects the conductor against
Secondary Insulation
abrasion and provides a second electrical barrier.
A stranded conductor consisting of three or more stranded
conducting elements, each element having approximately the shape
Segmental Conductor
of the sector of circle, assembled to give a substantially circular
cross-section.
Process used to cure neoprene and rubber jacketed wires and
Selenium Cure
cables.
The characteristic of a material whose flame is extinguished after
Self Extinguishing
the igniting flame is removed.
A cable consisting of one or more insulated conductors factory-
Self-Supporting Aerial
assembled with a messenger which supports the assemblage and
Cable
which may or may not form a part of the electrical circuit.
Any assemblage of conductors which incorporates a steel rope or
Self-Supporting Cable steel sheath for added tensile strength, thus enabling it to be
suspended between widely spaced supports.
A jacket having a sufficiently low resistance so that its outer
Semi-Conducting Jacket
surface can be kept at substantially ground potential.
 A tape of such resistance that when applied between two elements
Semi-Conducting Tape of a cable, the adjacent surfaces of the two elements will maintain
substantially the same potential.
In wire industry terminology, a material possessing electrical
conductivity that falls somewhere between that of conductors and
Semi-Conductor
insulators. Usually made by adding carbon particles to an insulator
(e.g. conductor shield and insulation shield). Not the same
A cable containing a flexible inner-core and a relatively inflexible
Semi-Rigid sheathing material, such as a metallic tube, but which can be bent
for coiling or spooling and placing in a duct or cable run.
A hard semi-flexible polyvinylchloride compound with low
Semi-Rigid PVC
plasticizer content.
An insulation cross-section having a partially open space between
Semi-Solid
the conductor and the insulation perimeter.
SEMKO Approval agency for Sweden.
A layer of insulating material which is placed between a conductor
and its dielectric, between a cable jacket and the components it
Separator
covers, or between various components of a multiple-conductor
cable.
A circuit in which the components are arranged end-to-end to form
Series Circuit
a single path for current.
A filament or group of filaments such as fibers or wires, wound
Serve
around a central core
Spiral wrap of soft galvanized steel wires applied to a cable to
Served Wire Armor (SWA) afford mechanical protection and increase the cable pulling tension
characteristics.
Serving A wrapping applied over the core of a cable or over a wire.
The combination of a metallic shield and an extruded plastic jacket
Sheath applied as the outermost covering on a cable. In the absence of a
shield, the extruded jacket may be designated as a sheath.
A metallic layer placed around an insulated conductor or group of
conductors to prevent electrostatic or electro magnetic interference
Shield
between the enclosed wires and external fields. This shield can be
braided or served wires, foil wrap, foil backed tape
In cables, a metallic layer placed around a conductor or group of
Shield (Electrostatic) conductors to prevent electrostatic interference between the
enclosed wires and external fields. Also see Insulation Shield.
The physical area of a cable that is actually covered by the
Shield Coverage
shielding material and is expressed in percentage.
Shield Effectiveness The ability of a shield to screen out undesirable signals.
Shielded Line A transmission line whose elements confine propagated radio
waves to an essentially finite space inside a tabular conducting
surface called the sheath preventing the line from radiating radio
 waves .
Shielded-Type Cable A cable in which the surface of the insulation is at ground potential.
A test to determine the ability of a cable to withstand a violent
Shock Test
physical concussion such as might occur during handling or use.
Tubing which has been extruded, crosslinked, and mechanically
Shrink Tubing
expanded which when reheated will return to its original diameter.
A conductor joining two parts of an electric circuit to divert part of
Shunt Wire
the current.
SIA Steel Interlocked Armor.
SIC Specific Inductive Capacity.
A term used in reference to the pressure on a cable which is being
Side Wall Bearing Pressure
pulled around a curved surface under tension. If excessive, SWBP
(SWBP)
can damage cable components and reduce the life of the cable.
A current used to convey information, either digital, analog, audio
Signal
or video.
A cable designed to carry current of usually less than one ampere
Signal Cable
per conductor to operate signal circuit devices.
