Thanks for the writeup.

So, does the braid actually SHIELD or is it a consistent way to ensure
interference will cross both conductors? And along the same line of
thought, from the signal point of view on the inside of the cable everything
is kind of even because of the equal current-opposite direction? I am going
to contaminate my simple question by saying that I feel the braid is almost
incorrectly referred to as a shield-it is a functioning conductor necessary
for the signal to pass.

Also, how about this, reverse the polarity of the AC signal on the input of
the coax. Any difference on the performance of the cable? I mean, if its
AC the "shield" is carrying the same AC that the center conductor is right?
I know the world of RF is like black magic, I'm trying to keep this basic.

Any thoughts or comments are welcome.

THANKS!
--Dan


"Dave Platt" wrote in message
...
In article ,
dg wrote:

I don't want to say any more than I have to about this, I don't want to
contaminate the answer. Lets just say 2 people disagree about something.
I
am trying to keep it simple.

Lets take for example a simple piece of coax. 1 center conductor, 1 outer
braid. The cable is carrying AC in the RF range to an antenna. Why coax?

Coax has a nice property. When used as directed, it carries RF on its
center conductor and on the inside of its outer braid/shield/conductor
(equal currents, opposite direction at any given point in the coax).
There is little or no RF current on the outside of the braid/shield,
and the EM fields created the current flow on the conductors are
confined to the inside of the coax.