The　propagation　characteristics　of　electromagnetic　pulse　in　cable　are　of　great　significance　for　off-line　and　on-line　fault　location　as　well　as　detection　and　location　of　Partial　discharge.　Propagation　losses　occur　in　cross-linked　polyethylene　(XLPE)　cables　as　pulses　propagate　through　the　cable.　In　this　paper,　several　methods　for　calculating　the　propagation　characteristics　are　summarized.　Furthermore,　a　method　for　calculating　the　propagation　characteristics　based　on　the　cable　frequency　domain　model　combined　with　the　vector　fitting　algorithm　is　proposed,　considering　the　skin　effect　of　conductor　core　and　the　frequency-variable　characteristics　of　semiconductor　layer.　In　addition,　the　propagation　characteristics　of　different　types　of　pulse　waves　are　studied　and　compared　with　the　improved　J-Marti　model　in　the　simulation　software　ATP-EMTP.　©　2019　IEEE.