Hi,

In a multi-PCB project I'm contemplating the possibility of cross talk in an interconnecting ribbon cable. One board will be the oscillator board and another will be a control board with tactile switches. The oscillator board will use +10V, -10V, +5V, -5V and GND. The control board will use +5V and -5V. There will also be some signals going between the boards.

I believe that an electric field will extend outward to the nearest conductor that completes the circuit. All intermediate conductors will get this electric field impressed upon them, potentially causing glitches. If both boards used GND I would probably have just run some extra GND lines in between the signals. In this case I don't know.

What would you recommend for the signal/reference structure of the ribbon cable in this case?

 

One practice with ribbon cables is to alternate signal and ground. You can replace a ground connection with power.