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Glossary

Glossary

Need a brief description of a wire and cable term? Abbreviation? This area provides hundreds of convenient definitions. Just click a letter link to see terms that start with that letter.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
A	Ampere.
abrasion resistance	Ability to resist surface wear.
AC	Alternating current.
accelerated aging	A test that duplicates long time environmental conditions in a relatively short time.
AF	Audio frequency.
ambient	Conditions existing at a test or operating location prior to energizing of equipment (example: ambient temperature.)
ampere	A standard unit of current. Designated as the amount of current that occurs when one volt of emf is applied across one ohm of resistance. An ampere of current is produced by one coulomb of charge passing a point in one second.
anneal	To soften and relieve strains in any solid material, such as metal or glass, by heating to just below its melting point and then slowly cooling it. This also generally lowers the tensile strength of the material, while improving its flex life.
ANSI	American National Standard Institute.
ASTM	American Society for Testing and Materials.
attenuation	The decrease in magnitude of a wave as it travels through any transmitting medium, such as a cable or circuitry. Attenuation is measured as a ratio or as the logarithm of a ratio (decibel.)
attenuation constant	A rating for cable or other transmitting medium, such as a cable or circuitry. Attenuation is measured as a ratio or as the logarithm of a ratio (decibel.)
audio	A term used to describe sounds within the range of human hearing. Also used to describe devices which are designed to operate within the range.
audio frequency	That range of frequencies lying within the range of human hearing, approximately 20 to 14,000hz.
AWG	American Wire Gauge. A wire diameter specification. The lower the AWG number, the larger the wire diameter.
AWM	Appliance wiring material.
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B
BC	Bare copper.
balun	A device for matching an unbalanced coaxial transmission line to a balanced two-wire system. normally also give impedance transformation, as 300 ohm balanced to 75 ohm unbalance.
bandwidth	The difference between the upper and lower limits of a given band of frequencies. Expressed in Hertz.
baud	Unit of data transmission speed meaning bits pre second, 500 baud = 500 bits per second.
bonding	The method used to produce good electrical contact between metallic parts of nay device. Also refers to the connectors and straps used to bond equipment. Also, the ability of materials to adhere to one another.
booster	A device inserted into a line (or cable) to increase the voltage. Boosting generators are also used to raise the level of a dc line. Transformers are usually employed to boost ac voltages. The term booster is also applied to antenna preamplifiers.
braid	A group of textile or metallic filaments interwoven to form a tubular structure which may be applied over one or more wires, or flattened to form a strap.
Bunch strand	Conductor twisted together with the same lay and direction without regards to geometric pattern.
Bus-bar Wire	Nonscheduled tinned copper wire used as a common lead.
butyl rubber	A synthetic rubber with good electrical insulation properties.
byte	A group of adjacent binary digits. (8 bits).
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C
CO	Symbol designation for, capacitance, bias supply and centigrade.
cabling	The method by which a group of insulated conductions is mechanically assembled (or twisted together).
capacitance	The ability of a dielectric material between conductors to store electricity, when a difference of potential exists between the conductors. The unit of measurement is the farad, which is the capacitance value which will store a charge of one coulomb when a one-volt potential difference exists between the conductors. In ac, farad is the capacitance value which will permit one ampere of current, when the voltage across the capacitor changes at a rate of one volt per second.
capacitive reactance	The opposition to alternating current due to the capacitance fo a capacitor, cable, or circuit. It is measured in ohms and is equal to 1/6.28FC when F is the frequency in Hertz and C is the capacitance in Farads.
CATV	Community antenna television.
