Surface wave transmission device with RF housing and methods for use therewith

A method comprising:

• converting, via a coupler, a transmit signal to transmitted first guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path;
• converting to a receive signal, via the coupler, received first guided electromagnetic waves from a remote device that propagate along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path;
• passing, via an aperture section of a housing, the transmitted first guided electromagnetic waves from the coupler through an aperture side of the housing;
• passing, via the aperture section of the housing, the received first guided electromagnetic waves to the coupler through the aperture side of the housing;
• absorbing, via a non-aperture section of the housing, radio frequency (RF) signals in a frequency range of the transmit signal and a frequency range of the receive signal;
• suppressing, via one or more first absorbing elements, transmissions, by the coupler, of transmitted second guided electromagnetic waves on a non-aperture side of the housing, and suppressing reception, by the coupler, of received second guided transmission waves on the non-aperture side of the housing;
• and
• reflecting, via one or more conductive isolators of the coupler, the received second guided transmission waves on the non-aperture side of the housing.

A device comprising:

• coupler means for converting a transmit signal to transmitted guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of a transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the coupler means for converting is further operable to convert to a receive signal, received guided electromagnetic waves from a remote device that propagate along the surface of the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the coupler means for converting further includes one or more first absorbing planar pads configured to suppress transmission by the coupler means for converting of transmitted second guided electromagnetic waves and further configured to suppress reception, by the coupler means for converting, of received second guided electromagnetic waves;
• a housing configured to provide environmental protection to the coupler means for converting, the housing including:
• an aperture section configured to pass the transmitted guided electromagnetic waves from the coupler means for converting through an aperture side of the housing, the aperture section further configured to pass the received guided electromagnetic waves to the coupler means for converting through the aperture side of the housing;
• a non-aperture section configured to absorb radio frequency (RF) signals in a frequency range of the transmit signal and a frequency range of the receive signal, wherein the aperture section and the non-aperture section of the housing are integrally constructed of a radio-frequency transparent material and wherein the non-aperture section is layered with a radio-frequency absorbing material;
• and
• an isolator configured to suppress transmissions by the coupler means for converting of the transmitted second guided electromagnetic waves on a non-aperture side of the housing and further configured to suppress reception by the coupler means for converting of the received second guided electromagnetic waves on the non-aperture side of the housing, the isolator further including one or more second absorbing planar pads configured to suppress the transmitted second guided electromagnetic waves and further configured to suppress reception of received second guided electromagnetic waves, the coupler means for converting including one or more conductive isolators configured to reflect the received second guided electromagnetic waves on the non-aperture side of the housing.