IEC 61196-1-124:2022

IEC 61196-1-124 ®
Edition 1.0 2022-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Coaxial communication cables –
Part 1-124: Electrical test methods – Test for coupling loss of radiating cable

Câbles coaxiaux de communication –
Partie 1-124: Méthodes d’essai électrique – Essai de perte de couplage des
câbles rayonnants
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IEC 61196-1-124 ®
Edition 1.0 2022-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Coaxial communication cables –

Part 1-124: Electrical test methods – Test for coupling loss of radiating cable

Câbles coaxiaux de communication –

Partie 1-124: Méthodes d’essai électrique – Essai de perte de couplage des

câbles rayonnants
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 33.120.10 ISBN 978-2-8322-5223-9

– 2 – IEC 61196-1-124:2022 © IEC 2022
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Methodology . 5
4.1 General . 5
4.2 Free-space method . 5
4.3 Ground-level method. 6
5 Test procedures . 7
5.1 General . 7
5.2 Equipment . 7
5.3 Calibration . 7
5.4 Measurement . 7
6 Expression of test results . 8
6.1 Expression . 8
6.2 Mean value of the coupling loss . 9
7 Test report . 9
8 Requirements . 9
Bibliography . 10

Figure 1 – Antenna orientations with free-space method . 6
Figure 2 – Antenna orientations with ground-level method . 7
Figure 3 – Coupling loss with free-space method . 8
Figure 4 – Coupling loss with ground-level method . 8

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
COAXIAL COMMUNICATION CABLES –

Part 1-124: Electrical test methods –
Test for coupling loss of radiating cable

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
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rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
IEC 61196-1-124 has been prepared by subcommittee 46A: Coaxial cables, of IEC technical
committee 46: Cables, wires, waveguides, RF connectors, RF and microwave passive
components and accessories. It is an International Standard.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
46A/1578/FDIS 46A/1587/RVD
Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
the above table.
The language used for the development of this International Standard is English.

– 4 – IEC 61196-1-124:2022 © IEC 2022
This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and ISO/IEC Directives, IEC Supplement, available
at www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs. The main document types developed by IEC are
described in greater detail at www.iec.ch/standardsdev/publications.
A list of all parts of the IEC 61196 series, under the general title: Coaxial communication cables,
can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under webstore.iec.ch in the data related to the
specific document. At this date, the document will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
COAXIAL COMMUNICATION CABLES –

Part 1-124: Electrical test methods –
Test for coupling loss of radiating cable

1 Scope
This part of IEC 61196 defines the test method to determine the coupling loss of radiating
coaxial communication cables that are intended for use in wireless communication systems
such as tunnels, railways, highways, subways, elevators and other confined areas in which
conventional antenna transmission is not satisfactory or even impossible.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies.
For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 61196-1, Coaxial communication cables − Part 1: Generic specification − General,
definitions and requirements
IEC 61196-4, Coaxial communication cables − Part 4: Sectional specification for radiating
cables
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 61196-1 and
IEC 61196-4 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
4 Methodology
4.1 General
The measurements of coupling loss for radiating cables can be carried out by one of the two
methods, where the free-space method shall be the arbitration method if there is an argument:
– free-space method;
– ground-level method.
4.2 Free-space method
The arrangement of the cable is given in Figure 1. The cable is laid on non-metallic posts at a
height of 1,5 m to 2 m.
– 6 – IEC 61196-1-124:2022 © IEC 2022
The cable shall be at least 10 λ, where λ is the cable wavelength of the measuring frequency,
but not shorter than 50 m or 10 λ; the larger value is applicable.
The antenna is put on a trolley and moved parallel to the cable. The height of the antenna
centre should be the same as that of the cable and its horizontal distance from the cable should
be about 2 m (additional distance can be added in the detail specification). Preferably, a half-
wavelength dipole shall be used. Type and gain of antenna used should be stated in the test
report.
No other metallic parts than the cable and the antenna should be included within a cylinder of
2 m (min.) in diameter surrounding the axis of the cable and the centre of the antenna.
The spatial orientation of the antenna should be as specified in the detail specification.
For basic antenna orientations for a dipole, see Figure 1.

Key
1 cable
2 radial
3 orthogonal
4 parallel
Figure 1 – Antenna orientations with free-space method
4.3 Ground-level method
The arrangement of the cable is given in Figure 2. The cable is laid on non-metallic spacers
which gives the cable a distance from the concrete floor of 10 cm to 12 cm.
The cable shall be at least 10 λ, where λ is the cable wavelength of the measuring frequency,
but not shorter than 50 m or 10 λ; the larger value is applicable.
The antenna is fixed to a trolley and moved along the cable, the centre of the antenna positioned
vertically above the cable at a distance of about 2 m (additional distance may be added in the
detail specification). Preferably, a half-wavelength dipole shall be used. Type and gain of
antenna used should be stated in the test report.
The spatial orientation of the antenna shall be as specified in the detail specification.
For basic antenna orientations for a dipole, see Figure 2.

Key
1 cable
2 radial
3 orthogonal
4 parallel
Figure 2 – Antenna orientations with ground-level method
5 Test procedures
5.1 General
The ratio of the power P transmitted into the radiating cable at one point to the power P
t r
received by a half-wavelength dipole antenna located at a distance from the radiating cable at
the same point (see Formula (1)) can be defined by the following formula:
 
P
t
L 10⋅log
(1)
 
c
P
 r
where
L is the coupling loss, expressed in dB;
c
P is the transmission power in the radiating cable at one point, expressed in dBm;
t
is the receiving power of the half-wavelength dipole antenna at a distance from the
P
r
radiating cable at the same point, expressed in dBm.
5.2 Equipment
The following equipment can be used:
– a signal generator;
– a spectrum analyser (receiver);
– a vector network analyser.
5.3 Calibration
Connect the signal generator directly to the spectrum analyser with a short reach test lead. The
difference of power level between the signal generator and the spectrum analyser at every
specific frequency should be recorded as N prior to the measurement.
e
5.4 Measurement
Adjust the signal generator frequency and output power level. Feed the signal to port A of the
cable.
=
– 8 – IEC 61196-1-124:2022 © IEC 2022
Record the power level received by the antenna as a function of the distance of the antenna
from the input port A of the cable by a spectrum analyser.
The test setup for free-space and ground-level method are given as Figure 3 and Figure 4,
respectively.
There should be sufficient local resolution for the measurement to be valid. Therefore,
10 measurements per half-wavelength should be made to calculate the coupling loss for
reception probabilities up to 95 %. To calculate higher reception probabilities, a sampling rate
of 20 measurements per half-wavelength should be made. If there is an argument, the total
number of measurements shall not be less than 1 000.

Figure 3 – Coupling loss with free-space method

Figure 4 – Coupling loss with ground-level method
6 Expression of test results
6.1 Expression
The coupling loss can be computed as:

L ()z N−Nz()− (α⋅+z) G
(2)
c er
where
G is the gain of the antenna, expressed in dBd;
L (z) is the level of local coupling loss from the input end (z) of cable, expressed in dB;
c
N is the power level at the cable input, expressed in dBm;
e
N is the power level at the antenna, expressed in dBm;
r
α is the attenuation constant, expressed in dB/100 m;
z is the distance from cable input to the antenna, expressed in 100 m.
=
NOTE The test for attenuation constant of radiating cable is specified in IEC 61196-1-123.
Cable with periodic structures of radiating apertures create an RF field with a main lobe
...