A material made from silicone and oxygen. It can be in
Silicone thermosetting elastomer or liquid form. The thermosetting
elastomer form is noted for high heat resistance.
A silicone liquid treatment applied to insulated conductors to allow
Silicone Treating
for easy jacket stripping.
Transmission in only one direction. Generally a communications
Simplex
system or device capable of transmission in one direction only.
A wave that can be expressed as the sine of a linear function of
Sine Wave
time, or space or both.
A fiber wave guide in which only one mode will propagate. The
fiber has a very small core diameter of approximately 8mm. It
Single Mode Fiber
permits signal transmission at extremely high bandwidths and is
generally used with laser diodes.
Unbalanced, such as grounding one side of a circuit or transmission
Single-Ended
line.
Fabric tape finished on one side with a rubber or synthetic
Single-Faced Tape
compound.
Optical fiber with a small core diameter (typically 9 µm) in which
only a singlemode, the fundamental mode, is capable of
Singlemode Fiber
propagation. This type of fiber is particularly suitable for wideband
transmission over large distances, since its bandwidth is limit
Sizing Applying a material to a surface to fill pores.
Junior hard service, rubber-insulated pendant or portable cord.
SJ
Same construction as Type S, but 300V. Jacket thickness different.
SJEOW Hard service thermoplastic or rubber-insulated conductors and oil
 resistant thermoplastic outer jacket. All elastomer construction.
300V, 90°C to 105°C. Weather resistant. Meets UL specifications.
Hard service thermoplastic or rubber-insulated conductors and
SJEW overall thermoplastic jacket. All elastomer construction. 300V,
90°C to 105°C. Weather resistant. Meets UL specifications.
Same as SJ, but Carolprene, oil-resistant compound outer jacket.
SJO
Can also be made water-resistant. 300V, 60°C.
Same as SJO but inner conductor insulation as well as the outer
SJOO
jacket is oil resistant.
Junior hard service thermoplastic or rubber-insulated conductors
SJT
with overall thermoplastic jacket. 300V, 60°C to 105°C.
SJTO Same as SJT, but oil-resistant thermo-plastic outer jacket. 60°C.
Hard usage thermoplastic or rubber-insulated conductors and
SJTW overall thermoplastic jacket. 300V, 60°C to 105°C.Weather
resistant for outdoor use.
Widely separated braid of fiber copper, or steel, used to hold core
Skeleton Braid
together, for reinforcing jacket or for shielding.
A ray that does not intersect the fiber axis. Generally, a light ray
Skew Rays
that enters the fiber core at a very high angle.
Filled tape coated on one or both sides with a thin film of uncured
Skim Tape rubber or synthetic compound to produce a coating suitable for
vulcanization.
The tendency of alternating current to concentrate and to travel
Skin Effect only on the surface of a conductor. Tendency increases with
increase in frequency.
A braided, knifed, or woven tube used over wires or components as
Sleeve
insulation tubing. Also called Sleeving.
Sleeving An extruded tube.
Hard service cord, same construction as Type S, except oil-resistant
SO
Carolprene jacket. 600V, 60°C to 90°C.
A metal or metallic alloy used when melted to join metallic
Solder
surfaces. To unite or join by solder.
Solid Conductor A conductor consisting of a single wire.
A light emitter, either an LED or laser diode, in a fiber optic link; a
Source device that when properly driven will produce information carrying
optical signals.
Source Coupling Loss Loss of light intensity as light from source passes into fiber.
All rubber, parallel-jacketed, two-conductor light duty cord for
SP-1
pendant or portable use in damp locations. 300V.
Same as SP-1, but heavier construction, with or without third
SP-2
conductor for grounding purposes. 300V.
SP-3 Same as SP-2, but heavier construction for refrigerators or room air
 conditioners. 300V.
An area used for housing the installation and termination of
Space, Telecommunications telecommunications equipment and cable, i.e., telecommunications
closets, work areas and manhole/handholes.
