Glossary of Wire & Cable Terminology
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
F
f - Abbreviation for farad. See farad.
F - Abbreviation for Fahrenheit. See Fahrenheit.
FAA - Abbreviation for Federal Aeronautics Administration.
FAHRENHEIT - A scale for measuring temperature. Water freezes at 32° F and boils at 212° F. Abbreviated F.
FARAD - A unit of capacitance. Usually expressed in microfarads (µF) one-millionth (10 -6) of a farad; or picofarads (pf) one-trillionth (10 -18) of a farad. Abbreviation f.
FATIGUE RESISTANCE - Resistance to metal crystallization that occurs when the conductors or wires break from flexing.
FAULT CURRENT - A current that may flow through a circuit or device as a result of a fault, such as a defect in the insulation.
FDDI - Abbreviation for fiber distributed data interface.
FEP - Abbreviation for fluorinated ethylene propylene. It was formerly called X-100 or FEP100. This is a fluorocarbon resin.
FEP-IX - Abbreviation for extruded fluorinated ethylene propylene, type IX per MIL-C-17.
FEP-XII - Abbreviation for extruded fluorinated ethylene propylene, type XII per MIL-C-17.
FF - There are two types, commercial and military. Commercial type is UL approved fixture wire. Construction is stranded copper conductor, rubber insulation, and cotton braid. Military type FF is MIL- W-16878D, 1,000 volt, 200° C, sizes 24 AWG to 4/0 AWG. Construction is stranded tin copper conductor, silicone rubber insulation, with or without an outer glass braid.
FG - Abbreviation for fiberglass.
FG BRAID-V - Abbreviation for fiberglass impregnated type V per MIL-C-17.
FHPE - Abbreviation for foamed high density polyethylene.
FIBER OPTICS - Transmission of energy by light through glass fibers.
FIELD - Area through which passes electric and/or magnetic lines of force.
FIGURE 8 CABLE - An aerial cable in which the conductors and steel supporting strand are jacketed together in such a manner that a cross section of the cable approximates the figure eight.
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.
FILLED STRAND - Conductor in which the interstices between the individual wires are filled with a compound to prevent moisture migration along the conductor.
FILLER - a) Fillers are used in multi-conductor cable to occupy the voids formed by the assembled conductors. This is done so that there sulting configuration will be round. b) An inert substance added to a compound to improve properties or decrease cost.
FIRE CONTROL EQUIPMENT - This is equipment that automatically directs the firing of armament. It is constructed in accordance with International Municipal Signal Association Standards. These standards recognize 18 to 9 AWG wires and cables that may be insulated with rubber or polyethylene with lead or lead alloy sheath.
FL - Abbreviation for FL poly tape.
FLAME-RESISTANCE - The ability of a material not to propagate flame once the heat source is removed.
FLAME-RETARDANT - Ability of a material to prevent the spread of combustion by a low rate of travel so the flame will not be conveyed.
FLA MMABILITY - The measure of a material’s ability to support combustion.
FLASHOVER - A disruptive discharge in the form of an arc or spark between two electrical conductors or between a conductor and earth.
FLASHOVER VOLTAGE - The voltage between two conductors at which flashover just occurs. The dry flashover voltage is the voltage at which flashover occurs when the conductors are separated by a clean dry insulator. The wet flashover voltage is the voltage at which flashover occurs when the clean insulator is wet.
FLAT CONDUCTOR - A wire having a rectangular cross section as opposed to round or square conductors.
FLEX. - Abbreviation for flexible.
FLEXLIFE - The measure of the ability of a conductor or cable to withstand repeated bending.
FLEXOPRENE® - Standard Wire & Cable Co. trademark for flexible, oil resistant portable cord and cable.
FLUOROCARBON - Any of various chemically inert compounds containing carbon and fluorine used chiefly as lubricants, refrigerants, nonstick coatings, and formerly aerosol propellants and in making resins and plastics.
FLUOROPOLYMER - Insulations or jackets char- acterized by the presence of fluorine in the formula- tion.
FM - Abbreviation for frequency modulation.
FOAMED PLASTICS - Insulations having a cellular structure.
FP - Abbreviation for fluorocarbon polymer, modified polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). See polytetrafluoroethylene.
FPL - Abbreviation for fire protective power-limited signaling circuit cable.
FPLP - Abbreviation for fire protective power-limited signaling circuit plenum cable.
FPLR - Abbreviation for fire protective power-limited signaling circuit riser cable.
FR-1 - See VW-1.
FREQUENCY - The number of times an alternating current reverses itself in one second. Expressed in Hertz (Hz), which is one cycle per second.
FREQUENCY BAND - A particular range of frequencies that forms part of a larger continuous series of frequencies. The internationally agreed radio
frequency bands are shown below:
| Wavelength |
Band |
Frequency |
|
|
| 1 mm - 1 cm |
extremely
high
frequency
(EHF) |
300 - 30 GHz |
|
|
| 1 cm - 10 cm |
superhigh
frequency
(SHF) |
30 - 3 GHz |
|
|
| 10 cm - 1 m |
ultrahigh
frequency
(UHF) |
3 - 0.3 GHz |
|
|
| 1 m - 10 m |
very high
frequency
(VHF) |
300 - 30 MHz |
|
|
| 10 m - 100 m |
high
frequency
(HF) |
30 - 3 MHz |
|
|
| 100 m - 1,000 m |
medium
frequency
(MF) |
3 - 0.3 MHz |
|
|
| 1 Km - 10 Km |
low
frequency
(LF) |
300 - 30 KHz |
|
|
| 10 Km - 100 Km |
very low
frequency
(VLF) |
30 - 3 KHz |
Microwave frequencies, ranging from VHF to EHF bands are usually subdivided into bands designated by letters. These are not internationally agreed upon but the commonly used subdivisions are shown below:
| Band |
Frequency (GHz) |
Wavelength (cm) |
| |
|
|
| P |
0.225 - 0.390 |
133.3 - 76.9 |
| L |
0.390 - 1.550 |
76.9 - 19.3 |
| S |
1.550 - 5.20 |
19.3 - 5.77 |
| |
|
|
| X |
5.20 - 10.90 |
5.77 - 2.75 |
| K |
10.90 - 36.00 |
2.75 - 0.834 |
| Q |
36.0 - 46.0 |
0.834 - 0.652 |
| |
|
|
| V |
46.0 - 56.0 |
0.652 - 0.536 |
| W |
56.0 - 100.0 |
0.536 - 0.300 |
FREQUENCY MULTIPLEXING - The technique of sharing a transmission channel wherein carrier signals of different frequencies are transmitted simultaneously.
FRHF - Abbreviation for flame-retardant and halogen-free. A sheathing material which is flame-retardant, halogen-free, noncorrosive, low-smoke, and non fire propagating.
FRPE - Fire retardant polyethylene.
F/S - Abbreviation for foam skin insulation (expanded polyolefin with a skin of solid polyolefin).
ft - Abbreviation for feet.
FT-4 - CSA designation for vertical tray flame test.
FT-6 - CSA designation for plenum or MI flame test.
FUSED SPIRALTAPE -This refers to a type of PTFE insulated hook-up wire.The conductor is run through a taping head so that each successive wrap overlays the previous wrap. The spiral wrapped conductor is then passed through a sintering oven where the overlaps are fused together. The wire is then sized and polished.
FUSIONSPLICE - A splice accomplished by the application of localized heat sufficient to fuse or melt the ends of two lengths of optical fiber. Same as heat shrink splice.
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