Very Strange Coax

[NE8E]

Hello everyone, it’s me again. The one with the Belden 9593. I still have not been able to find anyone who knows its properties, but today I found another clue. After Belden called me back saying they have no idea what it was, but that it was manufactured for a special purpose, I decided to just put some ends on it and see how it performed. I stripped it back and slid a PL-259 over it. I wasn’t able to get solder to stick with my 35 watt iron that I usually use, so I pulled out the big 100 watt. Solder would melt, but it wouldn’t stick. So I got out the big dog. The 250 watt!! I used a half bottle of flux and the solder would not stick to the braid! I switched to my 60% Lead 40% Tin and still it would not stick. In fact, the solder balled up and sat on top of the braid! It stayed molten, but would not attach itself to the braid! Then I thought... "Could this be stainless steel?" so I grab a magnet and it sticks to the coax! The funny thing is, this coax is not very heavy! What is this stuff? What would it be used for? Strength? Applications near or under the ocean? Again, any thoughts or comments are appreciated.

For anyone who missed my previous posts, the coax is slightly larger than RG-8X. It looks like it would fit into a RG-8X reducer, but it will not. It's too big. The coax is black with a solid copper center conductor. It’s a foam dielectric covered with foil, covered with STAINLESS STEEL braid.

[N4EYZ]

It was manufactured by Belden for the USAF back in 1947. It was for a very special antenna system that was (and still is) top secret. Even now Belden is forced by the military to disavow any knowledge of it's existence. It had very special properties.




Obviously I am very full of buzzard poop.

[WB2WIK]

Strong braid materials were frequently used in cables that had to self-support for long distances without stretching or breaking. They use crimp connectors, not solder-on ones.

[4L4AGU]

I also have large roll of very strange coax cable. It looks like RG-213, but lacks braid. All other components, such as inner conductor, center insulator, outer PVC jacket - all are in place. And there's even a space for braid around the center conductor. You may think that someone removed braid for some reasons, but it ws never present in there, there are no braid traces on PVC inside.

[WB2WIK]

I also have large roll of very strange coax cable. It looks like RG-213, but lacks braid. All other components, such as inner conductor, center insulator, outer PVC jacket - all are in place. And there's even a space for braid around the center conductor. You may think that someone removed braid for some reasons, but it ws never present in there, there are no braid traces on PVC inside.

If it has no outer conductor, it's not coax. It's insulated wire.

[KC8VWM]

I wasn’t able to get solder to stick with my 35 watt iron that I usually use,

so I pulled out the big 100 watt. Solder would melt, but it wouldn’t stick.

So I got out the big dog. The 250 watt!!

I used a half bottle of flux and the solder would not stick to the braid!

You just need a bigger soldering iron...
Flamethrower.jpg

[AF6LJ]

Hello everyone, it’s me again. The one with the Belden 9593. I still have not been able to find anyone who knows its properties, but today I found another clue. After Belden called me back saying they have no idea what it was, but that it was manufactured for a special purpose, I decided to just put some ends on it and see how it performed. I stripped it back and slid a PL-259 over it. I wasn’t able to get solder to stick with my 35 watt iron that I usually use, so I pulled out the big 100 watt. Solder would melt, but it wouldn’t stick. So I got out the big dog. The 250 watt!! I used a half bottle of flux and the solder would not stick to the braid! I switched to my 60% Lead 40% Tin and still it would not stick. In fact, the solder balled up and sat on top of the braid! It stayed molten, but would not attach itself to the braid! Then I thought... "Could this be stainless steel?" so I grab a magnet and it sticks to the coax! The funny thing is, this coax is not very heavy! What is this stuff? What would it be used for? Strength? Applications near or under the ocean? Again, any thoughts or comments are appreciated.

For anyone who missed my previous posts, the coax is slightly larger than RG-8X. It looks like it would fit into a RG-8X reducer, but it will not. It's too big. The coax is black with a solid copper center conductor. It’s a foam dielectric covered with foil, covered with STAINLESS STEEL braid.

Try crimp connectors.
My guess is this some kind of Seventy-Five Ohm coax.

[G0GQK]

This coax has very special properties, so try using nuts and bolts ! Where has that coax been hiding since 1947 ? Is it still on the secret list ?

[K0BG]

Sounds like lossy coax to me, like the type they use in mines. Belden hasn't made it for years.

[WA9SVD]

This coax has very special properties, so try using nuts and bolts ! Where has that coax been hiding since 1947 ? Is it still on the secret list ?

It was commissioned for use at Area 51 and Roswell, New Mexico.