In order to mate the reference cables to the cables

In order to mate the reference cables to the cables you want to test, you need mating adapters. Mating adapters are as important to low connection loss as the quality of the connectors since the mating adapter is responsible for aligning the two connector ferrules correctly. Mating adapters must be kept clean, like connectors and discarded after some number of uses as they wear out from repeated matings.

Mating adapters may have alignment sleeves made from plastic, metal or ceramic. Plastic alignment sleeves used on the cheapest mating adapters should not be used for testing as they wear out in only a few insertions, leaving dusty residue on the connectors. Metal adapters are good for many more insertions and provide a better alignment, so they are acceptable. Ceramic alignment sleeves are the best, providing the best alignment and practically never wearing out.

In order to measure loss, we need to set our reference power for loss - our "0 dB" value. Correct setting of the "0 dB' reference launch power is critical to making good loss measurements!

December 20, 2011

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