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Quick and simple guid to Coax Connectors

30/11/2010

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With so much choice available for Coax Cables, I thought I would take a small selection of connectors and give a little more information to help you choose the right one for your application.

Of course, to make sure your assembly works the way you want it to, you must make sure you select the correct cable. Better still, speak to your cable assembly experts who will help you make the right technical choices. So here is my quick and simple guide to Coax Connectors

COMMON CONNECTOR TYPES 

"UHF" connector: The "UHF" connector is better known as your "TV Connector" the old industry standby for frequencies above 50 MHz (during World War II, 100 MHz was considered UHF). The UHF connector is primarily an inexpensive all purpose screw-on type that is not truly 50 Ohms. Therefore, it's primarily used below 300 MHz. Power handling of this connector is 500 Watts through 300 MHz. The frequency range is 0-300 MHz.

"F" connector: "F" connectors most commonly used for Satellite TV Boxes were primarily designed for very low cost high volume 75 Ohm applications much as TV and CATV. In this connector, the centre wire of the coax becomes the centre conductor.

"N" connectors: "N" connectors were developed at Bell Labs soon after World War II so it is one of the oldest high performance coax connectors. It has good VSWR and low loss through 11 GHz. Power handling of this connector is 300 Watts through 1 GHz. The frequency range is 0-11 GHz.

"BNC" connector: "BNC" connectors have a bayonet-lock interface which is suitable for uses where numerous quick connect/disconnect insertions are required. BNC connector are, for example, used in various laboratory instruments and radio equipment. A BNC connector has much lower cut-off frequency and higher loss than the N connector. BNC connectors are commonly available at 50 ohms and 75 ohms versions. Power handling of this connector is 80 Watts at 1 GHz. The frequency range is 0-4 GHz.

"TNC" connector: These connectors are an improved version of the BNC with a threaded interface. Power handling of this connector is 100 Watts at 1 GHz. The frequency range is 0-11 GHz.

"SMA" connector: "SMA" or miniature connectors became available in the mid 1960's. They are primarily designed for semi-rigid small diameter (0.141" OD and less) metal jacketed cable. Power handling of this connector is 100 Watts at 1 GHz. The frequency range is 0-18 GHz.

"7-16 DIN" connector: "7-16 DIN" connectors are recently developed in Europe. The part number represents the size in metric millimetres and DIN specifications. This quite expensive connector series was primarily designed for high power applications where many devices are co-located (like cellular poles). Power handling of this connector is 2500 Watts at 1 GHz. The frequency range is 0-7.5 GHz.

"IEC antenna connector": This is a very low-cost high volume 75 ohm connector used for TV and radio antenna connections around Europe.

Now we know there are loads more connectors and options than we can possibly cover here, but this at least should have been an interesting and informative guide. I suspect at this point you still want to speak to your cable experts before you go-ahead and design the assembly all by yourself.
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Going green in Manufacturing?

9/8/2010

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It is easier than ever to go green, but you have to do it right.  If you premote yourself a green then send loads of plastic packaging to your customer then guess what, it's going to look half hearted!

Check out my sister blong at Electronics Weekly:

http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/electronics-weekly-blog/2010/08/only-connect-product-packaging-going-green-ii.html
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Neat tricks that resolves a probles and handy tip on product design.

19/7/2010

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When designing for interconnection take a little time to consider field repairs and ease if identifying cables.

Remembering repairs are very costly as you have to spend time doing work you’re not getting paid for!   So with this in mind it would be worth spending a little time making repairs quicker if there anything that could be done at the design stage to enable the quickest and easiest repair?

Yes there is and it’s simple.  Here’s an example, Say you have two similar Multicore cables why not try using LIYcY for one and Def-Std for the other?  Both come in Grey & Black with different non repeated colour cores.  These different coloured cores make identification that little simpler.

Be brave and be bold!


Another great tip is to think about using more colours.  Again with so much choice don’t just stick to standard grey & black use your imagination the more colours you use the easier it is to quickly identify cables.

Another added benefit is a great looking product looks even better using modern colours so don’t be afraid to go for it and use your imagination.  Famous designcritic Don Norman tells us about how things look can make us happy, I have seen deals go through just because the product looked good not because it was technically better!

For any sceptics out there just think about how many PC’s with transparent cases and multi coloured cables are inside them!


Again there is often no practical benefit of this but you know what they just look great!  So why not give a little more thought to how things look inside as well as on the outside and remember this could in the long term save you money too!
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Gong Green!

12/7/2010

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We live in a world of diminishing natural resources and environmental damage.  New regulations such as RoHS, WEEE & Reach have come into force but what can we do to make a real difference right now?

To explore this further here are some ideas that really can make a difference and what’s more, easy to implement.

The fist step is to be totally committed to making a difference as to make these changes necessary will require some effort but as with all things that require some work the rewards are massive!

Firstly, think about what new and innovative products are out there right now.  For example Alpha Wire have released a new range of hook-up wire EcoWire™  Non, PVC non-halogenic and contains no heavy metal pigments.  So now we have a real alternative to PVC wire. 

 

Pace is another pioneer who has introduced their Diamond Tips for soldering Irons that last many times longer than traditional tips, a small thing that can make a real difference.  Think about how many soldiering Iron tips are used in the UK alone each year!

 

Something that we can all do is ask our suppliers if the materials they use are from environmentally responsible sources. For example ask your component manufacturer HOW they are committed to the environment.  Yes the best suppliers will be more expensive because they are working harder for the environment but this can be an opportunity too.

 

If you position your company as the “Eco Friendly Choice” you are adding value to your brand and demonstrating how you are different to the competition.  Of course you will need to do more than have an environmental policy you will need to clearly show what you are doing that is really different.

 

The idea of the environment is not going away and if they are not yet your customers will soon be asking you what you are doing about it! There is so much more we can all do and there are real business opportunity too if we are willing to work for it.
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Labels from the experts!

6/7/2010

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When you need your cables labelled we’ve got it covered. 

Any label for any cable in any colour.  We have teamed up with Briben Ltd to bring you the very best in labelling technology. 
Briben can provide any label for any purpose. 

Being market leaders in labelling technology Briben can solve any labelling problem and offer one the UK’s biggest range in labels.  From wrap around to security tags and labels to your own design. 

We only work with the best that’s why we want you to work with Briben.


For more information visit www.briben.com  and ask for Karl  but don’t forget to tell them who sent you!
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Do you have probelms with dull and dirty solder joints?

20/5/2010

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We have spent a great deal of time looking for the perfect combination of solder and fluxes to ensure that we achieve the highest possible quality standard on our RoHS compliant solder joints.  We can also advise you.  If you would like to discuss the options available in a no jargon easy to understand language then come and speak to us.  We are here to help!
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    Author

    Hi Nick here! I have been working in Cable Assembly & Manufacturing for a number of years (too many to mention).  You’ll discover I've got a lot to say!   I hope to make your day better and will give some useful info along the way.

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