[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 11]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1755.507]

[Page 555-557]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
    CHAPTER XVII--RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 1755--TELECOMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1755.507  Aerial cable services.

    (a) Where more than six pairs are needed initially, and where an 
aerial service is necessary, the service shall consist of 22 AWG filled 
aerial cable of a pair size adequate for the ultimate anticipated 
service needs of the building. The cable shall comply with the 
requirements of Sec. 1755.390, RUS specification for filled telephone 
cables, and shall be RUS accepted or RUS technically accepted.
    (b) Aerial cable services shall be constructed in accordance with 
specific installation specifications prepared by the RUS borrower or the 
engineer delegated by the borrower.
    (c) Unless otherwise specified in the installation specifications, 
aerial cable service installations shall meet the following 
requirements:
    (1) Strand supported lashed construction shall be used.
    (2) Where practicable a \5/16\ in. (8 mm) utility grade strand and 
automatic clamps shall be used in slack spans to avoid damage to the 
building.
    (3) Construction on poles shall comply with applicable construction 
drawings for regular line construction. Aerial service cable shall be 
spliced to the main cable in accordance with Sec. 1755.200, RUS standard 
for splicing copper and fiber optic cables.
    (4) Where practicable, aerial cable shall pass under electrical 
guys, distribution secondaries, and services.
    (5) The suspension strand shall be attached to the building by wall 
brackets as indicated in Figure 7 as follows:

[[Page 556]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR17AU01.008

    (i) If taut spans are necessary, appropriate size strand may be used 
if the pull is in line with one wall of the building, or within 20 
degrees of being in line as illustrated in sketch A of Figure 7. If the 
angle of pull is greater than 20 degrees from the building, the wall 
bracket shall be reinforced against pullout by an arrangement equivalent 
to sketch B of Figure 7. Taut spans may be strung using the 
recommendations in RUS Bulletin 1751F-630, Design of Aerial Plant. The 
same tension as would be used in normal line construction so as not to 
exceed 60 percent of the breaking strength of the strand under maximum 
loading shall be used. Taut spans shall

[[Page 557]]

not exceed 100 ft (30.5 m) in length and the cable weight shall not 
exceed 1 pound/foot (lb/ft) [1.5 kilogram/meter (kg/m)] except when 
equivalent combinations of greater span lengths with cable weight less 
than 1 lb/ft (1.5 kg/m) are permissible. Copies of RUS Bulletin 1751F-
630 are available upon request from RUS/USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., STOP 1522, Washington, DC 20250-1522, FAX (202) 720-4120.
    (ii) When an attachment must be made to the face of a building wall 
away from a corner, a ``U'' type wall bracket shall be used as indicated 
in sketch C of Figure 7. Only slack span construction with \5/16\ in. (8 
mm) utility grade strand shall be permitted in this situation. The bail 
of the automatic clamp shall be protected by a wire rope thimble.
    (6) Aerial cable shall be located on the rear or side of the 
building and shall be run only in a horizontal or a vertical direction. 
The cable route shall be selected so as to avoid building projections 
and obstructions to the extent practicable.
    (7) Cable attachment devices shall be located on solid masonry or on 
studs of wood frame buildings. Cable attachment devices may be installed 
on sheet surface materials only when such materials are reinforced with 
a backing material which allows penetration and firm holding of the 
attachment devices through the backing material.
    (8) The minimum separation on or in buildings between cable and 
other facilities shall be as indicated in Sec. 1755.505(f)(8), Table 1.
    (9) On horizontal runs, cable clamps shall be placed so that the 
attachment is below the cable. On vertical runs, cable clamps shall be 
placed so that the attachment is on the same side as horizontal runs. 
Cable clamps shall be placed on the inside of cable bends.
    (10) On horizontal runs, cable clamps shall be placed not more than 
16 in. (400 mm) apart for cable diameters equal to or greater than 1 in. 
(25.4 mm) and 24 in. (600 mm) apart for cable diameters less than 1 in. 
(25.4 mm).
    (11) On vertical runs, cable clamps shall be approximately 24 in. 
(600 mm) apart for all sizes of cable.
    (12) For the cable entrance, holes shall be bored slightly larger in 
diameter than the cable and shall slope upward from outside to inside. A 
duct sealer having RUS acceptance or RUS technical acceptance shall be 
applied to both ends of the hole after the cable is pulled in.
    (13) Section 1755.505(g) and (h) shall also apply to aerial cable 
services.

[66 FR 43317, Aug. 17, 2001]