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Attenuator Switches From 0 To 63 dB In 30 ns

Dec. 21, 2010

Model DA64-63B from Narda Microwave-East is a switched bit attenuator with 50-percent TTL to 90-percent RF switching speed of 30 ns. It features rise and fall times of 10 ns. The attenuator controls an attenuation range of 0 to 63 dB in 1-dB (monotonic) steps over a frequency range of 2 to 6 GHz with insertion loss of 4.3 dB or less and better than 2.0:1 VSWR. The attenuation flatness is +/-0.5 dB for attenuation settings to 31 dB and +/-1 dB for attenuation settings to 63 dB. The attenuator can handle input power levels to +23 dBm. It requires 350 mA current from a +5-VDC supply and measures just 1 x 0.75 x 0.24 in. The rugged hermetic attenuator meets MIL-STD-202F requirements for humidity, shock, altitude, vibration, and thermal shock and is supplied with removable SMA female connectors.

About the Author

Jack Browne | Technical Contributor

Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.