RF Connector Index

BNC Connectors

The BNC connector (Bayonet Mount locking Mechanism) has been used for years in a variety of applications on both video equipment and radio antenna connections. BNC connectors can be used in 75ohm professional video environments as well as 50ohm radio communication environments. RCA connectors are usually substituted for BNC connectors on consumer electronics. The TNC connector seen above is a threaded version of the BNC connector and generally has better performance in microwave frequencies.

BNC Male Connector

BNC Female Connector

BNC Reverse Polarity Male Connector

BNC Reverse Polarity Female Connector

BNC Right Angle Male Connector

BNC Female Bulkhead Connector

FME Connectors

The FME is a miniature 50Ω RF connector series offering excellent performance from DC to 200 MHz used primarily with RG-58 or equivalent coaxial cables employed in mobile applications and installations. The FME female is designed to allow cables it has been installed on to be snaked through the often tight access holes or spaces of a vehicle to the desired equipment location(s) where an FME male adapter to the required equipment connector series is fitted to the female cable connector.

FME Male Connector

FME Female Connector

MCX Connectors

MCX (micro coaxial) connectors are coaxial RF connectors developed in the 1980s. They have the same inner contact and insulator dimensions as the SMB connector but are 30% smaller. They use a snap-on interface and usually have a 50 Ω impedance (some are 75 Ω) . They offer broadband capability from DC to 6 GHz. The contact surfaces are gold-plated. This type of connector is used on the Apple Airport Extreme Base Station's external antenna port and requires an adapter for most antennas. MCX and the smaller MMCX connector are frequently used to connect external antennas to GPS receivers. They are also common on USB DVB-T tuners for computers and laptops, to connect an external antenna to the tuner.

MCX Male Connector

MCX Male Right Angle Connector

MMCX Connectors

MMCX (micro-miniature coaxial) connectors are coaxial RF connectors similar to MCX but smaller. They conform to the European CECC 22000 specification. The connectors have a lock-snap mechanism allowing 360-degree rotation and usually have a 50 Ω impedance. They offer broadband capability from DC to 6 GHz. MMCX connectors are most commonly seen on Wi-Fi PCMCIA cards as antenna connectors or as connectors for external GPS antennas on small devices like PDAs or GPS receivers. They are also used by various brands of in-ear monitors to connect the cable to the individual earpieces. This allows for the cables to be replaced or swapped. They were developed in the 1990s.

MMCX Male Connector

MMCX Reverse Polarity Male Connector

MMCX Right Angle Male Connector

MMCX Reverse Polarity Right Angle Male Connector

Mini-UHF connectors

Mini-UHF connectors are miniaturized versions of UHF connectors, designed primarily for use in bag-type mobile phones and similar applications where size is an important consideration. Introduced in the 1970s, Mini-UHF has a 3/8-24 thread size and operates up to 2.5 GHz.

Mini-UHF Male Connector

Mini-UHF Female Connector

N-Type Connectors

The N connector is a threaded, weatherproof, medium-size RF connector used to join coaxial cables. It was one of the first connectors capable of carrying microwave-frequency signals, the connector was designed to carry signals at frequencies up to 1 GHz in military applications, but today's common Type N easily handles frequencies up to 11 GHz. The male connector is hand-tightened and has an air gap between the center and outer conductors. The coupling has a 5/8-24 thread.

and comes in 50 and 75 ohm versions. The 50 ohm version is widely used in the infrastructure of land mobile, wireless data, paging and cellular systems. The 75 ohm version is primarily used in the infrastructure of cable television systems. Connecting these two different types of connectors to each other can lead to damage, and/or intermittent operation due to the difference in diameter of the center pin.

Some manufacturers which use N-Type connections on some of their Wireless access point products are:

EnGenius

Wi-LAN

N-Type Male Connector

N-Type Female Connector

N-Type Reverse Polarity Male Connector

N-Type Reverse Polarity Female Connector

N-Type Right Angle Male Connector

N-Type Female Bulkhead Connector

QMA Connectors

QMA connectors are quick-connect RF connectors that were designed to replace the widely used SMA (used in low power transmissions; DC–18 GHz) and Type N (used in medium power transmissions; DC–11 GHz) connectors. The connectors have been available since 2003. The connector family was created by the Quick Lock Formula Alliance. QMA connectors are the quick lock version of SMA and N connectors. This design can save much handling time because it allows quick mating and demating without tools. Due to the smaller overall size, it can save the operating space and allows for high density arrangement. To make cable routing easier, it can rotate 360 degrees after installation.

