Distributed Antenna System (DAS) SmartGuard Cables

Summary: Distributed Antenna System (DAS) SmartGuard Cables

Distributed Antenna System (DAS) SmartGuard Cables

Windy City Wire manufactures SmartWire® low-voltage cabling in the United States to support reliable, code-compliant Distributed Antenna System (DAS) deployments for commercial and industrial facilities. Our DAS SmartGuard™ coaxial products are built for in-building wireless and public safety radio coverage where long runs, low loss, and consistent RF performance matter.

Built on low-loss, air-dielectric 1/2-inch coax constructions, these solutions help integrators, contractors, and system designers deliver consistent signal levels across cellular, LMR, and other RF bands inside occupied buildings. Each construction is plenum rated (CMP) for use in environmental air spaces and is acceptable as a metal raceway alternative per NFPA 72 section 12.4.2.

• Low loss, high performance: Air-dielectric design and solid conductors support long feeder runs while maintaining strong RF signal integrity for DAS and in-building wireless applications.
• Complete RFI/EMI shielding: A continuous, solid outer conductor forms a robust shield to minimize system interference and help maintain coverage targets.
• Outstanding intermodulation performance: Solid inner and outer conductors virtually eliminate intermods; performance is validated at the factory.
• Plenum and beyond: CMP plenum rating for in-building spaces, with a UV-rated jacket suitable for outdoor transitions when required by the design.
• SmartWire Glide lubrication: Factory-applied jacket lubrication reduces friction during pulls by up to 70% to help lower installation time and labor.
• Flexible deployment: Supports multiple RF signals for public safety DAS, ERRCS, cellular DAS, and general in-building wireless systems.
• Lengths and identification: Available in 1000 ft and 500 ft lengths, with common jacket color options including CMP Red and White.

Choose Windy City Wire when you need B2B products and solutions designed for demanding environments—hospitals, high-rises, campuses, arenas, airports, warehouses, and industrial plants. Our DAS cables integrate cleanly with headend and remote equipment, provide predictable RF performance from floor to floor, and help streamline installation and commissioning.

Available DAS SmartGuard Constructions

• 1/2" Aluminum Plenum Rated Low-loss Air Dielectric Coax with SmartGuard™
  CMP plenum-rated 1/2-inch air-dielectric coax featuring a solid aluminum outer conductor for complete RFI/EMI shielding and low attenuation over long runs. Supports multiple RF services with excellent intermodulation performance and is acceptable as a metal raceway alternative per NFPA 72 section 12.4.2.
• 1/2" Copper Plenum Rated Low-loss Air Dielectric Coax with SmartGuard™
  CMP plenum-rated 1/2-inch air-dielectric coax utilizing a solid copper outer conductor for high shielding effectiveness and stable RF characteristics in dense RF environments. Delivers very low intermods for public safety and cellular DAS while meeting plenum and NFPA 72 section 12.4.2 requirements.

Whether the project is designed around ClearFill® Line air-dielectric coax for plenum-space feedlines or requires UV-rated transitions outdoors, Windy City Wire’s SmartWire® DAS SmartGuard™ cables provide a dependable path from headend to antennas. Connect with our team to configure the right construction, length, and jacket color for your next in-building wireless or public safety DAS project.

Solutions: Distributed Antenna System (DAS) SmartGuard Cables

Distributed Antenna System (DAS) SmartGuard Cables from Windy City Wire are purpose-built for in‑building wireless coverage and capacity. These 1/2-inch, plenum-rated, low-loss air‑dielectric coaxial cables are available in aluminum and copper constructions with SmartGuard™ technology to deliver reliable RF performance across public safety, commercial cellular, and private wireless environments.

What these DAS cables are designed to do
Engineered for plenum in‑building applications, these cables support multiple RF signals across a wide set of bands used for public safety (VHF, UHF, 700/800 MHz, P25, FirstNet) and commercial networks (LTE, 5G, CBRS/private LTE). The solid outer conductor provides complete RFI/EMI shielding, and the low‑loss air‑dielectric design helps preserve signal integrity over longer runs. Outstanding intermodulation (PIM) performance minimizes interference and helps maintain consistent coverage quality across multi‑operator and multi‑band Distributed Antenna Systems.