Spacing Distance between the closest edges of two adjacent conductors.
(1) In flat conductors, the distance between the reference edge of
the first and the last conductor; (2) In round conductors, the
Span
distance between centers of the first and last conductors ; (3) In
aerial cable, the distance between poles or support clamp
A test designed to locate imperfections (usually pin-holes) in the
insulation of a wire or cable by application of voltage for a very
Spark Test
short period of time while the wire is being drawn through the
electrode field.
The ratio of the weight of any volume of substance to a weight of
Specific Gravity an equal volume of some substance taken as a standard, usually
water for liquids and hydrogen for gases.
Specific Inductive Capacity
Same as dielectric constant (See Dielectric Constant).
(SIC)
The difference between wavelengths at which the radiant intensity
Spectral Bandwidth
of illumination is half its peak intensity.
The response of a detector (or a system) over different
Spectral Response
wavelengths.
Frequencies that exist in a continuous range and have a common
Spectrum
characteristic.
Speed of Light 186,000 miles per second.
Spiral Marking A continuous spiral mark applied to a conductor for identification.
A metallic shield of fine stranded wires applied spirally rather than
Spiral Shield
braided.
A color coding stripe applied helically to the surface of an insulated
Spiral Stripe
wire or cable.
Spiral Wrap The helical wrap of a tape or thread over a core.
A connection of two or more conductors or cables to provide good
Splice
mechanical strength as well as good conductivity.
Splice Closure A device used to protect a cable or wire splice.
A revolvable flanged device made of wood or metal, used for
Spool
winding flexible metal wire or cable.
A modulation technique for multiple access, or for increasing
Spread Spectrum
immunity to noise and interference.
Same as SP-1, except all-thermoplastic. 300V. With or without
SPT-1
third conductor for grounding.
Same as SP-2, except all thermoplastic. 300V. With or without
SPT-2
third conductor for grounding.
 Same as SP-3, except all-thermoplastic. 300V. With or without
SPT-3
third conductor for grounding.
Square Mil The area of a square one mil by one mil.
Portable range or dryer cable. Three or four rubber-insulated
SRD conductors with rubber or neoprene jacket, flat or round
construction. 300V, 60°C.
Same as SRD. Except all-thermoplastic with a maximum
SRDT
temperature of 90°C.
H a rd service cord, jacketed, same as Type S except all-plastic
ST
construction. 600V, 60°C to1 0 5 ° C .
Type of connector used on fiber optic cable utilizing a spring
ST® Connector loaded twist and lock coupling similar to the BNC connectors used
with coaxial cabling.
The difference between the percentage power factor at 80 volts/mil
Stability Factor and at 40 volts/mil measured on wire immersed in water at 750C
for a specified time.
A cable sheath consisting of a corrugated steel (ST) shield applied
STALPETH over a corrugated aluminum (AL) shield and an outer polyethylene
(PETH) jacket.
The stationary pattern of waves produced by two waves of the
same transmission line. The existence of voltage and current
Standing Wave
maxima and minima along a transmission line is a result of
reflected energy from an impedance mismatch.
In a transmission line, waveguide, or analogous system, a figure of
Standing Wave Ratio
merit used to express the efficiency of the system in transmitting
(SWR)
power.
A topology in which each telecommunications outlet/connector is
Star Topology
directly cabled to the distribution device.
Used to denote the environmental conditions of an installed cable
Static Condition
rather than the conditions existing during cable installation.
PVC jacketed wire specially designed for use in ducts or stapled to
Station Wire
surfaces for direct connection to subscriber's phone.
A component of a cable used to anchor the cable ends at their
Stay Cord points of termination and to keep any pull of the cable f rom being
transferred to the electrical connections.
A fiber having a uniform refractive index within the core and a
Step Index Fiber
sharp decrease in refractive index at the core/cladding interface.
Same as ST, but with oil-resistant thermoplastic outer jacket. 600V,
STO
60°C.
(1) A single uninsulated wire; (2) One of the wires of any stranded
Strand
conductor.
