Brief description of the basics of coaxial cable connectors

(1) Blocking

Since the RF signal can be radiated, on the contrary, it is usually necessary to prevent foreign objects from being picked up. Therefore, the RF connector continues to shield the coaxial cable as part of its nature.

(2) Round

RF coaxial connectors need to maintain the coaxial nature of the cables used with them, so they are circular. Therefore, they include a center pin for the interior of the coaxial cable, followed by an internal external connection for the outer conductor on the cable.

(3) Characteristic impedance

The characteristic impedance of the feeder or coaxial cable is very important. Any mismatch will cause power to be reflected back to the source. It is also important that the characteristic impedance of the RF coaxial cable connector matches the characteristic impedance of the cable. If not, it introduces discontinuities and causes losses, but in practice, this may not affect most installations with frequencies up to 250 MHz. Most RF connectors are 50Ω, but for some domestic applications, other impedances such as 75Ω are available, as well as other impedances for applications such as data transmission.            (4) Male, usually used for coaxial cable,

Unlike other forms of connectors, the connector that provides the signal or power supply is the female connector because it is more protected and less likely to be shorted, and not necessarily for the RF connector. The connectors on the leads here tend to be convex, while the connectors mounted on the device tend to be concave, although standard connector conventions can be used in a few cases.

(5) Cable type

Because different types of coaxial cables are available in different sizes, different types of coaxial connectors can be used to suit a given cable type. It is important to ensure that the correct RF connector variant is used with the associated coaxial cable, otherwise the connector will be difficult to install, and if it does work properly, even if it can connect the coaxial cable and the RF connector may not Satisfactory.

There are a variety of connectors for RF applications. Impedance, frequency range, power handling, physical size and many other parameters (including cost) will determine the best type for a given application.