To further expand support for its broadband test and measurement instruments, communication test equipment supplier Trilithic Inc. has added four new RF and microwave components. These include programmable RF switches, benchtop attenuattors, rotary step attenuators and impedance matching pads.

In some switching applications, it is more convenient to mount switch modules near the signal sources to be switched and to operate them via "twisted pair" wiring from the INTERLINK card frame, according to Trilithic. For that, the supplier has released 7000 series of programmable RF switches with SPDT, SP4T and SP8T configurations. All the switches use 12 Vdc operating voltage and offer 75 Ohms impedance.

While the operating frequency range for SPDT and SP4T is 5 MHz to 1 GHz, SP8T offers three frequency ranges of 5 MHz – 1 GHz, DC – 650 MHz and DC – 1000 MHz. Also, these programmable microwave switches offer many choices for connectors.

For example, connector choice for SPDT includes BNC female (7002B-12V-TTL-R) and type F female (7002F-12V-TTL-R) connectors. And SP4T switches also offer a choice between BNC female (7204B-12V-TTL-R) and type F female (7204F-12V-TTL-R) connectors. Likewise, in the frequency range of 5 MHz – 1 GHz, SP8T switches come with BNC female (7208B-12V-TTL-R) connectors and for DC – 650 MHz version it comes with standard F connectors and precision F connectors for DC-1000 MHz range (7208F-12V-TTL-R).       

Labeled BMA, Trilithic’s benchtop attenuators offer a wide variety of step sizes, impedances, dynamic ranges, and connectors. The units combine two or three of the RSA (News - Alert) series units in a durable case suitable for bench or portable use. Key features include wide frequency range, high accuracy rate and flexible design considerations.

The manual variable attenuator BMA-780 is capable of handling 2 Watts in the DC-1 GHz frequency range with 75 Ohms impedance. Offering 0-80 dB attenuation in 1 dB steps, BMA-780 units come with either BNC or F connectors. Similarly, the models BMA-781 offer 0 – 81 dB attenuation in 0.1 dB steps with connector choice of BNC or F.

Trilithic has also introduced high performance RSA series of rotary step attenuators for durable, precise signal level control in the DC to 3 GHz range. Offering broad frequency range, high accuracy rate, low  VSWR, and flexible design configurations at competitive prices, the series is divided into both 50 and 75 Ohm units with attenuation as high as 110 dB dynamic range (in 10 dB steps), or as low as 1 dB range in 0.1 dB steps.

The communication test equipment provider notes that a firm, snap action detent locks in the desired attenuation as indicated on the supplied control knob. Low VSWR and insertion loss is assured throughout the range of each unit with tightly controlled pad values and machining tolerances.

Lastly, Trilithic has readied ZM series of minimum loss, coaxial pads as resistive 'L' pads, which provide the minimum loss possible for resistive matching between different impedances. Trilithic said that the ZM series provides superior performance through 1 GHz and offer an accurate and convenient means of impedance transformation.

Most signal and sweep generators have a nominal source impedance of 50 or 75 ohms. However, by using the ZM series pads, these impedances can be transformed to a different impedance as required for a specific application, explained Tritlithic. Designed to operate up to 3 GHz, the ZM series impedance matching pads are available in a variety of connector configurations.