Strand Conductor Shield A layer of semiconducting material or tape applied directly over
 the stranded conductor of cables rated 2,000 volts and higher. This
reduces the possibility of high stress points occurring between the
conductor and insulation.
A distance of advance of one strand of a spirally stranded
Strand Lay
conductor, in one turn, measured axially.
A conductor composed of individual groups of wires twisted
Stranded Conductor
together to form an entire unit.
Square- or rectangular-section bare conductor manufactured and
Strap
used in coil form.
Part of a fiber optic cable composed of aramid yarn, steel strands,
Strength Member or fiberglass filaments that increase the tensile strength of the
cable.
Strip To remove insulation from a cable.
The force required to remove a small section of insulating material
Strip Force
from the conductor it covers.
Backward reflected energies from uneven parts of the cable
Structural Return Loss structure causing impedance variations are termed structural return
loss.
Extra hard usage cord, jacketed. 600V, 60°C to 105°C. Weather
STW
resistant for outdoor use.
Suggested Working Voltage AC voltage that can be applied between adjacent conductors.
The resistance of a material between two opposite sides of a unit
square of its surface. It is usually expressed in ohms. A temporary
Surface Resistivity
and relatively large increase in the voltage or cur rent in an electric
circuit or cable. Also called Transient.
A temporary and relatively large increase in the voltage or current
Surge
in an electrical circuit or cable. Also called transient.
DuPont's trade name for their thermoplastic resin with ionic
Surlyn
crosslinks.
A ceiling that creates an area or space between the ceiling material
Suspended Ceiling and the structure above the material. Synonym: Drop Ceiling,
Suspended Ceiling.
Vacuum cleaner cord, two or three conductor, rubber insulated.
SV Overall rubber jacket. For light duty in damp locations. 300V,
60°C.
SVO Same as SV, except caro l p rene jacket. 300V, 6 0 ° C .
Same as SV except all-plastic construction. With or without third
SVT
conductor for g rounding purposes only. 300V, 60°C to 90°C.
A method to determine the frequency response of a cable by
Sweep Test generating an RF voltage whose frequencies varied at a rapid
constant rate over a given range.
Switchboard Cable A cable used within and between the central office main frames
 and the switchboard.
A common carrier circuit leased (private line facility) which is the
standard method of interconnecting digital communications
T1
systems in North America. The line operates at rate of 1.544M bps.
With DS-1 signaling, the facility provides twenty-four 64 Kbp
The process of accumulating wire or cable onto a reel, bobbin, or
Take-Up some other type of pack. Also, the device for pulling wire or cable
through a piece of equipment or machine.
A voltage dielectric test in which the test sample is submerged in
Tank Test water and voltage is applied between the conductor and water as
gro u n d .
A relatively narrow woven or cut strip of fabric, paper, or film
Tape
material.
Tape Wrap A spirally applied tape over an insulated or uninsulated wire .
Insulation of helically wound tapes applied over a conductor or
Taped Insulation
over an assembled group of insulated conductors.
Process of insulating continuous length, large diameter wires with
Taping
tape of non-extrudable materials.
A term used to describe a discolored or stained conductor or shield
Tarnish
wire caused by exposure to the atmosphere .
TB Terminal Block.
A hierarchy of digital systems designed to carry speech and other
T-Carrier (AT&T) signals in digital form, designated T1, T2, and T4. T1 carrier has
24 PCM voice channels.
The force required to initiate or continue a tear in a material under
Tear Strength
specified conditions.
DuPont's Company trade name for fluorocarbon resins. FEP, PFA
Teflon
and TFE are typical materials.
DuPont's trade name for a fluoro carbon material typically used as
Tefzel
a wire wrap insulation.
The communication of information over some distance, including
Telecommunications
interbuilding and intrabuilding distances.
A common point of connection for telecommunications system and
Telecommunications
bonding to ground, which is located in the telecommunications
Grounding Busbar
closet or equipment room.
A collection of those telecommunications components excluding
Telecommunications
equipment, that together provide the basic support for the
Infrastructure
distribution of all information within a building or campus.