CCTV	Closed-circuit television.
circuit	A system of conduction mediums designed to pass an electric current.
circular mil	A term used to define cross sectional areas using an arithmetic short-cut in which the area of a round wire is taken as "diameter in mils (.001") squared", hence one circular mil is equal to 1/4 square mils.
coaxial cable	A cylindrical transmission line comprised of a conductor centered inside a metallic tube or shield, separated by a dielectric material, and usually covered by an insulating jacket.
coil effect	The inductive effect exhibited by a spiral-wrapped shield, especially above audio frequencies.
coiled and tied	Method of coiling a cordset in a designated diameter circle, tied with wire ties at two points.
concentric stranding	A group of uninsulated wires twisted together and containing a center core with subsequent layers spirally wrapped around the core to form a single conductor.
conductivity	The ability of a material to allow electrons to flow, measured by the current per unit of voltage applied. Also, it is the reciprocal of resistivity.
Conductor	A material suitable for carrying an electric current
cord	A very flexible insulated cable
CPS	Cycles pre second. This is a obsolete designation and is now called Hertz (Hz).
crosstalk	A type of interference caused by audio frequencies from one line being coupled into adjacent lines. The term is loosely used also to include coupling at higher frequencies.
CSA	Canadian Standard Association.
current, alternation (ac)	An electric current that periodically reverses direction of electron flow. The rate at which a full cycle occurs in a given unit of time (generally a second) is called the frequency of the current.
current, direct (dc)	Electrical current whose electrons flow in one direction only. It may be constant or pulsating as long as their movement is in the same direction.
current loop	A two wire transmit/receive interface.
cut-through resistance	The ability of a material to withstand mechanical pressure without damage.
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D
db	Decibel.
DC	Direct current. (see current, direct).
dc resistance	See resistance.
decibel (db)	One-tenth of a bel. It is equal to 10 times the logarithm of the power ratio, 20 times the log of the voltage ratio, or 20 times the log of the current ratio. One decibel is the amount by which the pressure of a pure sine wave of sound must be varied in order for the change to be detected by the average human ear. The decibel can express an actual level only when comparing with some definite reference level that is assumed to zero db.
dielectric	An insulating (nonconducting) medium.
dielectric breakdown	Any change in the properties of a dielectric that causes it to become conductive. Normally a catastrophic failure of an insulation because of excessive voltage.
dielectric constant	Also called permittivity. That property of a dielectric which determines the amount of electrostatic energy that can be stored by the material when a given voltage is applied to it. Actually, the ratio of the capacitance of a capacitor using the dielectric to the capacitance of an identical capacitor using a vacuum as a dielectric.
dielectric heating	The heating of an insulating material when placed in a radio-frequency field, caused by internal losses during the rapid polarization reversal of molecules in the material.
dielectric loss	The power dissipated in a dielectric as the result of the friction produced by molecular motion when an alternating electric field is applied.
digital	Representation of data by discrete characters.
distortion	An undesired change in wave form as the signal passes through a device.
distribution cable	in a CATV system, the transmission cable from the distribution amplifier to the drop cable.
drain wire	An uninsulated wire in contact with a shield throughout its length, and used for termination the shield.
durometer	The measurement of hardness of a material.
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E
EIA	Electronic Industries Association (formerly RMA or RETMA).
earth	British terminology for zero-reference ground.
elastomer	Any material that will return to its original dimensions after being stretched or distorted.
electromagnetic	Referring to the combined electric and magnetic fields caused by electron motion through conductors.
electron volt	A measure of the energy gained by an electron falling through an electric field produced by one volts.
electrostatic	Pertaining to static electricity, or electricity at rest. An electric charge, for example.
EMF	Electromotive force (voltage).
EMI	Electromagnetic interference.
energy dissipation	Loss of energy from a system due to the conversion of work into undesirable forms. An example of this is heat loss that is due to friction in a mechanical system.
EPDM	Ethylene-propylene-dien monomer rubber. A material with good electrical insulating properties.
EPR	Ethylene-propylene coploymer rubber. A material with good electrical insulating properties.
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.
eV	Electron volt.
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F
f	Frequency.
farad	A unit of capacity that will store one coulomb of electrical charge when one volt of electrical pressure is applied.
