[TowerTalk] PL259 Insertion Loss?

[Al Kozakiewicz]

>There is a semantic misunderstanding here about the meaning of "insertion loss".  Everyone on this reflector seems to think it refers to dissipation loss.  It doesn't, as commonly used by connector vendors.  Instead it refers to what is more precisely called "transducer loss" or S21 in terms of S parameters.  In a PL259 at 30 MHz, the transducer loss is almost all in the form of "mismatch loss", which is a theoretical number and does not produce any physical heat.  Thus 0.3 dB insertion loss basically means 0.3 dB mismatch loss, or something like 6% reflected power.

Could you please explain that to me?

This sounds like like a discussion on another forum recently where a fellow asserted that an SWR more than 1:1 would insure that not all power is transferred to a transmision line.  As near as I could tell, it sounded something like power factor (which, as a DC and digital logic guy, still mystifies me).

Al
AB2ZY