Cable used for transmission of information from instruments to the
Telemetry Cable
peripheral recording equipment.
Temperature Rating The maximum temperature at which an insulating material may be
used in continuous operation without loss of its basic properties
 (i.e. operating, overload, short circuit). The minimum temperature
for safe handling.
The pull stress required to break a given specimen. Measured in
Tensile Strength pounds per square inch. Also referred to as Ultimate Tensile
Strength.
Tension Member A member included in a fiber cable to add tensile strength.
(1) A point at which information may enter or leave a
communications network; (2) The input-output associated
Terminal
equipment; (3) A device by means of which wires may be
connected to each other.
Metal wire termination devices designed to handle one or more
Terminals conductors, and to be attached to a board bus or block with
mechanical fasteners or clipped on.
A multi-paired cable usually with tinned conductors and always
Terminating Cable with fire resistant insulation that is used primarily between the
cable vault and the main distributing frame.
A flexible, insulated lead wire used for making tests, connecting
Test Lead instruments to a circuit temporarily or for making temporary
electrical connections.
Canadian Standard Association type appliance wires. Solid or
TEW
stranded single c o n d u c t o r, plastic-insulated. 600V, 105°C.
Textile Braid Any braid made from threads of cotton, silk or synthetic fibers.
TF Fixture wire, thermoplastic-covered solid or 7 strands. 60°C.
Tetrafluoroethylene. A thermoplastic material with good electrical
TFE
insulating properties and chemical and heat resistance.
TFF Same as TF but flexible stranding. 60°C.
Exposure to a thermal condition or programmed series of
Thermal Aging
conditions for predescribed periods of time.
The maximum and/or minimum temperature at which a material
Thermal Rating
will perform its functions without undue degradation.
A test to determine the ability of a material to withstand heat and
Thermal Shock
cold by subjecting it to rapid and wide changes in temperature .
A device consisting of two dissimilar metals in physical contact,
Thermocouple
which when heated will develop an emf output.
A thermocouple designed to be used as part of an assembly, but
Thermocouple Element without associated parts such as the terminal block, connecting
head, or protecting tube.
Thermocouple Extension A cable comprised of one or more twisted thermocouple extension
Cable wires under a common sheath.
Thermocouple Extension A pair of wires of dissimilar alloys having such emf temperature
Wire characteristics complementing the thermocouple which is intended
to be used, such that when properly connected, allows the emf to be
 faithfully transmitted to the reference junction.
Thermocouple Lead Wire An insulated pair of wires used from the couple to a junction box.
A two conductor cable, each conductor employing a dissimilar
Thermocouple Wire
metal, made up especially for temperature measurements.
A material that can be softened repeatedly by heating and hardened
by cooling through a temperature range characteristic of the plastic
Thermoplastic
and that in the softened state can be shaped by molding or
extrusion.
A plastic material which is crosslinked by a heating process known
Thermoset
as curing. Once cured, thermosets cannot be reshaped.
Term describing insulation that will not resoften or distort from its
Thermosetting formed shape by heating until a destructive t e m p e r a t u re is re
ached.
90°C, 600 volt, nylon jacketed building wire for dry and damp
THHN
locations.
Three insulated conductors assembled with other necessary cable
Three Conductor Cable components (shield, filler, etc.) to form a core, protected by an
overall jacket.
Current delivered through three wires, with each wire serving as a
Three-Phase Current
return for the other two.
Three-Phase Three-Wire An alternating current supply system comprising three conductors
System over which three-phase power is sent.
A DC or single-phase AC system comprising three conductors, one
Three-Wire System of which is maintained at a potential midway between the potential
of the other two.
Thermoplastic, vinyl insulated building wire. Flame retardant,
THW
moisture and heat resistant, 75°C, dry and wet locations.
75°C, 600 volt, nylon jacketed building wire for dry and wet
THWN
locations.
90°C, 600 volt, nylon jacketed building wire for dry and wet
THWN-2
locations.