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 inverse feedback, increases the stability of a system as the feedback in an amplifiter improves stability and fidelity.
ferrous	Composed of and/or containing iron. A ferrous metal exhibits magnetic characteristics as opposed to a non-ferrous metal, such as aluminum, which does not.
FEP	Fluorinated ethylene-propylene. A thermoplastic material with good electrical insulating properties and chemical and heat resistance.
field	An area through which pass electric and/or magnetic lines of force.
filters	Nonconducting components cabled with the insulated conductors, to impart roundness, flexibility tensile strength, or a combination of all three, to the cable.
flex life	The ability of a cable to bend many times before breaking.
flexibility	The ability of a cable to bend in a short radius (also see limpness).
floating	Referring to a circuit which has no connection to ground.
FM	Frequency modulation.
frequency	The number of times a periodic action occurs in a unit of time. The number of cycles that an electric current completes in 1 second.
frequency, power	Normally, the 50 to 60 cycle power available in residential areas.
FXT	Frequency modulation.
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G
gain	The increase of voltage, current, or power over a standard or previous reading. usually expressed in decibels.
GeV	One billion electron volts.
GRD/gnd	Ground.
ground	An electrical connection to the earth, generally through a ground rod. Also a common return to a point of zero potential, such as the metal chassis in radio equipment.
ground loop	A completed circuit between shielded pairs of a multiple pair cable created by random contact between the shields. An undesirable circuit condition in which interference is created by ground currents when grounds are connected at more than one point.
ground potential	The potential of the earth. A circuit, terminal, or chassis is said to be at ground potential when it is used as a reference point for other potential in the system.
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H
H	Symbol designation for: Magnetic intensity and henry.
hank and tie	Method of coiling a cordset or cable assembly in a designated size, usually a figure 8, tied in the middle with a wire tie.
henry	A practical unit of inductance that will produce a voltage drop of one volt when the current changes at the rate of one ampere per second. (abbreviated H).
Hertz/Hz	The unit of frequency, one cycle per second.
HF	High frequency.
high frequency	The band for 3 to 30 Mhz in the radio spectrum, as designated by the Federal Communications Commission.
HPN	Two or three conductors, neoprene insulated parallel heater cord, 300V, 90 Celsius rating, 12-18 AWG.
hum	A term used to describe the 60- or 120-cps sound present in the sound of some communication equipment. Usually hum is the result undesired coupling to a 60-cps source or to the defective filtering of 120-cps ripple output of a rectifier.
Hypalon	A Du Pont trade name for a synthetic rubber ( chloro-sulfonated polyethylene) used as insulating and jacketing materials for wire and cable.
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I
I	Symbol used to designate current.
IEC	International Electrotechnical Commission.
IEEE	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
IF	intermediate-frequency.
impedance	The total opposition a circuit , cable, or component offers to alternating current. It includes both resistance and reactance and is generally expressed in ohms.
Impedance, characteristic	In a transmission cable of infinite length the ratio of the applied voltage to the resultant current at the point the voltage is applied. Or, the impedance which makes a transmission cable seem infinitely long, when connected across the cable�s output terminals. For a waveguide, it is the ratio of rms voltage to total rms longitudinal current at certain points on a diameter, when the waveguide is match-terminated.
Impedance, high	Generally, the area of 25,000 ohms or higher.
Impedance, low	Generally, the area of 1 through 600 ohms.
Impedance match	A condition whereby the impedance of a particular circuit cable or component is the same as the impedance of the circuit, cable, or device to which it is connected.
Impulse	See pulse.
