That’s enough theory! Now it’s time to get your hands dirty and get started on this chapter’s project, which is building a coax antenna cable. Cable construction opens new freedom to creating wireless projects.With this skill, you can order the components you need and custom-build a cable that fits your application perfectly.

And the cost of the components is usually lower than buying a pre-built cable. N-Male is the most commonly used connector for Wi-Fi cabling, because most antennas have N-Female connectors. And, as you know, N-Male mates to N-Female. So, these steps will assume you have chosen LMR-400 cable with the standard N-Male connector. Please adapt the steps to your application where needed. Figure 1-8 shows the necessary dimensions for a Times Microwave N-Male connector.

Table 1-4 shows a list of connectors for use with LMR-400 cable. These connectors are solderless and each requires only two crimps. The connector types listed here are for hand-tightening. A myriad of other connector types are also available. With the right set of tools, building a cable is a step-by-step process:

There are a lot of steps, but it’s actually very simple. Each step is discussed in detail in the paragraphs that follow.

The cable is treated as a bulk item until ready to assemble the end connectors. So the ends are often cut into an irregular shape.

Use the cable cutters to square off the end of the cable, as shown in Figure 1-9.

After cutting the cable, the dielectric foam will become elongated. Use a set of pliers to reform the foam into a rounded shape, as shown in Figure 1-10. This will make it easier to strip later. Don’t worry about the shape of the shield and outer jacket.

Before going any further, place the crimp ring onto the cable as shown in Figure 1-11. Slide it out of the way down the length of the cable. Later, you’ll pull the crimp ring into place on the back of the connector shell.

Figure 1-12 shows a cut taking place around the entire circumference of the cable. It’s a little unclear at this angle, but my fingers are being kept well out of the way! Cut through the outer jacket just enough to be able to pull away the jacket without harming the shield.

After stripping around the cable, make a groove along the length of the cable. Make three or four cuts with just enough force to cut a little deeper each time, as shown in Figure 1-13. The goal is to come as close to the shield as possible without cutting all the way through the cable. Now grab the end of the outer jacket with a set of long-nosed pliers and pull away the jacket. Tear along the grooves scored into the jacket and peel off the jacket with your fingers to reveal the shield mesh underneath, as shown in Figure 1-14.

To get the next cut ready, use your fingers to carefully fan out and pull back the shield mesh layer, as shown in Figure 1-15.

Now strip off the foam dielectric core along with the solid aluminum wrapping. This requires much less force than the cable jacket. Be sure to apply light pressure and try not to nick the center conductor. (See Figure 1-16.) To remove the foam core from the center conductor, just twist and pull.

At this stage, you need to inspect the cable for shorts along the dielectric. Remember that the dielectric material is a nonconductor of electricity. If there is an electrical short from the center conductor to the outer shield, the cable will not perform well, i.e. if it works at all. The easiest way to accomplish this is with a visual inspection. Check for any stray shielding strands or aluminum foil material. See Figure 1-17 for an example of foil shorting the center pin.

To remove a foil short, use small wire cutters to scrape away and cut the foam at an angle. You can also use a fingernail for any smaller, more elusive bits. The corrected foam should be white all the way around.