Topband: RF attenuators

[Jim Brown]

On 8/22/2011 8:29 AM, Hardy Landskov wrote:
> Mini-Circuits makes passive attenuators at reasonable prices. They come with
> BNC, N, and SMA connectors, those being the most popular. They make various
> power levels also.  They do not make attenuators with PL259/SO239
> connectors. You will have to buy adaptors.
> Google Mini-Circuits and take a look.

Mini-Circuits is a good company, and I've specified their 4-way VHF/UHF 
splitters for 35 years for use with the pro wireless mic systems I 
design for performance and broadcast facilities.  BUT -- most 
Mini-Circuits products are designed for use at VHF and UHF, and few are 
suitable for use as low as 2 MHz.,  The good news is that Mini-Circuits 
has a very good on-line and print catalog, with enough data to let you 
figure out whether each of their products might fit your need.

In general, many VHF/UHF attenuators are built with capacitive dividers 
rather than resistive dividers, and are unlikely to be useable at HF and 
below.  Conversely, simple resistive attenuators are quite suitable in 
the 2 MHz range, provided that they are made with resistors that are not 
inductive, whereas their stray L and C would render them useless at 
higher frequencies.

73, Jim Brown K9YC