-
Feeder, Cable, Jumper: Three Commonly Confused Concepts in RF Engineering
Sep , 22 2026
These three concepts do not sit on the same logical plane. Cable is a material‑level generic term — any coaxial cable that carries RF signals, whether semi‑rigid, semi‑flexible, or braided, is called a cable. Feeder and jumper are functional‑level classifications — both are specific application forms of cable, distinguished by the role they play in the system. In one sentence: a feeder is the high...
View more
-
Three 10dB Couplers Compared: Insertion Loss and PIM Test Results – Cavity vs Microstrip vs Stripline
Sep , 29 2026
In DAS indoor distribution systems and RF link designs, the 10dB directional coupler is one of the most frequently used passive components. The two specifications engineers care about most are insertion loss and passive intermodulation (PIM) — the former directly eats into the link budget, the latter determines whether the uplink noise floor can be kept down. There are three main manufacturing tec...
View more
-
VSWR vs Return Loss vs Isolation vs Directivity: How These Four RF Parameters Connect
Nov , 03 2026
A conversation that happens on site more often than it should "What's the isolation on this coupler?" "22dB." "And directivity?" "Not listed. It only says isolation." "So can we use this part or not?" The conversation stalls here. 22dB isolation doesn't sound bad. But without directivity, you don't know whether that 22dB comes from "the forward coupled port and the reverse isolation port are well ...
View more
-
Cavity vs Dielectric vs SAW vs Microstrip Filter: DAS Selection Guide
Nov , 11 2026
A filter selection mistake costs far more than a coupler mistake. Get a coupler wrong and you lose a fraction of a dB in insertion loss. Get a filter wrong and you can burn out a power amplifier, eat the entire link budget with in-band insertion loss, or watch the center frequency drift out of band at high temperature. The most common mistake in selection guides is asking "which filter is best." N...
View more