QMA Male Connector

QMA Right Angle Male

SMA Connectors

SMA (Sub Miniature version A) connectors are semi-precision coaxial RF connectors developed in the 1960s as a minimal connector interface for coaxial cable with a screw-type coupling mechanism. The connector has a 50 Ω impedance. SMA is designed for use from DC to 18 GHz, but is most commonly encountered with WiFi antenna systems and USB Software Defined Radio dongles[citation needed]. SMA connectors can be visually confused with the standard household 75-ohm type F coax connector (diameters: Male 7⁄16 inch (11 mm) circular or hex; female 3⁄8 in (9.5 mm) external threads), as there is only about a 2 mm difference overall in the specifications. Type F cannot be mated with SMA; this connection is possible using an adapter.

SMA Male Connector	SMA Female Connector	SMA Reverse Polarity Male Connector	SMA Reverse Polarity Female Connector	SMA Right Angle Male Connector	SMA Female Bulkhead Connector
SMA SMA Reverse Polarity Female Bulkhead Connector	SMA Reverse Polarity Right Angle Male Connector	SMA Reverse Polarity Right Angle Female Bulkhead Connector

SMB Connectors

SMB (Sub Miniature version B) connectors are coaxial RF connectors developed in the 1960s. SMB connectors are smaller than SMA connectors. They feature a snap-on coupling and are available in either 50 Ω or 75 Ω impedance. They offer excellent electrical performance from DC to 4 GHz. An SMB jack has a male center pin, while an SMB plug has a female basket. Connectors are available for two SMB cable sizes:

• Cable 2.6/50+75 S (3 mm outer / 1.7 mm inner diameter) and
• Cable 2/50 S (2.2 mm outer / 1 mm inner diameter)

SMB Male Connector

SMB Female Connector

SMB Right Angle Male Connector

SMB Female Bulkhead Connector

TNC Connectors

The TNC (Threaded Neill–Concelman) connector is a threaded version of the BNC connector. The connector has a 50 Ω impedance and operates best in the 0–11 GHz frequency spectrum. It has better performance than the BNC connector at microwave frequencies. Invented in the late 1950s and named after Paul Neill of Bell Labs and Carl Concelman of Amphenol, the TNC connector has been employed in a wide range of radio and wired applications. Most TNC connectors are 50-ohm type even when used with coaxial cable of other impedances,[citation needed] but a 75-ohm series is also available, providing a good SWR to about 1 GHz. These can be recognized by a reduced amount of dielectric in the mating ends. They are interminable with standard types.

TNC Male Connector	TNC Female Connector	TNC Reverse Polarity Male Connector	TNC Reverse Polarity Female Connector	TNC Female Bulkhead Connector	TNC Reverse Polarity Female Bulkhead Connector
TNC Reverse Polarity Right Angle Male Connector

UHF Connectors

The UHF connector is a World War II or earlier threaded RF connector design, from an era when "UHF" referred to frequencies over 30 MHz. Originally intended for use as a video connector in radar applications, the connector was later used for other RF applications.[citation needed] This connector was developed on basis of a shielded banana plug. Originally the connector was designed to carry signals at frequencies up to 300 MHz, but later measurements reveal limitations above 100 MHz. The coupling shell has a  5⁄8 inch 24tpi UNEF standard thread. The most popular cable plug and corresponding chassis-mount socket carry the old Signal Corps nomenclatures PL-259 (plug) and SO-239 (socket). These are also known as Navy type 49190 and 49194 respectively.

UHF Male Connector

UHF Female Connector

7/16 DIN connector

The 7-16 DIN connector or 7/16 (seven and sixteen millimeter DIN) is a 50 Ω threaded RF connector used to join coaxial cables. It is among the most widely used high power RF connectors in cellular network antenna systems. Originally popular in Europe, it has gained widespread use in the USA and elsewhere. The 7-16 DIN connector out performs other non-flange options, such as N connectors or BNC connectors, when it comes to interference and intermodulation rejection or higher power handling at RF frequencies.

7-16 DIN Male Connector

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