Inductance	A property of a conductor or circuit which resists a change in current. It causes current changes to lag behind voltage changes and is measured in henrys.
induction	The phenomenon of a voltage, magnetic field, or electrostatic charge being produced in an object by lines of force from the source of such fields.
induction heating	Heating a conducting material by placing it in a rapidly changing magnetic field. the changing field induces electric currents in the material and I2R losses account for the resultant heat.
input	A signal (or power) which is applied to a piece of electric apparatus, or the terminals on the apparatus to which a signal or power is applied.
insertion loss	A measure of the attenuation of a device by determining the output of a system before and after the device is inserted into the system.
insulation	A material having good dielectric properties which is used to separate close electrical components, such as cable conductors and circuit components.
insulation stress	The molecule separation pressure caused by a potential difference across an insulator. The practical stress on insulation is expressed in volts per mil.
interface	The place where two systems or a major and a minor system meet and interact with each other.
interference	Disturbances of an electrical or electromagnetic nature that introduce undesirable responses into other electronic equipment.
ionization	The formation of ions, ions are produced when polar compounds are dissolved in a solvent and when a liquid, gas, or solid is caused to lose or gain electrons due to the passage of an electric current.
ionization voltage	The potential at which a material ionizes. The potential at which an atom gives us an electron.
IPCEA	Insulated Power Cable Engineers Association.
IR drop	A method of designating a voltage drop in terms of both current and resistance.
ISO	International Organization for Standardization.
isolation	The ability of a circuit of component to reject interference usually expressed in db.
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J
jacket	Pertaining to wire and cable, the outer sheath which protects against environment and may also provide additional insulation.
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K
KeV	1000 electron volts.
kilo	Prefix meaning thousand.
KV	Kilovolt (1000 volts).
KVA	Kilovolt ampere.
KW	Kilowatt.
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L
L	Symbol for inductance.
lay	Pertaining to wire and cable, the axial distance required for one cabled conductor or conductor strand to complete one revolution about the axis around which it is cabled.
lay direction	The twist in the cable as indicated by the top strands while looking along the axis of the cable away from the observer. Described as “right hand” or “left hand”.
leakage	The undesirable passage of current over the surface of or through an insulator.
LF	Low frequency
limpness	The ability of a cable to lay flat or conform to a surface as with microphone cables (also see flexibility).
line drop	A voltage loss occurring between any two points is a power or transmission line. Such loss, or drop. is due to the resistance, reactance, or leakage of the line.
line equalizer	A reactance (inductance and/or capacitance) connected in series with a transmission line to alter the frequency-response characteristics of the line.
line voltage	The value of the potential existing on a supply or power line.
load	A device that consumes or converts the power delivered by another device.
loaded line	A transmission line that has lumped elements (inductance or capacitance) added at uniformly spaced intervals. Loading is used to provide a given set of characteristics to a transmission line.
loss	The portion of energy applied to a system that is dissipated and performs no useful work.
low frequency	A band of frequencies extending for 30 to 300 khz in the radio spectrum designated by the Federal Communications Commission.
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M
mA	Miliampere (one-thousandth of an ampere).
mega	Prefix meaning million.
MeV	One million electron volts.
MFD	Microfarad (one millionth of a farad).
MHO	The unit of conductance, equal to the reciprocal of the unit of resistance (ohm).
Mhz	Megahertz (one million cycles per second). Formerly mc.
micro	Prefix meaning one-millionth.
microfarad	one-millionth of a microfarad (uuf, uufd, mmf, mmfd are common abbreviations). Also, a picofarad (pf or pfd).
MIL	Military specification.
mil	A unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch.
milli	Prefix meaning one-thousandth.
MMF or MMFD	Abbreviation for micromicrofarad (one-millionth of one-millionth of a farad). A picofarad (pt or pfd).
modem	Device that converts signals in one form to another form compatible with another kind of equipment.
mutual capacitance	Capacitance between two conductors when all other conductors are connected together.
mV	Millivolt (one-thousandth of a volt).
mW	Milliwatt (one-thousandth of a watt).
Mylar R	Du Pont trademark for polyethylene terephtalate (polyester) film.
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N
nanosecond	One thousandth of one millionth of a second.
NBR	Butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer rubber, a material with good oil and chemical resistance.
NEC	National Electric Code.
