HCA air dielectric cables are high-power coaxial transmission lines designed for efficient RF signal transmission in broadcast, cellular, and microwave systems. They use air as the primary dielectric with a helical spacer, enabling extremely low signal loss and high power handling for long-distance RF feedlines.

Key Benefits

• Very low attenuation for efficient long-distance RF transmission
• High power handling capability for broadcast and high-power transmitters
• Excellent shielding with corrugated copper outer conductor
• Low VSWR and low intermodulation distortion for stable RF performance
• Better heat dissipation due to air dielectric design

Typical Specifications

Parameter	Typical Value
Characteristic Impedance	50 Ω
Maximum Frequency	~3 GHz
Velocity Factor	~93%
Dielectric Type	Air with helical polyethylene spacer
Outer Conductor	Corrugated copper
Attenuation	Very low compared with foam coax
Peak Power Rating	Up to ~70 kW (depending on size)
VSWR	~1.2 typical

Example: a 7/8″ HCA cable can handle ~73 kW peak power with very low insertion loss.

Available Cable Sizes

Typical HCA cable sizes include:

Size	Typical Application
7/8″	Small broadcast or cellular feedlines
1-1/8″	Medium RF systems
1-5/8″	High-power base stations
2-1/4″	Broadcast transmitters
3″ – 6-1/8″	High-power broadcast or radar systems

Larger cables provide lower attenuation and higher power capacity.

Frequency Range

Typical supported frequency range:

Frequency	Typical Applications
VHF	Radio broadcasting
UHF	TV broadcasting
700 MHz – 2.7 GHz	Cellular networks
Up to ~3 GHz	Microwave communication

These cables are widely used in broadcast and high-power RF transmission systems.

Transmission Line Type

• Air-dielectric coaxial transmission line
• Inner conductor supported by helical dielectric spacers
• Corrugated copper outer conductor
• Characteristic impedance 50 Ω

Air dielectric cables offer lower loss and higher power capability compared to foam dielectric cables.

Common Connector Types

Typical connector interfaces include:

Connector Type	Typical Use
EIA flange connectors (1-5/8″, 3-1/8″, 4-1/2″, 6-1/8″)	High-power broadcast systems
7/16 DIN connectors	Cellular infrastructure
N-type connectors	Smaller RF equipment
Gas-stop / gas-pass connectors	Pressurized cable systems

These connectors maintain high power handling and impedance matching.

How to Choose the Right Air Dielectric Cable

When selecting among similar high-power RF cables, consider:

1. Power Level

Higher transmitter power requires larger cable diameters.

Power Requirement	Suggested Cable
<5 kW	7/8″
5–20 kW	1-1/8″ or 1-5/8″
>20 kW	2-1/4″ and larger

2. Transmission Distance

Longer feedlines require larger cables with lower attenuation.

3. Frequency Range

Ensure the cable supports the operating RF band (VHF, UHF, cellular, microwave).

4. Installation Environment

Consider:

• Indoor vs outdoor installation
• Pressurized cable systems
• Fire-retardant or plenum jackets

Typical Applications

HCA air dielectric cables are commonly used in:

• TV and radio broadcast transmitters
• High-power cellular base stations
• Microwave communication links
• Radar systems
• Antenna feedlines for large RF systems

Simple Explanation

• Air dielectric cable (HCA) → designed for very high power RF transmission
• CELLFLEX feeder cable → low-loss cable for cellular infrastructure
• RADIAFLEX cable → radiating cable acting as a distributed antenna