Where these cables are used

• Public Safety DAS / ERRCS for first responder radio coverage compliance
• Commercial cellular DAS for neutral-host, enterprise, venue, and campus coverage
• LMR/two‑way radio systems in industrial, utility, and transportation facilities
• Private LTE/5G and CBRS networks supporting enterprise mobility and IoT
• Headend-to-antenna feedlines, BDA donor/serve antenna runs, and passive DAS pathways (splitters, couplers, tappers, loads)
• Indoor plenum spaces and indoor-to-outdoor transitions where UV-rated cable is required

Key advantages for specifiers, integrators, and facility owners

• Low-loss RF coaxial cable for DAS maintains signal levels to reduce amplification needs within design limits
• Complete shielding via solid outer conductor minimizes RFI/EMI and supports multi‑band operation
• Outstanding intermodulation performance helps protect network quality in dense RF environments
• CMP plenum-rated construction supports use in environmental air spaces and simplifies code compliance
• Acceptable as a metal raceway alternative (NFPA 72 section 12.4.2), potentially reducing conduit requirements when approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction
• UV rating supports select outdoor use, including rooftop and exterior pathways when properly secured

Typical industries and facilities

• Healthcare campuses and hospitals
• Commercial office and high-rise buildings
• Airports, transit hubs, and tunnels
• Stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and entertainment venues
• Education and research campuses
• Hospitality and retail complexes
• Manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution centers
• Energy, utilities, and critical infrastructure facilities
• Government buildings, justice/corrections, and public safety facilities
• Data centers and mission‑critical sites

Constructions available

• 1/2" Aluminum Plenum Rated Low‑loss Air Dielectric Coax with SmartGuard™ Technology
• 1/2" Copper Plenum Rated Low‑loss Air Dielectric Coax with SmartGuard™ Technology
• Jacket color options: CMP Red and White (availability may vary by construction)
• Lengths available: 1000 ft and 500 ft

System integrations and components
These DAS cables integrate with a wide range of RF equipment and passive components commonly used in in‑building wireless systems, including BDAs (bi‑directional amplifiers), off‑air repeaters, headend equipment, splitters, hybrid couplers, directional couplers, tappers, terminations, and ceiling or directional antennas. They are well suited for MIMO runs, sectorized coverage zones, and donor-to-headend links when engineered to site requirements.

Design and code considerations
For public safety DAS and ERRCS deployments, the plenum-rated CMP construction, complete shielding, and intermodulation performance support code-driven reliability objectives. Where permitted, acceptability as a metal raceway alternative per NFPA 72 section 12.4.2 can streamline installation by reducing conduit usage. Always confirm local code and AHJ requirements, frequency bands, connector types, and pathway methods during design.

Summary
Windy City Wire DAS SmartGuard cables provide a dependable foundation for in‑building wireless and public safety DAS. With low-loss air‑dielectric coaxial performance, complete shielding, plenum CMP compliance, and strong intermodulation characteristics, these cables help RF engineers and integrators deliver consistent coverage and capacity across complex facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions: Distributed Antenna System (DAS) SmartGuard Cables

• What constructions are available with this SmartWire Distributed Antenna System (DAS) SmartGuard Cables cable?
  1/2" low-loss air dielectric coaxial cables with SmartGuard™ Technology are available in two plenum-rated (CMP) constructions: Aluminum and Copper. Both are acceptable as a metal raceway alternative per NFPA 72 section 12.4.2, support multiple RF signals, provide complete RFI/EMI shielding via a solid outer conductor, deliver outstanding intermodulation performance, and are UV-rated for indoor plenum spaces and suitable outdoor use. Available lengths: 1000 ft standard and 500 ft.
• What other colors is this SmartWire Distributed Antenna System (DAS) SmartGuard Cables cable available in?
  Available jacket colors include White and CMP Red. Custom jacket and stripe color combinations are also available—contact Windy City Wire for details.
• Do you stock 1/2" Coax DAS Cable?
  Yes, we stock 1/2" coax for all survivability requirements, including plenum-rated, low-loss air dielectric options with SmartGuard™ Technology.
• Who are Windy City Wire's valued partners in the DAS market?
  Windy City Wire is proud to partner with companies like RFS, ADRF, Westell, iBwave, GWave, RFI and others. Additional partner information can be found at https://windycitywire.com/resource-cetner/das
• Can DAS cables be RackPacked?
  No. DAS cables cannot be RackPacked as these spools of cable are large and not conducive to being used with the SmartWire RackPack solution.
• Do the DAS cables work with the RackPack Transportation devices?
  No. The spools are much larger than the RackPack boxes and are not compatible with the RackPack transportation devices.

Additional Links:

• DAS ROM/BOM Request Form
• Check out our DAS Resource Section
• Learn more about our SmartWire Cable
• The RackPack - Our patented cable delivery solution
• Our Transporters - RackPack Transportation Devices
• 19 Stocking Locations Nationwide - Find a Branch near you