Type of cable construction whereby each glass fiber is tightly
buffered by a protective thermoplastic coating to a diameter of 900
Tight Buffer
µm. Increased buffering provides ease of handling and
connectorization.
The process or device by which more than one signal can be sent
Time-Division Multiplex over a single channel by using different time intervals for the
(TDM) different signals. This may be done by varying the pulse duration,
pulse amplitude and pulse position.
Tin Overcoat (TOC) Tinned copper wire, stranded, then coated with pure tin.
Tin coating added to copper to aid in soldering and inhibit
Tinned Copper
corrosion.
 Copper wire that has been coated with a layer of tin or solder to
Tinned Wire
simplify soldering.
A type of electrical conductor comprised of a number of tiny
threads, each thread having a fine, flat ribbon of copper or other
Tinsel
metal closely spiraled about it. Used for small size cables requiring
limpness and extra-long flex life.
A low voltage, stranded wire where each strand is a very thin
Tinsel Wire conductor ribbon spirally wrapped around a textile yarn. Insulation
is generally a textile braid. Intended usage is for severe flexing.
Topcoat Bare (untinned) copper wire stranded, then coated with pure tin.
The physical or logical arrangement of a telecommunications
Topology
system.
The total reflection that occurs when light strikes an interface at
Total Internal Reflection
angles of incidence greater than the critical angle.
Tracer A means of identifying polarity.
When more than one color coding stripe is required, the first, or
Tracer Stripe widest, stripe is the base stripe, the other, usually narrower stripes,
being termed tracer stripes.
Transducer A device for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy.
For a specified cable length, transfer impedance is defined as the
ratio of internal longitude in a voltage to external current flow on
Transfer Impedance
the cable shield. Transfer impedance is used to determine shield
effectiveness against both the ingress and egress of
A location in the horizontal cabling where flat undercarpet cable
Transition Point
connects to round cable.
Transfer of electric energy from one location to another through
Transmission
conductors or by radiation or induction fields.
Transmission Cable Two or more transmission lines. See Transmission Line.
A signal-carrying circuit with controlled electrical characteristics
Transmission Line
used to transmit high-frequency or narrow-pulse signals.
The decrease or loss in power during transmission of energy from
Transmission Loss
one point to another. Usually expressed in decibels.
The various types of wire and optical fiber cable used for
transmitting voice or data signals. Typically, wire cable includes
Transmission Media
twisted pair, coaxial, and twinaxial. Optical fiber cable includes
single, dual, quad stranded, and ribbon.
The electronic package that injects an electrical signal or light
Transmitter
signal over the transmission medium.
Transmitting rays of light so that objects can be seen through the
Transparent
material.
Transposition Interchanging the relative positions of wires to neutralize the
effects of induction to or from other circuits or, to minimize
 interference pickup by the lead-in during reception.
A cable tray is a unit or assembly of units or sections and
Tray associated fittings, made of noncombustible materials forming a
rigid structural system used to support cables.
A factory-assembled multi-conductor or multi-pair control, signal
Tray Cable or power cable specifically approved under the National Electrical
Code and/or the Canadian Electrical Code for installation in trays.
Three insulated wires of a single circuit forming a unit. (Two or
Triad
more units are cabled to form a multi-triad cable.)
A three-conductor cable with one conductor in the center, a second
circular conductor shield concentric with the first, and third circular
Triaxial
conductor shield insulated from and concentric with the first and
second, usually with insulation, and over a braid
A cable construction having three coincident axes, such as
Triaxial Cable conductor, first shield and second shield, all insulated from one
another.
Noise generated in a shielded cable due to variations in capacitance
Triboelectric Noise
between shielding and conductor as the cable as flexed.
A cable consisting of three insulated single conductors twisted
Triple (Triad)
together.
A cable composed of three insulated single conductors and one
Triple Cable bare conductor all twisted together. It may or may not have a
common covering of binding.
A cable composed of three insulated single conductor cables
Triplex
twisted together.
Triplexed Cable Three individual cables twisted together.
