Search:                        
Please support my efforts by ADVERTISING!
Serving a Pleasing Blend of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow™

Vintage Magazines

Electronics World
Popular Electronics
Radio & TV News
QST | Pop Science
Popular Mechanics
Radio-Craft
Radio-Electronics
Short Wave Craft
Electronics | OFA
Saturday Eve Post
Electronics Illustrated

Formulas | Data

Electronics | RF
Mathematics
Mechanics
Physics

Calvin & Phineas

Archive | Sitemap
kmblatt83@aol.com

Resources

Radar | AI
Cogitations
RF Museum
Videos | Pics |
Things | Logos
Radio Datashts
WJ Tech Notes
Day in History

Entertainment

Crosswords
Humor | Podcasts
Quotes | Quizzes
Tech Comics

Parts | Services

1000s of Listings

About RF Cafe
Software: RF Cascade Workbook | RF Symbols for Office | RF Symbols & Stencils for Visio | Espresso Workbook
SATNow Satellite Industry Resources Database - RF Cafe Website

Coaxial Connectors Quiz
RF Cafe Quiz #79

RF Engineering Quizzes - RF Cafe WebsiteAll RF Cafe Quizzes make great fodder for employment interviews for technicians or engineers - particularly those who are fresh out of school or are relatively new to the work world. Come to think of it, they would make equally excellent study material for the same persons who are going to be interviewed for a job. Bonne chance, Viel Glück, がんばろう, buena suerte, удачи, in bocca al lupo, 행운을 빕니다, ádh mór, בהצלחה, lykke til, 祝你好運. Well, you know what I mean: Good luck!

Click here for the complete list of RF Cafe Quizzes.

Note: Some material based on books have quoted passages.

Welcome to the RF Coaxial Connectors Quiz, an essential module for any engineer or radio hobbyist focused on maintaining interconnect integrity across their signal chain. Whether you are standardizing your station hardware, troubleshooting high-frequency signal leakage, or verifying the physical port interfaces for your test bench equipment, a thorough understanding of coaxial connector characteristics - from the rugged reliability of the Type N to the precision of the SMA - is vital. This assessment challenges your proficiency in connector selection, exploring the differences in mating mechanisms, cutoff frequencies, constant-impedance geometries, and the practical environmental considerations that govern their real-world application. By evaluating your knowledge of these critical interface points, you reinforce your ability to prevent impedance mismatches and minimize insertion loss induced by poorly matched hardware. Use this quiz to validate your expertise, ensuring that every connection in your system architecture remains robust, stable, and theoretically sound at your operating frequency of interest.

Select your answers, then click the "Submit" button.

1. Which connector type, originally designed for wartime radar, is historically known for having non-constant impedance at high frequencies?

Type N
SMA
UHF (PL-259/SO-239)
BNC

 

2. What is the primary advantage of the Type N connector over lower-cost alternatives?

It is significantly smaller than an SMA
It maintains a constant 50-ohm impedance through the connector
It requires no threading to mate
It is built for audio only

 

3. Where is the SMA connector most commonly used?

Heavy-duty broadcast towers
Precision RF equipment and microwave modules
DC power distribution
High-voltage automotive ignition

 

4. What does the "BNC" in BNC connector stand for?

Bayonet Neill-Concelman
Basic Network Connector
British National Circuit
Balanced Nominal Coupling

 

5. What is the typical upper frequency limit for a standard brass-body SMA connector?

500 MHz
1 GHz
18 GHz
100 GHz

 

6. Why should you use a torque wrench when tightening SMA connectors?

To increase electrical conductivity
To prevent damage to the thin center pin and ensure optimal contact
To prevent the cable from spinning
It is purely for aesthetic consistency

 

7. What is the main drawback of the UHF (PL-259) connector at microwave frequencies?

It is too fragile
It has internal discontinuities that cause reflections
It has too much gold plating
It is incompatible with 50-ohm cable

 

8. What type of mating mechanism does a BNC connector utilize?

Threaded coupling
Bayonet-style quick-connect
Friction fit (Press-fit)
Magnetic snap-on

 

9. What is a "Reverse Polarity SMA" (RP-SMA) connector primarily used for?

Higher power handling
Compliance with FCC regulations for consumer Wi-Fi equipment
Measuring standing waves in reverse
DC power inversion

 

10. What material is preferred for high-performance connector center pins to ensure low loss?

Lead
Gold-plated brass or beryllium copper
Aluminum
Uncoated iron

 

Quizzes from vintage electronics magazines such as Popular Electronics, Electronics-World, QST, Radio-Electronics, and Radio News were published over the years - some really simple and others not so simple. Robert P. Balin created most of the quizzes for Popular Electronics. This is a listing of all I have posted thus far.

RF Cafe Quizzes

Vintage Electronics Magazine Quizzes

Vintage Electronics Magazine Quizzes
RF Cascade Workbook - RF Cafe Website

About the RF Cafe™ Website ©1996-2026

Kirt Blattenberger - RF Cafe WebmasterRF Cafe began life in 1996 as "RF Tools" in an AOL screen name web space totaling 2 MB. Its primary purpose was to provide me with ready access to commonly needed formulas and reference material while performing my work as an RF system and circuit design engineer. The World Wide Web (Internet) was largely an unknown entity at the time and bandwidth was a scarce commodity. Dial-up modems blazed along at 14.4 kbps while tying up your telephone line, and a lady's voice announced "You've Got Mail" when a new message arrived...

Webmaster: Kirt Blattenberger  |     BSEE - KB3UON - AMA92498  |  USAF Radar Technician

All trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other rights of ownership to images and text used on the RF Cafe website are hereby acknowledged.

My Hobby Website: AirplanesAndRockets.com  | My Daughter's Website: EquineKingdom
Please Support My Advertisers!
Transcat | Axiom Test Equipment - RF Cafe Website
Aegis Power | Centric RF | RFCT
Empower RF | Reactel | SF Circuits
Alliance Test | Isotec
Tennode RF Connectors and Cables - RF Cafe Website

Exodus Advanced Communications Best in Class RF Amplifier SSPAs

LadyBug Technologies LB466A Power Monitor - RF Cafe Website		 Anritsu MA25211A P25 Radio Auto Test & Alignment System - RF Cafe Website

Exodus Advanced Communications Best in Class RF Amplifier SSPAs

Espresso Engineering Workbook

Please Support RF Cafe by purchasing my ridiculously low-priced products, all of which I created.

RF Cascade Workbook for Excel

RF & Electronics Symbols for Visio

RF & Electronics Symbols for Office

RF & Electronics Stencils for Visio

RF Workbench

These Are Available for Free

Espresso Engineering Workbook™

Smith Chart™ for Excel