EIA RF Connectors
Encyclopedia
The Electronic Industries Alliance
(EIA) are responsible for a number of standard
imperial connector sizes. Those commonly known as EIA flange RF connector
s are used to connect two items of high power Radio frequency
rigid or semi-rigid (flexline) coaxial transmission line. Typically these are only required in very high power transmitting installations (10s of kW to MW) where the feedline diameters may be several inches. One side of the connection is denoted as a male connection, or bullet, while the other side is denoted as the female connection, or cup. The flange design, inner and outer conductor dimensions are standardized, by EIA, in the RS-225, 50Ω (ohm), and RS-259, 75Ω, standards. They are commonly referred to by the outer diameter of the outer conductor in fractional inches. Sizes covered under these two standards range from 3/8 to 6 1/8 inch outside diameter (OD) for 50 ohm and 3/8 to 3 1/8 inch OD for 75 ohm.
Peak pulse power handling, driven by voltage breakdown, is more or less frequency independent for any given size (and can be deduced by assuming ~300V RMS per mm of inner to outer spacing), but the average power, limited by losses heating the centre conductors, increases approximately with the square root of the operating frequency. Commonly the limit is quoted as that dissipation that will raise the inner temperature to 100°C when the outer is maintained constant at +40°C. Field failures can occur at power levels well below this if the central bullet connections are not making uniform positive contact and free of contamination. Conversely the average power ratings can be significantly exceeded if there is forced air flow either through the inner conductor or through the void between the inner and outer conductors.
The corresponding European standard is IEC 60339-1 and 60339-2. These standards are more complete as they include many additional sizes that are missing in the EIA standards.
Many years ago, the two RS standards were considered obsolete by EIA. Only recently (until 2007) there has been an effort by manufacturers in the US to update these standards.
Many of these sizes are also interchangeable with RF Connectors defined by the US military in MIL-DTL-24044B General and http://www.dscc.dla.mil/Programs/MilSpec/listdocs.asp?BasicDoc=MIL-DTL-24044.
Electronic Industries Alliance
The Electronic Industries Alliance was a standards and trade organization composed as an alliance of trade associations for electronics manufacturers in the United States. They developed standards to ensure the equipment of different manufacturers was compatible and interchangeable...
(EIA) are responsible for a number of standard
EIA Standards
Here is a list of Electronic Industries Alliance Standards:* RS-170 Name? * EIA-222 Standards for antenna mast structural integrity...
imperial connector sizes. Those commonly known as EIA flange RF connector
RF connector
A coaxial RF connector is an electrical connector designed to work at radio frequencies in the multi-megahertz range.RF connectors are typically used with coaxial cables and are designed to maintain the shielding that the coaxial design offers. Better models also minimize the change in transmission...
s are used to connect two items of high power Radio frequency
Radio frequency
Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
rigid or semi-rigid (flexline) coaxial transmission line. Typically these are only required in very high power transmitting installations (10s of kW to MW) where the feedline diameters may be several inches. One side of the connection is denoted as a male connection, or bullet, while the other side is denoted as the female connection, or cup. The flange design, inner and outer conductor dimensions are standardized, by EIA, in the RS-225, 50Ω (ohm), and RS-259, 75Ω, standards. They are commonly referred to by the outer diameter of the outer conductor in fractional inches. Sizes covered under these two standards range from 3/8 to 6 1/8 inch outside diameter (OD) for 50 ohm and 3/8 to 3 1/8 inch OD for 75 ohm.
Peak pulse power handling, driven by voltage breakdown, is more or less frequency independent for any given size (and can be deduced by assuming ~300V RMS per mm of inner to outer spacing), but the average power, limited by losses heating the centre conductors, increases approximately with the square root of the operating frequency. Commonly the limit is quoted as that dissipation that will raise the inner temperature to 100°C when the outer is maintained constant at +40°C. Field failures can occur at power levels well below this if the central bullet connections are not making uniform positive contact and free of contamination. Conversely the average power ratings can be significantly exceeded if there is forced air flow either through the inner conductor or through the void between the inner and outer conductors.
The corresponding European standard is IEC 60339-1 and 60339-2. These standards are more complete as they include many additional sizes that are missing in the EIA standards.
Many years ago, the two RS standards were considered obsolete by EIA. Only recently (until 2007) there has been an effort by manufacturers in the US to update these standards.
Many of these sizes are also interchangeable with RF Connectors defined by the US military in MIL-DTL-24044B General and http://www.dscc.dla.mil/Programs/MilSpec/listdocs.asp?BasicDoc=MIL-DTL-24044.