A stranded wire or twisted cable in which each successive layer has
True Concentric
a reversed direction of lay from the preceding layer.
In telecommunication or CATV systems, the transmission cable
Trunk Cable from the head end (signal pickup) to the trunk amplifier. Also
called a Trunk Cable.
Tubing A tube of extruded non-supported plastic or metallic material.
Thermoplastic vinyl-jacketed building wire, moisture-resistant
TW
60°C.
A pair of insulated conductors twisted, sheathed, or held together
Twin Cable mechanically and not identifiable from each other in a common
covering.
A configuration containing two separate complete coaxial cables
Twin Coaxial
laid parallel or twisted around each other in one complex .
A single cable consisting of two separate coaxial cables laid
Twin Coaxial Cable
adjacent and parallel or twisted together.
Twin Line A transmission line which has a solid insulating material, in which
 the two conductors a replaced in parallel to each other.
Twinner A device for twisting together two conductors.
A cable composed of two small insulated conductors twisted
Twisted Pairs
together without a common covering.
Any three individually insulated conductors which are twisted
Twisted Triad
together.
UF Thermoplastic underground feeder and branch circuit cable.
UHF Abbreviation for ultra high frequency, 300 to 3,000 MHz.
An abbreviation for Underwriters' Laboratories, a non-profit
independent organization, which operates a listing service for
UL
electrical and electronic materials and equipment. (Canadian
counterpart is CSA).
A transmission line in which voltages on the two conductors are
Unbalanced Circuit
unequal with respect to ground, i.e., a coaxial cable.
A transmission line in which voltages on the two conductors are
Unbalanced Line
unequal with respect to ground.
Stranding where each successive layer has a different lay length
Unidirectional Concentric
thereby retaining a circular form without migration of strands from
Stranding
one layer to another.
A term denoting that, in a stranded conductor, all layers have the
Unidirectional Stranding
same direction of lay.
A conductor with more than one layer of helically laid wires with
Unilay
the direction of lay and length of lay the same for all layers.
A conductor constructed with a central core surrounded by more
Unilay Strand than one layer of helically-laid wires, with all layers having a
common length and direction of lay.
A bunched construction having 19, 27, 37, or any number of
Unilay Stranding
strands which might be found in a concentric stranding.
USE Underground service entrance cable.
UTE Approval agency for France; Union Technique de l'Electricite.
A flammability rating established by Underwriters Laboratories for
V W-1 wires and cables that pass a specially designed vertical flame test
(formerly designated FR-1).
Any void between the insulated conductors of a cable or between a
Valley
cable core and its covering. See also interstice.
VDE West Germany approval agency.
The speed of an electrical signal down a length of cable compared
Velocity of Propagation
to speed in free space expressed as a percent. It is the reciprocal of
(VP)
the square root of the dielectric constant of the cable insulation.
VHF Abbreviation for very high frequency, 30 to 300 MHz.
Video Pair Cable A transmission cable containing low-loss pairs with an impedance
 of 125 ohms. Used for TV pick ups, closed circuit TV, telephone
carrier circuits, etc.
Any of the frequencies that are audible to the human ear. For
Voice Frequency telephone transmission the range is generally from 300 to 3,400
Hz.
The standard unit of electromotive force or electrical pressure. One
Volt volt is the amount of pressure that will cause one ampere of current
to flow through one ohm of resistance.
The term most often used in place of electromotive force, potential
difference or voltage drop to designate the electric pressure that
Voltage
exists between two points and is capable of producing a current
when a closed circuit is connected between two points.
Test to determine voltage at which insulation fails at a given
Voltage Breakdown
temperature and time.
The voltage developed across a component or conductor by the
Voltage Drop current in the resistance or impedance of the component or
conductor.
(1) The highest voltage that can be continuously applied to a wire
Voltage Rating in conformance with the standard or specification; ( 2) The system
voltage printed on the wire or cable.
The ratio of the maximum effective voltage to the minimum
Voltage Standing Wave
effective voltage measured along the length of a mismatched radio
Ratio (VSWR)
frequency transmission line.
