…And This Dragon Eats Fire
Installing coaxial cable for public safety deployments may never be the same.
Radio Frequency Systems (RFS), a world leader in indoor RF coaxial cables, recently announced the launch of its revolutionary new product, DragonSkin™, the first and only in-building coaxial cable certified by UL to survive two hours under fire conditions without any additional protection. DragonSkin™ cable continues to support cellular and public safety radio communications in temperatures up to 1832°F for two hours.
How Would We Use It?
RF Solutions is very excited by this new product, especially when it comes to retrofits. Installing in-building communication systems in occupied legacy buildings can be quite challenging. Often, we don’t know what we’re going to find until we do the initial site walk. It’s not unlikely to find a slew of existing cables in a low hanging ceiling, leaving little to no room to find viable cable routes, let alone the space to build soffits or add fire barrier wrap. This type of project would be the perfect utilization of DragonSkin™. At only half an inch in diameter,
DragonSkin™ is thin and lightweight. It’s also flexible, maintaining its seven-inch bend radius, and can be installed and connected like any standard RF coaxial cable, saving considerable time, effort and money compared to alternatives.
Another example of where DragonSkin™ would be a game-changer is a retrofit of a landmarked high-rise where aesthetics is of great import. Coop boards and building owners can have precise demands regarding the appearance of installed systems, even when they are in the basement. Soffits and fire barrier wrap are bulky, and to many, unsightly, however up until now, they were the only options. Going forward, I can see a lot of clients requesting this groundbreaking new cable.
And then there’s the late in the project situation when we get a call, and the contractor is looking for a small run, perhaps 20-30 feet of fire-resistant cable to solve a problem with less mess in a less intrusive manner. Once again, DragonSkin™would slay it.
Sounds Amazing, But What Does It Cost?
This is the product we’ve all been waiting for, but I worried it would be cost-prohibitive. So, I reached out to Tom Kuklo, Global Product Manager – Indoor Solutions, at Radio Frequency Systems, to find out. “We did a study and found that the two viable options for retro-fits available on the market today, custom metal soffits, and fire wrap, can be up to 2.5 – 3.5 times the cost of installing DragonSkin™ due to labor-intensive construction and additional materials required. These additional measures increase cable size, weight, and cost. They also reduce the cable’s bend radius, making installation more difficult, time-consuming, and expensive — especially in cases where existing buildings are being retrofitted to meet standards. And only DragonSkin™ carries the official UL 2196 certification.”
Coming to A Distributor Near You
“Our methodology for going to market is through our key channel partners. We are finalizing our first products, and plan to ship to distribution this week. We are in start-up mode and expect to get to full production this quarter. Shipments to distribution for orders will begin in volume in May,” explained Tom.
At RF Solutions, we are taking a look at all of our projects coming down the pipe, looking to see where we can best utilize this pioneering technology. You may have questions, and we would love to help. Our team is partnering with Radio Frequency Solutions to help inform our customers and installers via a series of webinar presentations. If you would like to learn more, please contact me at lkeyes@rf-solutions.com.
Click here to listen to the webinar introducting this revolutionary cable.
For more information on DragonSkin™ and to download their white paper, click here.