Discover why outdoor RF coaxial cables expand in hot weather and contract in cold temperatures, and how this natural movement can damage radios, antennas, duplexers,...
Read moreDon't Walk Past That 75-Ohm Hardline at the Hamfest One of my favorite places to browse at any hamfest isn't the tables covered with shiny...
Read moreStatic Dissipation Caps and Static Drain Systems on Towers How Towers Collect Atmospheric Charge — Even on Clear Days Many radio towers, microwave sites, broadcast...
Read moreGround Conductivity, Utility Paths and Electrical Safety Why Poor Ground Conditions and Long Metal Utility Paths Matter Many homes, repeater sites, radio installations and rural...
Read morePL-259 vs UHF Male Connector Understanding the Naming Difference in UHF-Series RF Connectors One of the most common questions in RF, amateur radio, CB, and...
Read moreHow High VSWR Can Cause a Gas Tube Surge Arrestor to Arc Why RF Voltage Peaks and Antenna Tuners Can Trigger Gas Tube Arrestors A...
Read moreLightning Surge Arrestor Gas Tubes  Understanding Gas Tubes Gas discharge tube (GDT) lightning arrestors are widely used in RF systems, repeater sites, microwave systems,...
Read moreMotorola Quantar Repeater Modules Quick Reference Guide for Common Motorola Quantar Station Modules and Assemblies. We made this chart up as we use the Quantar...
Read moreMicrowave Moding Tutorial Understanding Microwave Transmission Line and Coaxial Cable Moding Microwave "moding" refers to unwanted electromagnetic propagation modes that occur in coaxial cable, waveguide,...
Read moreCommon Circular Waveguide Sizes and Frequency Ranges This reference chart lists common circular (round) waveguide sizes used in microwave systems, radar, satellite communications, rotary joints,...
Read moreCommon Rectangular Waveguide Sizes and Frequency Ranges This reference chart lists many of the most common rectangular microwave waveguide sizes used in radar, satellite, microwave...
Read moreHalf Wave Dipole Calculator Quick and Easy - Perfect for POTA use Enter a frequency in either MHz or kHz. Examples: 7.2 or 7200 Frequency...
Read moreCommon Coaxial Cable Groupings for Connector Compatibility Many RF connectors are designed to fit multiple coaxial cable types that share similar jacket diameters, dielectric diameters,...
Read moreCommon RF Coaxial Cable Sizes and Construction Details This reference chart provides approximate physical dimensions and shielding details for many of the most common RF...
Read moreReturn Loss Testing of Mixed Gender RF AdaptersBy Dave Fant – W5SWL Introduction Mixed gender RF adapters (for example, N-male to N-female, BNC-female to SMA-male,...
Read moreProper Testing of RF AttenuatorsBy Dave Fant – W5SWL Introduction RF attenuators are precision components used to reduce signal amplitude without significantly distorting waveform characteristics...
Read moreUHF (PL-259 / SO-239) RF Connector Power Ratings The UHF series RF connector (PL-259 plug and SO-239 jack) has been widely used in amateur radio...
Read moreThe Chinese version of the PL-259 connector typically uses a metric thread, whereas the American version uses 5/8-24 UNEF (Unified Extra Fine) threading. Chinese PL-259...
Read moreIf you have a mixture of 50 Ohm and 75 Ohm N series adapters or connectors, it would be best to be mindful that the...
Read moreHave you made the decision to drill a hole in your car or truck. You should know this information ... NMO Mounts of 3/4" hole...
Read moreIt is a good question, one that actually many sellers do not understand. Most of our common connectors such as UHF, N, etc will follow...
Read morePrecision RF connectors and adapters are used in exacting applications where both high performance and known performance is needed and expected. Precision connectors are designed...
Read moreFrom the FAQ at www.W5SWL.com of 3 August 2018 In a word, no. The LMR-600 series cable is a very stiff cable. As such it...
Read moreFrom the 2 July 2018 FAQ at www.W5SWL.com  You are probably not the only one that this has happened to, myself included. Melting the...
Read moreFrom the 11 July 2022 FAQ at www.W5SWL.com There are many uses for these types of RF Switches. Here is the wiring detail for a...
Read moreFrom the www.W5SWL.com FAQ of 2 July 2018 They are good, it used to be one of the best because in our opinion there were...
Read moreFrom the FAQ at www.W5SWL.com of 17 August 2018 Some connectors are made to me tightened with a specific torque spec and some are hand...
Read moreOriginally posted on 31 May 2019 at www.W5SWL.com To find out, just go to eBay and search for SMB Plug or SMB Jack. Or MCX...
Read moreOriginally posted 2 July 2018 on www.W5SWL.com Some folks just have to have Teflon. Some don't know what Delrin is and some don't care. I...
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