The electrical resistance between opposite faces of a one cm. cube
Volume Resistivity
of insulating material, commonly expressed in ohms-centimeter.
VSWR Abbreviation for volume standing wave ratio.
A chemical reaction in which the physical properties of an
Vulcanization elastomer are changed by reacting it with sulfur or other
crosslinking agents.
General Cable-Carol Cable trade name for a rubber compound with
Vutron
specific performance characteristics.
A flammability rating established by Underwriters' Laboratories for
VW-1 wires and cables that pass a specially designed vertical flame test,
formerly designated FR-1 .
Wall Thickness The thickness of the applied insulation or jacket.
A network spanning a broad geographical area, providing data
WAN (Wide Area Network) communications between computers and peripherals and switching
equipment.
Ratio of the weight or water absorbed by a material to the weight of
Water Absorption
the dry material.
A cable constructed with no internal voids in order to allow no
Waterblocked Cable
longitudinal water passage under a given pressure .
 A cable specially constructed with no internal voids in order to
Watertight Cable
allow no longitudinal water passage under a given pressure .
A unit of electrical power. One watt is equivalent to the power
Watt represented by one ampere of current under a pressure of one volt
in a D.C. circuit.
A graphical representation of a varying quantity. Usually, time is
Wave Form represented on the horizontal axis, and the current or voltage value
is represented on the vertical axis.
The distance, measured in the direction of propagation, of a
Wavelength repetitive electrical pulse or waveform between two successive
points.
Wetting The ability of a material to absorb moisture .
The longitudinal flow of a liquid in a wire or cable construction
Wicking
due to capillary action.
(1) A single piece of slender, flexible metal ranging in approximate
size from a piece that is difficult to bend by hand to a fine three a
Wire
d ; (2) Several wires (as in 1) twisted together; (3) Wires (as in 1 or
2) that are insulated.
Wire and Cable Marker Identification marking of wire and cable.
Tying tapes, lacing cords, and flexible sleevings which are used for
Wire and Cable Tying,
wire and cable bundling, harnessing, and holding. Other devices
Clamping, and Harnessing
include plastic ties or clamps, spiral-cut plastic tubing, and plastic
Devices
U-shaped trays or ducts.
Tools for cutting range from plier type cutters to semiautomatic or
Wire and Lead Cutters fully automatic machines integrated with other wire processing
operations such as stripping, forming, and terminating.
A measure of the diameter or sizes of wires. The sizes are
Wire Gauge
expressed by numbers.
Wire Nut A closed end splice that is screwed on instead of crimped.
A solderless connection made by wrapping bare wire around a
Wire Wrapped Connection
square or rectangular terminal with a power or hand tool.
Portable electric tools and automatic stationary machines used to
Wire Wrapping Tools
make solderless wrapped connections of wires to terminals.
An enclosed space for housing telecommunications equipment,
cable terminations, and cross-connect cabling. The closet is the
Wiring Closet
recognized location of the cross-connect between the backbone and
horizontal facilities.
A building space where the occupants interact with
Work Area (Work Station)
telecommunications terminal equipment.
(1) The highest voltage that can be continuously applied to a wire
Working Voltage in conformance with the standard or specification; ( 2) The system
voltage printed on the wire or cable.
 An insulating barrier applied as a sheet or tape wrapped around a
Wrapper
coil periphery.
Heat and moisture resistant cross linked polyethylene insulated
XHHW
building wire, 75°C wet.
Heat and moisture resistant cross linked polyethylene insulated
XHHW-2
building wire, 90°C wet or dry.
XLP Crosslinked polyethylene.
XLPE Crosslinked polyethylene.
The minimum stress at which a material will start to physically
Yield Strength
deform without further increase in load.
Wavelength at which the chromatic dispersion of an optical fiber is
Zero-Dispersion
zero. Occurs when waveguide dispersion cancels out material
Wavelength
dispersion.
Zytel DuPont's trade name for nylon resins.
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