News date: 12/05/2006
Coaxial adapters for monitoring points

Cornate d’Adda, may 2006 - Compel Electronics Spa, a leading international company in the design and manufacture of interconnection systems and cable assemblies, has extended its wide range of coaxial adapters for monitoring points.
The regular monitoring of signals is an important means for the correct functioning of telecommunication networks.
In transmission systems where measuring access to the signal flows has not been originally foreseen, the need arises to provide devices whereby they can be monitored without the service being interrupted.
Access to the signals is carried out through a device called an adapter for monitoring point which can either be a direct type or be uncoupled.
For the direct type, the device is made up of three coaxial interfaces so that an input / output path for the signal in transit and a direct link for monitoring are created.
For the uncoupled type, the device is also made up of three coaxial interfaces;  the difference lies in the fact that the signal which is picked up to be monitored is uncoupled with respect to the signal in transit through the insertion of an internal resistor which has been appropriately connected.
Sometimes there is also the need for better adaptation, from an electrical point of view, of the output port of the signal being monitored;  in this case a further resistor is appropriately connected, thus obtaining an uncoupled and adapted link.

As far as the interface coaxial connectors are concerned, the most common types used are the  1.0/2.3 and 1.6/5.6 (male or female).
Their configuration and shape can also be different:  there are “U-links”,  “T-shaped”,  “Y-shaped” models and other different shapes.
Compel has perfected a particular “T-shaped” model which is able to accommodate in each of the three positions either male or female connectors without distinction, which can be 1.0/2.3 or 1.6/5.6 coaxials, so that any type of interface combination (even hybrid) can be obtained.
This possibility exists both for direct types and for uncoupled types or uncoupled and adapted types.
With regard to the uncoupling level,  –20 dB is what is generally used, but other different values can be obtained, in any case, on request.
Of particular interest are the uncoupled types using a transformer (rather than resistors):  in this case there is the advantage of having a very low insertion attenuation of the signal in transit.