WT4 millimeter waveguide system: Route engineering and sheath installation

This paper discusses route engineering for the WT4 waveguide transmission system stressing differences from cable system engineering caused by the dependence of loss on curvature. It is shown that the stiffness of the waveguide sheath, while tending to limit axis curvature of the installed waveguide, also constrains the design of the trench. A simplified method of designing trench-bottom profiles compatible with natural shapes of the sheath is described. Pipeline-like installation methods are shown to be adequate for the sheath and a demonstration of their practicality in a field evaluation test is discussed.