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Coaxial protectors are intended to pass through a desired RF signal with minimum loss or disturbance. When RF energy enters a protector, the energy is, in some combination, passed through, reflected back, and dissipated within the device. The fundamental RF performance parameters of a coaxial connector are RF frequency and the corresponding insertion loss and VSWR (or return loss). The loss of signal level through the protector is called Insertion Loss and is measured in decibels (dB). The reflection of a signal back to the source is measured as VSWR (or return loss) also in dB. |
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| Rule: To minimize the impact of inserting lightning protectors within the RF circuit, seek out products with the lowest Insertion Loss and lowest VSWR at the frequencies that you intend to operate. |
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Protection devices are more than insurance against equipment damage, they keep the danger outside. Beware of the junk arrestor products that proliferate in the marketplace. Transient surges can have enormous power, and are extremely dangerous. Beware of the "it sounds too good to be true" marketing hype employed by some vendors. Only properly engineered designs, high quality materials, and certified manufacturing processes can produce products capable of withstanding the high surge currents, and that will not deteriorate over time (weather proofing is a key to protector longevity and RF performance). |
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