NEMA	National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
neoprene	A synthetic rubber with good resistance to oil, chemical, and flame. Also called polychlorprene.
nibble	One half byte (4 bits).
noise	In a cable or circuit and extraneous sounds or signal which tends to interfere with the sound or signal normally present in or passing through the system.
Nomex R	Du Pont trademark for a temperature resistant, flame retardant nylon.
NP	Nickle plated.
nylon	An abrasion-resistant thermoplastic with good chemical resistance.
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O
O.D.	Outside diameter.
ohm	The electrical unit of resistance. The value of resistance through which a potential difference of one volt will maintain a current of one ampere.
ohm´s Law	State E=IR, I=E/R or R=E/I, the current I in a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage E, and inversely proportional to resistance R.
output	The useful power of signal delivered by a circuit or device.
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P
parallel circuit	A circuit in which the identical voltage is presented to all components, and the current divides among the components according to the resistances or the impedances of the components.
patchcord	A flexible piece of electrical cord terminated at both ends with plugs, used for interconnecting circuits on a patchboard.
peak	The maximum instantaneous value of a varying current or voltage. Also called crest.
pico	Prefix meaning one-millionth of one-millionth. (10¹2;).
picofarad	one-millionth of one-millionth of a farad. A micromicrofarad, or picofarad (abbreviation pf).
plastic	High polymeric substances, including both natural and synthetic products, but excluding the rubbers that are capable of flowing under heat and pressure.
plasticizer	A chemical added to plastics to make them softer and more flexible.
polybutadiene	A type of synthetic rubber often blended with other synthetic rubbers to improve their properties.
polyethlene	A thermoplastic material having excellent electrical properties.
polymer	A substance made of many repeating chemical units or molecules. The term polymer is often used in place of plastic, rubber or elastomer.
polyurethane	Broad class of polymers noted for good abrasion and solvent resistance. Can be in solid or cellular form.
polyvinyl chloride	A general purpose thermoplastic used for wire and cable insulations and jackets (PVC).
potting	Sealing by filling with a substance to exclude moisture.
power	The amount of work per unit of time. Usually expressed in watts, and equal to I²R.
power loss	The difference between the total power delivered to a circuit, cable or device, and the power delivered by that device to a load.
pulse	A current or voltage which changes abruptly from one value to another and back to the original value in a finite length of time. Used to describe one particular variation in a series of wave motions.
PVC	Polyvinyl chloride.
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R
R	Symbol for resistance or resistor.radio frequency. The frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum that are used for radio communications.Symbol for resistance or resistor.radio frequency. The frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum that are used for radio communications.
reactance	The opposition offered an alternation electron flow by a capacitance or inductance. The amount of such opposition varies with the frequency of the current. The reactance of the capacitor decreases with an increase in frequency; the opposite occurs with an inductance.
resistance	In dc circuits, the opposition a material offers to current, measured in ohms. In ac circuits, resistance is the real component of impedance, and may be higher than the value measured at dc.
resonance	An ac circuit condition is which inductive and capacitive reactances interact to cause a minimum or maximum circuit impedance.
retractile cord	A cord having specially treated insulation or jacket so that it will retract like a spring. Retractability may be added to all or part of a cord�s length.
RF	Radio-frequency.
RG/U	"RG" is the military designation for coaxial cable, and "U" stands for "general utility".
Romax R	General Cable Company�s trademark for nonmetallic sheathed cable.
ROJ	Remove outer jacket, term used to remove jacket of a cord, exposing inner conductors.
Rope strand	A conductor composed of a center group of twisted strands surrounded by layers of twisted strands.
Rubber (wire insulation)	A general term used to describe wire insulations made of thermosetting elastomers such as natural or synthetic rubbers, neoprene, Hypalon, butyl rubber and others.
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S
SBR	A copolymer of styrene and butadiene. Also GR-S or BUNA-S. Most commonly used type of synthetic rubber.
