Aerospace Glossary Letter B

Backbone Wiring – The physical/electrical interconnections between telecommunications closets and equipment rooms. Cross-connect hardware and cabling in the main and intermediate cross-connects are considered part of the backbone wiring.
Band Marking – A continuous circumferential band applied to a conductor at regular intervals for identification.
Bandwidth – The difference between the upper and lower limits of a given band of frequencies. Expressed in hertz (Hz).
Balanced Circuit – A circuit so arranged that the impressed voltages on each conductor of the pair are equal in magnitude but opposite in polarity with respect to ground.
Baud – Stated in dB, or decibels, the amount of optical power lost due to outside forces strong enough to allow the light to radiate out through the bend.
Bend Loss – Stated in dB, or decibels, the amount of optical power lost due to outside forces strong enough to allow the light to radiate out through the bend.
Bend Radius – The radius of curvature that a wire or cable can bend without causing any damaging effects.
Binder – A spirally served tape or thread used for holding assembled cable components in place awaiting subsequent manufacturing operations.
Bit – One binary digit
Bit Error Rate, (BER) – Discrepancy between outgoing and incoming bits transmitted between data equipment.
Bond Strength – Amount of adhesion between surfaces, e.g. in cemented ribbon cable.
Braid – A fibrous or metallic group of filaments interwoven in cylindrical form to form a covering over one or more wires.
Braid Angle – The smaller of the two angles formed by the shielding strand and the axis of the cable being shielded.
Braid Carrier – A spool or bobbin on a braider which holds one group of strands or filaments consisting of a specific number of ends. The carrier revolves during braiding operations.
Braid Ends – The number of strands used to make up one carrier. The strands are wound side by side on the carrier bobbin and lie parallel in the finished braid.
Breakdown Voltage – The voltage at which the insulation between two conductors is destroyed.
Breakout – The point at which a conductor or group of conductors is separated from a multiconductor cable to complete circuits at various points along the main cable.
Bunch Stranding – A group of wires of the same diameter twisted together without a predetermined pattern.
Byte – A group of eight binary digits.