Coaxial cable, or coax, is a type of electrical cable consisting of an inner conductor surrounded by a concentric conducting shield, with the two separated by a dielectric ; many coaxial cables also have a protective outer sheath or jacket. The term coaxial refers to the inner conductor and the outer shield sharing a geometric axis.
The BNC connector is a miniature quick connect/disconnect radio frequency connector used for coaxial cable. It is designed to maintain the same characteristic impedance of the cable, with 50 ohm and 75 ohm types being made. It is usually applied for video and radio frequency connections up to about 2 GHz and up to 500 volts. The connector has a twist to lock design with two lugs in the female portion of the connector engaging a slot in the shell of the male portion. The type was introduced on military radio equipment in the 1940s and has since become widely applied in radio systems, and is a common type of video connector. Similar radio-frequency connectors differ in dimensions and attachment features, and may allow for higher voltages, higher frequencies, or three-wire connections.
The N connector is a threaded, weatherproof, medium-size RF connector used to join coaxial cables. It was one of the first connectors capable of carrying microwave-frequency signals, and was invented in the 1940s by Paul Neill of Bell Labs, after whom the connector is named.
A phone connector is a family of cylindrically-shaped electrical connectors primarily for analog audio signals. Invented in the late 19th century for telephone switchboards, the phone connector remains in use for interfacing wired audio equipment, such as headphones, speakers, microphones, mixing consoles, and electronic musical instruments. A male connector, is mated into a female connector, though other terminology is used.
Twin lead cable is a two-conductor flat cable used as a balanced transmission line to carry radio frequency (RF) signals. It is constructed of two, stranded copper wires, or solid copper-clad steel wires. The wires are held a fixed distance apart by a plastic ribbon that is a good insulator at radio frequencies. It is also called ribbon cable. The uniform spacing of the wires is the key to the cable's function as a transmission line: Any abrupt change in spacing would cause some of the signal to reflect back toward the source, rather than passing through. The plastic also covers and insulates the wires. The name twin lead is most often used to refer specifically to 300 Ω (Ohm) ribbon cable, the most common type, but on occasion, twin lead is used to refer to any type of parallel wire line. Parallel wire line is available with several different values of characteristic impedance such as twin lead ribbon cable (300 Ω), window line, and open wire line or ladder line (500~650 Ω).
The F connector is a coaxial RF connector commonly used for "over the air" terrestrial television, cable television and universally for satellite television and cable modems, usually with RG-6/U cable or with RG-59/U cable.
SMA connectors are semi-precision coaxial RF connectors developed in the 1960s as a minimal connector interface for coaxial cable with a screw-type coupling mechanism. The connector has a 50 Ω impedance. SMA was originally designed for use from DC (0 Hz) to 12 GHz, however this has been extended over time and variants are available to 18 GHz and 26.5 GHz. There are also mechanically compatible connectors such as the K-connector which operate up to 40 GHz. The SMA connector is most commonly used in microwave systems, hand-held radio and mobile telephone antennas and, more recently, with WiFi antenna systems and USB software-defined radio dongles. It is also commonly used in radio astronomy, particularly at higher frequencies (5 GHz+).
SMB connectors are coaxial RF connectors developed in the 1960s. SMB connectors are smaller than SMA connectors.
MCX are coaxial RF connectors developed in the 1980s. They have the same inner contact and insulator dimensions as the SMB connector but are 30% smaller. MCX is standardized in European CECC 22220.
RG-58/U is a type of coaxial cable often used for low-power signal and RF connections. The cable has a characteristic impedance of either 50 or 52 Ω. "RG" was originally a unit indicator for bulk RF cable in the U.S. military's Joint Electronics Type Designation System. There are several versions covering the differences in core material and shield.
IEC 60228 is the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)'s international standard on conductors of insulated cables. As of 2023 the current version is Third Edition 2004-11 Among other things, it defines a set of standard wire cross-sectional areas:
The UHF connector is a name for a threaded RF connector. The connector design was invented in the 1930s for use in the radio industry, and is a shielded form of the "banana plug". It is a widely used standard connector for HF transmission lines on full-sized radio equipment, with BNC connectors predominating for smaller, hand-held equipment.
The Belling-Lee connector is commonly used in Europe, parts of Southeast Asia, and Australia, to connect coaxial cables with each other and with terrestrial VHF/UHF roof antennas, antenna signal amplifiers, CATV distribution equipment, TV sets, and FM and DAB radio receivers. In these countries, it is known colloquially as an aerial connector, IEC connector, or simply as a TV aerial connector. It is one of the oldest coaxial connectors still commonly used in consumer devices. For television signals, the convention is that the source has a male connector and the receptor has a female connector. For FM radio signals, the convention is that the source has a female connector and the receptor has a male connector. This is more or less universally adopted with TV signals, while it is not uncommon for FM radio receivers to deviate from this, especially FM radio receivers from companies not based in the areas that use this kind of connector.
A bias tee is a three-port network used for setting the DC bias point of some electronic components without disturbing other components. The bias tee is a diplexer. The low-frequency port is used to set the bias; the high-frequency port passes the radio-frequency signals but blocks the biasing levels; the combined port connects to the device, which sees both the bias and RF. It is called a tee because the 3 ports are often arranged in the shape of a T.
A coaxial power connector is an electrical power connector used for attaching extra-low voltage devices such as consumer electronics to external electricity. Also known as barrel connectors, concentric barrel connectors or tip connectors, these small cylindrical connectors come in an enormous variety of sizes.
Nominal impedance in electrical engineering and audio engineering refers to the approximate designed impedance of an electrical circuit or device. The term is applied in a number of different fields, most often being encountered in respect of:
A waveguide flange is a connector for joining sections of waveguide, and is essentially the same as a pipe flange—a waveguide, in the context of this article, being a hollow metal conduit for microwave energy. The connecting face of the flange is either square, circular or, rectangular. The connection between a pair of flanges is usually made with four or more bolts, though alternative mechanisms, such as a threaded collar, may be used where there is a need for rapid assembly and disassembly. Dowel pins are sometimes used in addition to bolts, to ensure accurate alignment, particularly for very small waveguides.
The 7-16 DIN connector or 7/16 is a 50 Ω threaded RF connector used to join coaxial cables. It was designed to reduce passive intermodulation from multiple transmitters. It is among the most widely used high power RF connectors in cellular network antenna systems. Originally popular in Europe, it has gained widespread use in the US and elsewhere.
The 4.3-10 connector is a 50 Ω multi-purpose RF connector used to connect coaxial cables with other cables or RF devices, such as transmitters or antennas.
