IEC 61196-6-4:2020

Overview

IEC 61196-6-4:2020 is the International Electrotechnical Commission detail specification for 75‑7 type CATV drop coaxial communication cables. It applies to coaxial cables covered by IEC 61196-6 and defines construction, electrical and mechanical requirements, testing and marking for drop cables used in CATV distribution, surveillance & control, satellite TV receiving and bidirectional hybrid fibre coax (HFC) systems. Operating frequency range is 5 MHz to 3 000 MHz. This Edition 2.0 replaces the 2018 edition and introduces variant designation, consistent screening classes and limits the bending test to flexible cables.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Cable types and construction: 75‑7S (standard shield), 75‑7T (tri‑shield), 75‑7Q (quad‑shield) with variant coding (e.g., 75‑7S‑Y‑Z‑A‑B). Inner conductor materials BC (bare copper) or CCS (copper‑clad steel); dielectric foamed PE; sheath options PVC, PE, LSZH.
• Mechanical dimensions: inner conductor Ø 1.63 mm ± 0.02, dielectric Ø 7.11 mm ± 0.15, typical outer diameters and sheath thicknesses defined per variant.
• Characteristic electrical parameters:
  • Characteristic impedance: 75 Ω ± 3 Ω (measured at 200 MHz)
  • Relative propagation velocity: nominal 85 %
  • Attenuation: limits specified in Annex B (frequency‑dependent)
  • Return loss (uniformity of impedance): ≥ 20 dB (5 MHz–1 000 MHz), ≥ 18 dB (1 000–2 000 MHz), ≥ 16 dB (2 000–3 000 MHz)
  • Conductor resistance: ≤ 8.30 Ω/km (BC) and ≤ 40.20 Ω/km (CCS) at 20 °C; outer conductor resistance limits by shield construction
  • Insulation resistance: ≥ 10 000 MΩ·km
  • Voltage withstand and spark test alternatives are defined for dielectric and sheath
• Screening and EMC:
  • Defined screening classes (A+, A, B, C) with transfer impedance and screening attenuation targets (e.g., A+: transfer impedance ≤ 0.9 mΩ/m from 5–30 MHz; screening attenuation ranges given up to 3 000 MHz)
  • Tests referenced: IEC 62153‑4‑3 and IEC 62153‑4‑4
• Mechanical and environmental tests:
  • Min bending radius: 10 × nominal outer diameter
  • Operating temperature ranges depend on sheath (e.g., PE: −40 °C to 70 °C)
  • Cold bend, thermal ageing, damp heat and UV stability criteria specified
• Test procedures: see referenced methods IEC 61196‑1, IEC 61196‑1‑115, IEC 61196‑1‑314.

Applications and who uses this standard

• Practical uses: specification and acceptance of CATV drop cables, satellite TV drops, surveillance/coax links, and HFC last‑mile hybrid coax segments.
• Primary users:
  • Cable manufacturers (design, production and type approval)
  • System integrators and CATV network designers (component selection and installation specs)
  • Test laboratories and certification bodies (conformance testing)
  • Procurement/specification engineers and standards committees.

Related standards

• IEC 61196‑1:2005 (generic coaxial cable spec)
• IEC 61196‑6:2009 (sectional spec for CATV drop cables)
• IEC 61196‑1‑115, IEC 61196‑1‑314 (test methods)
• IEC 62153‑4‑3 and IEC 62153‑4‑4 (screening/transfer impedance tests)
• IEC 60966‑4 (RF/coax assemblies)

Keywords: IEC 61196-6-4, 75-7 CATV drop cables, coaxial communication cables, CATV, HFC, screening classes, attenuation, characteristic impedance, return loss, transfer impedance.