atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Cat 3 vs. Cat 5e for Voice

J station wire was actually still quad, but the conductors were spiraled instead of being laid parallel inside the jacket. L station wire was twisted pair (red/green and black/yellow).

I typically run Cat5e solid blue for data, Cat5e solid white for voice and RG6 quad to each wallplate.


I like the higher cats do the less crosstalk

:scratch:

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by justbill:
<strong> :rofl:

These cable designations are interesting, speaking as someone from a country where we've used completely different systems for identification.

So, if I have collected the above together correctly:

D is the regular old-style quad station wire with (near-enough) parallel conductors.

J puts the wires in a light spiral (all four spiraled together, or spiraled in two pairs?)

L is individual twisted pairs (red/green, black/yellow).

H is the 3-pair version of L (red/green, black/yellow, white/blue).

Was there ever any reason for these specific designations?

And why JK which appears to be the same as D? I've seen regular quad referred to as JK before, but never knew why.

Any more single/double-letter designations?

Paul, you are close. H station wire was 3 pair, but it used white/blue, white/orange and white/green pairs instead of tradional "quad" wire colors. It was also only available in 24 AWG.

D station wire was available in 22 or 24 AWG. I am pretty sure that J and L were only available in 22 AWG.

Yes, "JK" is the same thing as "D" station wire. I really don't know how this terminology came about. I do know that there was another type of quad wire from the late 1950's to the mid 1960's that was referred to as "JKT" that used a larger (20 AWG) conductor. Because of it's larger size, it really cannot be used with IDC connectors.

The only other lettered wire types that I can think of refer to cross connect wire. We have "F type that is 24 AWG and the twists are comparable to CAT3 rating, and it comes in a variety of colors and pair counts. "G" type is 22 AWG and is used in outdoor cross connect cabinets, but it's only made in white/violet single pair construction.

We also have "E" bridle wire, which is one pair or quad, but it's black vinyl insulated for each conductor. It is used to connect between outdoor terminals or terminals on poles. It was originally used to make the transition between open wire circuits and local drop wires.

Home2Point0, you're new here ain't ya.

-Hal

hbiss..I was being sarcastic and trying to make a joke that I know old school wiring guys would get.

Thanks for letting us know you weren't serious, thought we had another one of those @%!!! on our hands.

Whew! You had me scared there for a moment.

-Hal