An apparatus and method for splicing single pair ethernet (SPE) cables. By creating a T shaped intersection, the splicing device allows for sensors and other devices to run perpendicular in relation to the original cable. The splicing device further enables the cable to have multiple drop points along the cable.

A communication network includes first and second coaxial cables. The first cable transmits forward path, downstream signals to customer devices. The second cable receives reverse path, upstream signals from customer devices. In a preferred embodiment, the downstream bandwidth exceeds 500 MHz and the upstream bandwidth exceeds 500 MHz, such as frequencies of 5 to 550 MHz in both the downstream and upstream directions. A power inserter provides a ground to first and second shielding layers of the first and second cables, a first part of a differential power signal to a center conductor of the first cable and a second part of the differential power signal to a center conductor of the second cable. A tap is also provided for the dual coaxial system, so as to provide access to the signals and/or power of the first and second cables without terminating the first and second cables.

A power metering device includes a tap unit including a clamp for engaging a coaxial cable and a probe for electrically coupling to a center conductor of the coaxial cable without damaging the center conductor. A power consumption meter and a power port are electrically connected to the probe. A power transformer is optionally connected between the probe and the power port. A housing surrounds the meter and transformer. The power port supplies power to a customer device, and the meter measures an amount of power passing through the power port. The power consumed by the customer device is reported by the meter to a modem within the housing. The modem may utilize the probe and the center conductor of the coaxial cable to send power consumption data to a service provider, so that an operator of the customer device may be billed and/or the customer device may be controlled to limit its power consumption. Further, the modem may transfer data between the customer device and the service provider.

A ground bar comprising a planar body having a wedge shape in that a width of a top end of the planar body is greater than a width of a bottom end of the planar body. The planar body is constructed of an electrically-conductive material. A plurality of upper hole pairs are defined in the planar body. Each of the first hole pairs is adapted to have a corresponding electrical wire to be grounded selectively affixed thereto.

A contact member includes, an outer conductor including a mating interface section that includes a front end of the outer conductor, a termination section including a rear end of the outer conductor, and a middle section therebetween joining the mating interface and termination sections; an inner conductor received in the mating interface section; and a protective insulator including a main portion received in the mating interface section of the outer conductor and supporting the inner conductor and including an end portion configured for closed entry mating. The end portion has an end face extending outside of the front end of the outer conductor.

Contact members and electrical connectors incorporating the contact members. The contact members have an outer conductor, an inner conductor, and a protective insulator that extends outside of the front end of the outer conductor for closed entry mating.

Systems and methods are provided for utilizing ideal taps in coaxial networks. An ideal tap may have a plurality of ports that include at least an input port configured for receiving downstream (DS) signals from and transmitting upstream (US) signals to nodes upstream from the tap within the coaxial network; an output port configured for transmitting downstream (DS) signals to and receiving upstream (US) signals from nodes downstream from the tap within the coaxial network; and one or more drop ports for receiving signal from and transmitting signals to customer premise equipment (CPE) in the coaxial network. The ideal tap may further include processing circuits for handling signals received and transmitted via the tap, with the one or more processing circuits being configured to meet particular predefined tap performance criteria, where the particular predefined tap performance criteria comprise one or more of high return loss, high port-to-port isolation, and high port-to-port gain.

A ground bar comprising a planar body having a wedge shape in that a width of a top end of the planar body is greater than a width of a bottom end of the planar body. The planar body is constructed of an electrically-conductive material. A plurality of upper hole pairs are defined in the planar body. Each of the first hole pairs is adapted to have a corresponding electrical wire to be grounded selectively affixed thereto.

Test setup and calibration method for wideband, integrated assemblies of signal couplers with single (wideband) and multi-probe (harmonic) impedance tuners using two-port and four-port network analyzers for exact wave and time-domain measurements of strongly mismatched poor directivity ultra-wideband coupler-tuner configurations.

A coring tool for a coaxial cable has a tool holder and cutter bit mounted to the tool holder. The cutter bit is constructed from a conductive metal or alloy which is durable for rotatably drilling out and removing a dielectric core surrounding a central conductor of the coaxial cable, as the central conductor is preserved by passing into a central bore formed in the cutter bit. The cutter bit also includes a non-conductive sleeve or coating which prevents the cutter bit from electrically interconnecting, e.g., shorting, the central conductor to an outer conductor of the coaxial cable.