Communication Line Surge Arrester

Protection For Radio Communication Equipment

Radio communication equipment deployed in fixed, nomadic or mobile applications is especially vulnerable to lightning strikes because of their application in exposed areas. The most common disruption to service continuity result from transient surges originating from direct lightning strikes to the antenna pole, surrounding ground system or induced onto connections between these two areas.

Radio equipment utilized in CDMA, GSM/UMTS, WiMAX or TETRA base stations, must consider this risk in order to insure uninterrupted service. CITEL offers three specific surge protection technologies for Radio Frequency (RF) communication lines that are individually suited for the different operational requirements of each system.

RF Surge Protection Technology

Gas Discharge Tube (GDT) DC Pass Protection is the only surge protection component usable on very high frequency transmission (up to 6 GHz) due to its very low capacitance. In a GDT based coaxial surge protector, the GDT is connected in parallel between the central conductor and the external shield. The device operates when its sparkover voltage is reached, during an overvoltage condition and the line is briefly shorted (arc voltage) and diverted away from sensitive equipment. The sparkover voltage depends on the rise front of the overvoltage. The higher the dV/dt of the overvoltage, the higher the sparkover voltage of the surge protector. When the overvoltage disappears, the gas discharge tube returns to its normal passive, highly insulated state and is ready to operate again. 

The GDT is held in a specially designed holder that maximizes conduction during large surge events and still very easily removed if maintenance is required due to an end of life scenario. The P8AX Series can be used on coaxial lines running DC voltages up to -/+ 48V DC.

Parameters for Selecting a Coaxial Surge Protector

The information required to properly select a surge protector for your application is the following:

• Frequency Range


• Line Voltage


• Connector Type


• Gender Type


• Mounting


• Technology