Pasternack Blog

Coaxial cables are arguably the most common RF/microwave physical interconnect technology. Outside of waveguides and planar interconnect, coaxial cable assemblies are one of the few proven methods of reliably connecting RF/microwave/millimeter-wave networks. Given the diverse range of applications for coaxial cable assemblies, these cables are not one-size-fits-all. There are a variety of different coaxial cable ..

    RF coaxial cable assemblies are a ubiquitous form of RF interconnect found in virtually all RF and some analog and high-speed digital systems. The benefits of RF coaxial cabling over other cabling are well known but are only achievable with proper coaxial cable assembly. This blog outlines the general steps and tools needed ..

In part 1 of this series we delved into several of the commonly specified electrical performance characteristics for coaxial cable assemblies. This post wraps up the most common parameters: •  Capacitance •  Group Delay •  Velocity of Propagation •  RF Shielding/Leakage •  Maximum Input Power (Power Handling) •  Maximum Voltage/Breakdown Voltage •  Phase Stability (during ..

In the previous post we explored quality testing of coaxial cable assemblies. In this post, we are exploring the electrical performance testing of coaxial cable assemblies. The following is a list of the most common electrical performance parameters given for coaxial cable assemblies. Key Coaxial Assembly Performance Tests • Frequency Range (Cutoff Frequency) • Insertion ..

Coaxial cable assemblies are at the heart of many conductive interconnect solutions from the module level to complete systems. Coaxial cable assemblies are used in a wide array of applications from low-cost connection of consumer equipment to extreme precision and reliability needed in aerospace and satellite communications. From R&D to defense, coaxial cable assemblies are ..

There are many applications, some emerging, that require both phase and amplitude error to be minimized. These applications include synthetic aperture radar using antenna arrays, beamforming/MIMO antenna arrays for communications, actively electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, satellite communications, interference friend or foe (IFF) radar, and many other applications. Many of these applications must also place ..

Outside of the rigorous military specifications (MIL-Spec) that define the best quality Hi-Rel coaxial cable assemblies, there are several other manufacturing and logistic aspects that also greatly impact the suitability of a cable assembly for a given application. These factors include being listed on qualified databases, lot tracing, testing, commercial availability, and access to cable ..

MIL-DTL-17, formerly known as MIL-C-17, is the US military specification (MIL-SPEC) that defines the standards and procedures for qualifying and verifying flexible and semi-rigid coaxial cable for Hi-Rel applications. Because of the rigorous requirements of MIL-DTL-17, many applications that require high reliability (Hi-Rel) coaxial cable may opt for, or require, MIL-DTL-17 coax. There are many ..

Many coaxial cable and connector types are available in the RF and microwave industry designed for specific purposes and applications; compatibility with other RF microwave components is achieved with universally accepted cable and connector standards. The US Department of Defense (DOD) develops standards for materials, facilities, engineering, and testing practices in order to improve military ..

Introduction In the previous blog, Part 1 of “RF Interconnect Insights for High Speed Digital Signals and Data Communications” two part series, the concept of RF interconnect used in high speed digital applications was introduced. In this section, more insights will be provided on intermodulation distortion concerns and other challenges with trends in high speed ..