[TowerTalk] PL259 Insertion Loss?

[Roger (K8RI)]

On 1/16/2012 8:10 AM, Frederick Vobbe wrote:
> You know, there is another component to this discussion.   Let's suppose
> you have .1 to .5dB loss in an RF system.   During transmission or
> reception, will that really mean anything?  I'm not sure I would "hear"
> that, or see that on an "S" meter.  The transfer of power in RF systems
> can be a complicated science, and yes, ever connector and cable add
> up.   Personally, I would worry more about line loss, and antenna
> efficiency, than .3dB in a connector.

As 1.0 db is the threshold of being "just barely detectable under ideal 
conditions",  0.3 to 0.5 db is below the threshold of detectability.
In the real world add QRM and QRN and it takes noticeably more than the 
1 db difference to even be able to tell the difference between two 
stations.

"Theoretically"  a couple of db difference which may not be detectable 
between two stations under normal band conditions *may* make the 
difference between getting through or not as the band noise is rarely a 
steady value and varies even with path,  while 0.3 to 0.5 db are pretty 
much insignificant on HF.

73

Roger (K8RI)
>
>
> Fred/W8HDU
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