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How to measure characteristic impedance of coax cable?

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sina

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cable

How I must meausure characteristic impedance of coax cable?

I have coax cable.I want to use it in 900MHz how I can measure it characteristic impedance.
thank you
 

Re: cable

Characteristic impedance of the cable is not depending of the frequency.

You will need bridge to measure impedance. Look here for some example of bridge: https://www.rlocman.com.ru/am/a05007.htm

I make measuring by this way:

Take long section of cable. Attach it to the bridge and load opposite side of cable section by some known resistor (let say 30 Ohm), the same resistor attach to the other sholder of bridge. Tune frequency of generator (from lowest frequency to up) to balance bridge. You will find the frequency where your cable has 1/2 length of wavelength.

Then tune your generator at 1/2 of that frequency, thus your cable will have 1/4 of wavelength here. Balance bridge by variable resistor at other sholder of bridge and find impedance Z.

Find characteristic impedance of cable by this formula:

Zcable=SQRT(R*Z)

To avoid some errors make measuring at short wave frequencies, so take long enough section of cable.
 

Re: cable

it is easy:
measure the capacitance along the cable,C;then short the other end of the cable,measure the induce,L then Z0=sqrt(L/C)
 

Re: cable

thank you for your ansewr.how I must use these resistance at 900Mhz frequency that wavelenght is 0.34 meter these can generate lots of error.
 

Re: cable

Sina,

characteristic impedance of cable is not depending of frequency - it will be the same on 1 MHz, 30 MHz or 900 MHz. So, you can measure it on low frequency and then use on high.

Anyway, better use classic method suggested by springf2000 - you will need only LC meter.
 

Re: cable

by the way of calculate c and l and r of the line in this way we calculate aproximation of main Zc but when my cable lenght is about 1 meter and freq=900Mhz we have disturbuted c,l in all of line and we have some difference between calculations.I accept your opinion but I dont know how much error will be in this calculations.
thank you
 

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