Home / Knowledge / How to choose a cable shielding tape
How to choose a cable shielding tape
Foil choice is set by the interference environment and the installation method, not by the headline coverage percentage.
AL/PET tape gives full coverage against high-frequency interference and is the standard first layer on most coaxial constructions. Copper tape costs more and performs better at lower frequencies. PET Mylar is a separator rather than a shield and is often confused with one.
Self-adhesive foils matter where the cable will be flexed or pulled hard: a foil that slips relative to the dielectric during installation leaves a gap in coverage exactly where the installer bent it.
Coverage percentage on its own is a weak specification. A hundred percent foil coverage with a poor bond is worse in service than a well-bonded foil with a braid over it, and the difference only appears after installation.
Specifications
| AL/PET | Standard first layer, full high-frequency coverage |
|---|---|
| Copper tape | Better low-frequency performance, higher cost |
| Self-adhesive | Where the cable is flexed or pulled hard |
Related Products
What semi-finished cable means and where it stops
A semi-finished core is everything up to but not including the outer jacket, and the handover point is the buyer's to choose.
RG6 versus RG59 versus RG11 for cable manufacturers
The three constructions differ in conductor size, dielectric diameter and loss per metre, which is what fixes the run length each can serve.
CAT5e, CAT6 and CAT6a cores compared by the numbers
The categories differ in bandwidth, pair separation and crosstalk margin, and those differences are built into the core rather than the jacket.
Send us a construction and we will quote it
Tell us the construction, the volume and the point in the process where you want to take over. You will get a price against your specification rather than against a nearest equivalent.