IEC TS 61169-1-51:2020

IEC TS 61169-1-51 ®
Edition 1.0 2020-10
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
colour
inside
Radio frequency connectors –
Part 1-51: Technical specification of electrical tests – Uncertainty specification
of frequency domain test for return loss

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IEC TS 61169-1-51 ®
Edition 1.0 2020-10
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
colour
inside
Radio frequency connectors –
Part 1-51: Technical specification of electrical tests – Uncertainty specification

of frequency domain test for return loss

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.120.30 ISBN 978-2-8322-8928-0

– 2 – IEC TS 61169-1-51:2020 © IEC 2020
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 Units, symbols and dimensions . 7
4.1 Units and symbols. 7
5 Report characteristics . 7
6 Return loss in frequency domain tests . 7
6.1 Parameters . 7
6.2 General considerations . 7
6.3 Test equipment . 8
6.3.1 General requirement . 8
6.3.2 VNA calibration uncertainty. 8
6.3.3 Terminating load specification . 9
6.3.4 Other test conditions . 10
6.3.5 Total test uncertainty . 10
Annex A (informative) Estimation of VNA uncertainty specifications from commercial
standard devices . 11
A.1 Estimation from calibration certificate . 11
A.2 Estimation from data/specification sheet . 11
Bibliography . 13

Figure 1 – Graphical symbols . 8
Figure 2 – Graphical principle . 8
Figure 3 – VNA measurement model . 8

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
RADIO FREQUENCY CONNECTORS –
Part 1-51: Technical specification of electrical tests –
Uncertainty specification of frequency domain test for return loss

FOREWORD
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The main task of IEC technical committees is to prepare International Standards. In
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Specification when
• the required support cannot be obtained for the publication of an International Standard,
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• the subject is still under technical development or where, for any other reason, there is the
future but no immediate possibility of an agreement on an International Standard.
Technical Specifications are subject to review within three years of publication to decide
whether they can be transformed into International Standards.
IEC TS 61169-1-51, which is a Technical Specification, has been prepared by subcommittee
46F: RF and microwave passive components, of IEC technical committee 46: Cables, wires,
waveguides, RF connectors, RF and microwave passive components and accessories.

– 4 – IEC TS 61169-1-51:2020 © IEC 2020
The text of this Technical Specification is based on the following documents:
Draft TS Report on voting
46F/488/DTS 46F/495/RVDTS
Full information on the voting for the approval of this Technical Specification can be found in
the report on voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts in the IEC 61169 series, published under the general title Radio frequency
connectors, can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
INTRODUCTION
This document relates to technical requirements for electrical tests for radio frequency
connectors. In IEC 61169-1:2013, a frequency domain test method has been described.
However, the document does not contain the quantitative uncertainty specification for
measurement instruments, i.e. vector network analysers and terminations, for return loss. This
document shows quantitative uncertainty specifications of electrical tests for return loss of
radio frequency connectors. In addition, the document includes a brief analysis of vector
network analyser measurement uncertainty for return loss measurements of radio frequency
connectors.
– 6 – IEC TS 61169-1-51:2020 © IEC 2020
RADIO FREQUENCY CONNECTORS –
Part 1-51: Technical specification of electrical tests –
Uncertainty specification of frequency domain test for return loss

1 Scope
This part of IEC 61169, which is a Technical Specification, relates to radio frequency
connectors for RF transmission lines for use in telecommunications, electronics and similar
equipment.
It provides the technical report for the uncertainty specifications for return loss measurements,
which apply to individual connector types, by vector network analysers (VNAs). It is intended
to establish concepts and procedures considering:
– testing and measuring procedures concerning frequency domain electrical properties;
– uncertainty specifications of VNAs measurements for return loss of RF connectors.
The test methods and procedures of this document are intended for acceptance and type
approval testing.
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 60027, Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology
IEC 60050, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary
(available from: http://www.electropedia.org)
IEC 60617, Graphical symbols for diagrams
IEC 61169-1:2013, Radio frequency connectors – Part 1: Generic specification – General
requirements and measuring methods
ISO/IEC 17025:2017, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration
laboratories
ISO/IEC Guide 98-1, Uncertainty of measurement – Part 1: Introduction to the expression of
uncertainty in measurement
ISO 1000:1992 ,
...