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vswr?

1 posts by 1 authors in: Forums > CWNA - Enterprise Wi-Fi Admin
Last Post: May 19, 2010:
  • Category 5/6 are Ethernet cables carrying digital DC signals. Find some specs in the 802.3 requirements, not 802.11. They will give you the resistance (ohms), insulation, twist per foot and all the other specs you are interested in. Usually 100 meters max range without a repeater. The different categories are rated for 10, 100,or gigabit speeds. Due to POE requirements current carrying capacity is also a big concern now.

    Antenna cables are RF (radio frequency) cables. - and are usually rated at an impedance of either 50 or 75 ohms. They don't have a twist. A VSWR of 1:1 would be perfect (unobtainable), 1.2-1.3 is great, and 1.5-2.0 probably more realistic. VSWR is also stated for a frequency or a frequency range. Loss is usually specified in dB per hundred feet - not in ohms.

    I am sure a Network Analyzer would give you the loss of a CAT 5/6 cable, as long as you tested it at some frequency, but what would be the point - you shouldn't be using it for RF signals.

    Hope that helps - I'm sure Dave1234 or someone with an awful lot of RF experience could give you pages and pages of data.

    Find catalogs from Belden to look up Cat 5/6 cables or Times Microwave for some very interesting (?) RF cable specs.

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