Patch Cables
Patch cables, also referred to as patch cord, are electrical cables that are used to connect or patch-in, one electronic (or computer device) to another, for the purpose of signal routing. Many different types of devices are connected using patch cables. Usually however, there is a switch involved at one of the ends. That is, most connections are either switch to computer or switch to router. They are usually distinguished with respect to their colors which are industrially produced that way to make differentiation easier. Most patch cables are of a short length ranging from about 8 cm to two metres. Some of the usual uses of the patch cables exist in microphone cables, headphone extension wires, XLR connectors and RCA connectors.
Normally, Patch cables have patch panels connected to them. A patch panel or patch bay is a panel that can accommodate cable connections. The front side of the patch panel usually houses a shorter patch cable while the back holds a longer more permanent cable.
Sometimes, switches are used, as an alternate solution to patch panels. Switches provide the benefits of a push button system that makes signal routing a very simple process. However, those switches that work on the principles of patch panels are often more expensive.
Patch cords are generally made of coaxial cables with a positive core and a negative wire mesh surrounding it. Each end of the cable is attached to a connector (like RJ45), and thus the cord can easily be plugged. The type of connectors can be variable, ranging from single conductor wires, coaxial cables using BNC connectors and Ethernet cables of various categories like Cat5, Cat5e or Cat6. Patch cords can be made manually with the help of wires and an RJ45 connector. It involves a little bit of expertise, in the unwinding of the wires of a twisted pair cable and separating them into 8 separate wires. Then each of these wires is unsheathed and fit into one of the compartments in a RJ45 connector. Once this is done properly (making sure that the ends of the copper ends of the wire touch the end of each compartment), a crimp tool is used to crimp the connector together. And with that, a manual patch cable is ready to use. However, industries made patch cables are also available for cheap prices that come with the additional advantage of color coding. Also, they are more specific and come with different lengths (longer length patch cables might require thicker shielding in order to prevent signal loss).
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