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PIM Interference vs. External Interference: How to Quickly Tell Them Apart On‑Site?
Jul , 07 2026
Anyone who does base‑station maintenance or network optimisation eventually runs into this: uplink noise floor spikes, users complain about dropped calls and low throughput, yet VSWR tests pass and there are no equipment alarms. Where is the problem? At this point, you have two possible culprits – PIM (passive intermodulation) interference generated inside your own system, or external RF interfere...
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Combiner vs Duplexer: Not the Same Thing — A Complete Engineering Guide
Jul , 28 2026
Combiner and duplexer are not the same thing. A combiner is a device that merges two or more RF signals into a single output path, with all signals flowing in the same direction — primarily used for power combining on the transmit side. A duplexer is a three‑port device that isolates transmit and receive signals, allowing them to share a single antenna, with the two signal paths flowing in opposit...
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RF Isolator vs Circulator – What's the Real Difference?
Aug , 04 2026
Engineering deep dive · Ports, functions, specs, and selection traps RF Isolator and Circulator are two of the most misunderstood passive components in microwave engineering. The core difference comes down to ports and function. An Isolator is essentially a three‑port Circulator with its third port terminated into a matched load. A Circulator is a non‑reciprocal signal router — it directs signals ...
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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...
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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...
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