SMA to U.FL Adapters

Most wireless test equipment, antennas, and other RF hardware typically use coaxial connectors, such as SMA. This is why there is often a need to adapt between U.FL to SMA, as well as other interfaces including UMCX, IPEX, IPAX, IPX, MHF, and UMCC and SMA. Fortunately, there are SMA to U.FL Adapters available that are compatible with this family of SMT coaxial interfaces. One of the most common varieties of UMCX Adapters are UMCX to SMA Adapters, which also function as SMA to U.FL adapters, as this UMCX plug is compatible with common U.FL jacks often installed on PCBs.

It is often useful for many applications to use UMCX to SMA Cable Assemblies Instead of coaxial adapters, as the pig-tail coaxial cable allows for some flexibility on where the SMA connection can be made and prevents the need for having a separate adapter and cable in some cases.

It is increasingly common to see small hobby electronics, wireless modules, and even industrial grade wireless systems with U.FL, UMCX, IPEX, IPAX, IPX, MHF, and UMCC connector interfaces on wireless PCBs. The reason is this family of small profile and vertically compact coaxial connector interfaces are relatively low cost and can be rapidly assembled along with other surface mount technology (SMT) circuit components. Hence, low cost and compatibility with SMT pick-and-place machines is key.

It might also be necessary to adapt from the SMA connector standard to another coaxial standard using SMA Adapters, such as reverse polarity (RP-SMA), in case the U.FL connector is attached to a Wi-Fi module or other module that uses RP-SMA. U. FL coaxial connectors are most often found in GPS, cellular, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-Fi, and other wireless standard modules and devices. Many of these modules for Internet-of-Things applications are designed to be compact, low-weight, and low-cost, which is why a U.FL or similar connector is used. These modules can now be found in virtually all electronics, including laptop/desktop computers, single-board computers (SBCs), wireless controls devices, sensors, and actuators that rely on wireless modules for communication and control.

Many U.FL or similar plug connectors and adapters are right angle plugs. This is often the case as it is generally easier to install and uninstall the U.FL or similar plug connector from the SMT jack in a right-angle configuration. The SMA connectors or other connector types on U.FL adapters may be straight, right-angle, bulk, or of any variety of coaxial connector type and configuration.