Semiconductor	In wire industry terminology, a material possessing electrical conduction properties that fall somewhere between conductors and insulators. Usually made by adding carbon particles to an insulator. Not the same as semi-conductor materials such as silicon, germanium, etc., used for making transistors and diodes.
Separator	Pertaining to wire and cable, a layer of insulating material such as textile, paper, Mylar R etc., which is placed between a conductor and its dielectric, between a cable jacket and the components of a multiple-conductor cable. It can be utilized to improve stripping qualities and/or flexibility, or can offer additional mechanical or electrical protection to the components it separates.
Shield	A sheet, screen, or braid of metal, usually copper, aluminum, or other conducting material placed around or between electric circuits or cables or their components, to contain any unwanted radiation, or to keep out any unwanted interference.
Shield coverage	See shield percentage.
Shield effectiveness	The relative ability of a shield to screen out undesirable radiation. Frequently confused with the term shield percentage, which it is not.
Shield percentage	The physical area of a circuit or cable actually covered by shielding material, expressed in percent.
Shore hardness	Durometer.
Signal	Any visible or audible indication which can convey information. Also, the information conveyed through a communication system.
Silicone	A material made from silicon and oxygen. Can be in thermosetting elastomer or liquid form. The thermosetting elastomer form is noted for high heat resistance.
SJ	Hard service rubber insulated pendant or portable cord, 300V, 60, 75ºC, rating, 18-10 AWG, 2-6 conductors.
SJ0	Same as SJ neoprene, oil resistant component jacket, 300V, 60, 75 or 90ºC rating, 18-10 AWG, 2-6 conductors.
SJT0	Same as STJ, oil resistant thermoplastic outer jacket
Skin effect	The tendency of alternating current, as its frequency increases, to travel only on the surface of a conductor.
S0	Extra hard service, oil resistant neoprene jacket , cord. Same construction as Type S except for neoprene jacket, 600V, 60, 75, 900ºC rating, 18-2 AWG, 2 or more conductors.
SP-1	All rubber, parallel jacketed, light duty cord, 300V, 60ºC rating, 18 AWG only, 2 or 3 conductors.
SP-2	Same as SP-1, heavier construction, 300V, 60ºC rating, 16-18 AWG.
SP-3	Same as SP-2, heavier construction, 300V, 60ºC rating, 12-18 AWG.
SPT-1	Similar to SP-1, all thermoplastic, 300V, 60, 75, 90 or 105ºC rating, 18 AWG, 2 or 3 conductors.
SPT-2	Similar to SP-2, all thermoplastic, 300V, 60, 75, 90 or 105ºC rating, 16-18 AWG, 2 or 3 conductors.
SPT-3	Similar to SP-3, all thermoplastic, 300V, 60, 75, 90 or 105ºC rating, 10-18 AWG.
SRD	Portable range or dryer cable. Three or four rubber insulated conductors either rubber or neoprene jacket, 300V, 600C, 1-4 AWG.
SRDT	Same as SRD, all thermoplastic, 60 or 900ºC rating, 4-10 AWG, 3 or 4 conductors (for 3 conductors only, braidless parallel construction can be used).
ST	Extra hard service cord, jacketed, all plastic construction, 600V, 60, 75, 90 or 105ºC ratings, 2-18 AWG, 2 or more conductors.
ST0	Same as ST, oil resistant thermoplastic outer jacket, 600V.
static charge	An electrical charge that is bound to an object. An unmoving electrical charge.
strain gauge	A device for determining the amount of strain (change in dimensions) when a stress is applied.
strain relief	A device attached to a cordset to absorb the stress on a cord, attached as a separate component or molded to the cord.
strip	Process of removing insulation from an insulated conductor.
suppressor	A device used to reduce or eliminate unwanted actions in electric or electronics circuit. For example, a resistance conductor in, or a resistor in series with, a sparkplug cable, to suppress interference which would otherwise affect radio reception in and near the vehicle.
surge	A temporary and relatively large increase in the voltage or current in an electric circuit or cable. Also called transient.
