RF Explorer User Manual
page 51
SMA connection cables
RF cables are an important tool required to directly connect your Spectrum Analyzer to another device (such
as a RF transmitter or an antenna) or with a Signal Generator for tracking.
Cables add attenuation to your measurement and, if not correctly connected or if the cable is low quality, it
may largely invalidate any measurement. If you use a large cable with known attenuation at a certain
frequency, you can compensate that attenuation in the OffsetDB parameter in the CONFIG MENU of the RF
Explorer device.
Different cables have different purposes. For frequencies up to 2.4GHz, we recommend flexible RG-316
cables, whereas higher quality and shorter lengths are suggested for frequencies up to 6GHz, where semi
rigid RG402 is recommended.
10cm length - SMA male to SMA female 6GHz coaxial cable
This SMA male to female is a quality cable able to handle
6GHz with very low attenuation. It is the perfect cable to
connect the RF Explorer Signal Generator to a device, or to
work as a tracking generator.
The semi-rigid nature of the cable allows for stable
measurement independently of the position and helps on
adding mechanical robustness when using RF Explorer
Signal Generator with RF Explorer Spectrum Analyzer as
Tracking Generator. You will typically need two of these
cables to connect the Tracking Generator to a device (with
two SMA male connectors) or use an equivalent
Male to
Male version
for a device with different SMA gender connectors.
10cm length - SMA male to SMA male 6GHz coaxial cable
This SMA male to male is a quality cable able to handle
6GHz with very low attenuation. It is the perfect cable to
connect the RF Explorer Signal Generator to a device, or
to work as a tracking generator.
The semi-rigid nature of the cable allows for stable
measurement independently of the position and helps on
adding mechanical robustness when using RF Explorer
Signal Generator with RF Explorer Spectrum Analyzer as
Tracking Generator. You will typically need two of these
cables to connect the Tracking Generator to a device
(with two SMA female connectors) or use an
equivalent
Male to Female version
for a device with
different SMA gender connectors.