IEC 61196-6-5:2020

Overview

IEC 61196-6-5:2020 is an international detail specification for Type A quad-shield CATV drop cables with screening class A++. It applies to coaxial communication cables described in IEC 61196-6 and is intended to be used together with IEC 61196-1 and IEC 61196-6:2009. The standard covers construction, electrical and mechanical performance, environmental tests and marking for quad‑shield CATV drop cables used in CATV distribution, surveillance and control systems, satellite TV reception and bidirectional hybrid fibre coax (HFC) systems. The operating frequency range is specified up to 3000 MHz.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Cable construction and variants:
  • Inner conductor: BC (bare copper) or CCS (copper-clad steel) with defined diameters (e.g., 0.58 mm, 0.81 mm, 1.02 mm).
  • Dielectric: foamed PE with variant diameters and tolerances.
  • Shielding: quad-shield assemblies (e.g., ALT+TC+ALT+TC or ALT+A+ALT+A) delivering screening class A++.
  • Sheath: PVC, PE or LSZH with minimum thickness and outer diameter limits.
• Electrical and RF performance:
  • Nominal impedance: 75 Ω ± 3 Ω (at 200 MHz).
  • Return loss: ≥ 20 dB (5–1000 MHz), ≥ 18 dB (1000–2000 MHz), ≥ 16 dB (2000–3000 MHz).
  • Screening attenuation and transfer impedance: stringent limits (e.g., transfer impedance ≤ 0.9 mΩ/m from 5–30 MHz; screening attenuation ≥ 105 dB 30–1000 MHz, ≥ 95 dB 1000–2000 MHz, ≥ 85 dB 2000–3000 MHz).
  • Attenuation constant and maximum attenuation values given in Annex B.
• Mechanical & environmental tests:
  • Flexure tests, cold-bend, climatic sequence, UV, thermal ageing and damp heat with defined pass/fail criteria.
  • Min bending radius: 10 × nominal outer diameter.
  • Insulation resistance: ≥ 10 000 MΩ·km; spark test 2.5 kV AC; withstand voltages specified.
• Mechanical tolerances and materials:
  • Ovality and eccentricity limits, carbon black content for PE, OIT oxidation induction time requirements for thermal ageing.

Practical applications and users

IEC 61196-6-5 is directly applicable to:

• Cable manufacturers designing and certifying quad-shield CATV drop cables.
• Test laboratories performing RF and environmental qualification to ensure screening class A++ performance up to 3 GHz.
• Network operators, HFC integrators and system designers specifying cables for CATV distribution, satellite TV, surveillance, and bidirectional HFC links.
• Procurement teams and spec writers who require a formal standard reference for materials, marking and electrical limits.

Related standards

• IEC 61196-1 (Generic specification)
• IEC 61196-6:2009 (Sectional specification for CATV drop cables)
• IEC 62153-4-3 / IEC 62153-4-4 (EMC test methods: transfer impedance and screening attenuation)
• IEC 60811 series (non‑metallic materials test methods)

Keywords: IEC 61196-6-5, quad-shield CATV drop cables, screening class A++, coaxial communication cables, up to 3000 MHz, HFC, CATV distribution, satellite television.