SV	Vacuum cleaner cord, 2 or 3 conductor, rubber insulated, overall rubber jacket, 300V, 60ºC, 18 AWG.
SV0	The same as SV, neoprene jacket, 300V, 60, 75, 90ºC, 18 AWG.
SVT	The same as SV, all plastic construction, 300V, 60, 75, 90 or 105ºC rating, 17-18 AWG.
SVT0	Same as SVT, oil resistant thermoplastic jacket, 60, 75, 90 or 105ºC ratings.
sweep-test	Pertaining to cable, checking frequency response by generating an rf voltage whose frequency is varied back and forth through a given frequency range at a rapid constant rate and observing the results on an oscilloscope. In CATV applications, the structural return loss sweep-test determines internal reflections in the cable. A high structural return loss is desirable.
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T
TC	Tinned copper.
Teflon R	Du Pont Company tradename for fluorocarbon resins. (see FEP and TFE.)
TFE	Tetrafluoroethylene. A thermoplastic material with good electrical insulating properties and chemical and heat resistance.
thermoplastic	A material which will soften, flow or distort appreciably when subjected to sufficient heat and pressure. Examples are polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene.
thermosetting	A material which will not soften, flow or distort appreciably when subjected to heat and pressure. Vulcanizable. Examples are rubber and neoprene.
tinnin	Dipping the stripped leads of a conductor into solder to a specified length.
tinsel	A type of electrical conductor comprised of a number of tiny threads, each thread having a fine, flat ribbon of copper or other metal closely spiraled above it. Used for small size cables requiring limpness and extra-long flex life.
TP	Parallel tinsel cord. All rubber insulation and jacket over two flexible conductors, 27 AWG, 250V, max. 50W rating.
TPT	Same as TP, all the thermoplastic insulation and jacket, 250V, 27 AWG.
transmission line	An arrangement of two or more conductors or a wave-guide used to transfer signal energy from one location to another.
thermal rating	The temperature range in which a material will perform its function without undue degradations.
transducer	A device for transforming mechanical energy to electrical energy, or for transforming electrical energy to mechanical energy, such as in microphones and loudspeakers, but not motors or generators.
triboelectric noise	Noise generated in a Shielded cable due to variations in capacitance between shielding and conductor as the cable is flexed.
trunk cable	See feeder cable.
twin-lead	A transmission line having two parallel conductors separated by insulating material. Line impedance is determined by the diameter and spacing of the conductors and the insulating material and is usually 300 ohms for television receiving antennas. Also called balanced transmission line and twin-line.
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U
UHF	Ultrahigh frequency, the band extending from 300 to 3,000 Mhz as designated by the Federal Communications Commission.
UL	Underwriters� Laboratories, Inc.
unilay	More than one layer of helically laid wired with the direction of lay and length of lay the same for all layers.
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V
V	Volt.
VA	Volt Ampere. A designation of power in terms of volts and amperes.
velocity of propagation	The transmission speed of an electrical signal down a length of cable compared to speed in free space. Usually expressed as a percentage.
VHF	Very high frequency, the band extending from 30 to 300 Mhz as designated by the Federal Communications Commission.
video	Pertaining to picture signals in a television system.
VLF	Very low frequency, the band extending from 10 to 30 KHz, as designated by the Feral Communications Commission
volt	A unit of electrical pressure. One volt is the amount of pressure that will cause one ampere of current in one ohm of resistance.
voltage	Electrical potential or electromotive force expressed in volts.
voltage drop	The voltage across a component or conductor by the current in the resistance or impedance of the component or conductor.
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W
W	Symbol for watt or wattage.
Watt	A unit of electrical power. One watt is equivalent to the power represented by one ampere of current under a pressure of one volt in a dc circuit.
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X
X	Symbol for reactance.
XT	Two FXT wires twisted together or run parallel, color coded, 125V, 60ºC, 18-20 AWG.
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