IEC TS 62153-4-1:2014/AMD1:2020

Amendment 1 - Metallic communication cable test methods - Part 4-1: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Introduction to electromagnetic (EMC) screening measurements

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 06-May-2020
• ICS: 33.100.10 - Emission
• Technical Committee: TC 46 - Cables, wires, waveguides, RF connectors, RF and microwave passive components and accessories
• Drafting Committee: WG 5 - TC 46/WG 5
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 07-May-2020
• Completion Date: 23-Apr-2020

Relations

• Amends: IEC TS 62153-4-1:2014 - Metallic communication cable test methods - Part 4-1: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Introduction to electromagnetic screening measurements
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC TS 62153-4-1:2014/AMD1:2020 is Amendment 1 to the IEC technical specification for metallic communication cable test methods - Part 4-1: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The amendment adds normative guidance for mixed‑mode (balanced/unbalanced) S‑parameter measurements, clarifies balun and multiport VNA options, and introduces new annexes that define measurement configurations, terminations, and mathematical conversion methods used for electromagnetic screening measurements of screened balanced cables and connectors.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Mixed‑mode S‑parameters (Annex A, normative)
  • Definitions and nomenclature for single‑ended (s), differential (d) and common mode (c) S‑parameters.
  • Conversion between standard 4‑port S‑parameters and mixed‑mode matrices (mathematical balun M matrix).
  • Balunless measurement options: multiport VNA with mixed‑mode capability (virtual balun) may replace physical balun.
• Measurement configurations
  • Unbalanced–balanced and balanced–balanced stimulus/response matrices showing which mixed‑mode S‑parameters represent coupling attenuation, screening attenuation, and unbalance attenuation.
• Terminations and reference impedances
  • Differential termination: 100 Ω (2 × 50 Ω). Common‑mode termination: 25 Ω (Z0/2).
  • Recommendation for full 4‑port calibration when using a 4‑port VNA with mixed‑mode parameters.
• TP‑connecting unit performance (100 kHz – 2 GHz)
  • Primary single‑ended impedance: 50 Ω; secondary differential: 100 Ω.
  • Return loss (differential) > 20 dB; differential attenuation < 0.3 dB.
  • Unbalance attenuation (TCTL) > 60 dB − 10·log(f), with 40 dB maximum.
• Modal decomposition (Annex B, informative)
  • Procedure to derive mixed‑mode S‑parameters from 4‑port S‑parameter measurements using impedance (Z) matrices and conversion matrices (mathematical baluns).

Applications and Users

This amendment is essential for:

• EMC test laboratories performing screening, coupling attenuation, and unbalance attenuation tests on screened balanced cables and multipin connectors.
• Cable and connector manufacturers validating EMC performance up to GHz frequencies using VNA equipment.
• RF/EMC engineers implementing balunless measurement techniques with multiport VNAs (virtual balun) and ensuring correct terminations and calibration.
• Standards and compliance professionals referencing test procedure details for product certification and internal QA.

Practical uses include balunless measurement setups, TP‑connecting unit selection, configuring VNAs for mixed‑mode S‑parameter extraction, and converting 4‑port measurements into differential/common‑mode performance metrics.

Related Standards

• IEC 62153‑4‑9 (Coupling attenuation of screened balanced cables - triaxial method) - added as a normative reference.
• EN 50289‑1‑1 (Communication cables - electrical test methods) - referenced in the bibliography.

Keywords: IEC TS 62153-4-1:2014/AMD1:2020, electromagnetic compatibility, EMC, mixed mode S-parameters, VNA, balun, coupling attenuation, screening attenuation, metallic communication cable test methods.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC TS 62153-4-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2020-05
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
colour
inside
AMENDMENT 1
Metallic communication cable test methods –
Part 4-1: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Introduction to electromagnetic
screening measurements
IEC TS 62153-4-1:2014-01/AMD1:2020-05(en)

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IEC TS 62153-4-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2020-05
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
colour
inside
AMENDMENT 1
Metallic communication cable test methods –

Part 4-1: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Introduction to electromagnetic

screening measurements
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.100.10 ISBN 978-2-8322-8044-7

– 2 – IEC TS 62153-4-1:2014/AMD1:2020
 IEC 2020
FOREWORD
This amendment has been prepared by IEC technical committee 46: Cables, wires,
waveguides, RF connectors, RF and microwave passive components and accessories.
The text of this amendment is based on the following documents:
DTS Report on voting
46/726/DTS 46/748/RVDTS
Full information on the voting for the approval of this amendment can be found in the report
on voting indicated in the above table.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• transformed into an International standard,
• 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.
_____________
2  Normative references
Add to the following reference to Clause 2:
IEC 62153-4-9, Metallic communication cable test methods – Part 4-9: Electromagnetic
compatibility (EMC) – Coupling attenuation of screened balanced cables, triaxial method
Figure 86 – Principle test set-up for measuring the coupling attenuation of screened
balanced or multipin connectors
Insert the following note before the title:
NOTE  The balun transformer is not required in case of multiport VNA with mixed mode capabilities, see Annex A.
Add, after Clause 12, the following new Annexes A and B:

 IEC 2020
Annex A
(normative)
Mixed mode S-parameter
A.1 General
To measure the parameters like unbalance attenuation, coupling attenuation etc. of balanced
cables, connectors and components, a differential signal is required. This can, for example,
be generated by using a balun which converts the unbalanced signal of a 50 Ω network
analyser into a balanced signal.
Alternatively, a balanced signal may be obtained by using a vector network analyser (VNA)
having two generators with a phase shift of 180°. Another alternative is to measure with a
multi-port VNA (virtual balun).
The properties of balanced pairs are determined mathematically from the measured values of
each single conductor of the pair against reference ground. The coverable frequency range
for the determination of the reflection and transmission characteristics of symmetrical pairs is
no longer limited by the balun but by the VNA and the connection technique.
A.2 Definition of mixed mode S-parameters
The transmission characteristics of four poles or two ports, such as coaxial cables, may be
described by the scattering parameter or abbreviated “S-parameter”, see Figure A.1. In matrix
notation it is written:
ba SS a
   
11 11 12 1
(A.1)
=S⋅= ⋅
( )
   
ba SS a
 22  21 22 2
where a and b are the normalized power
waves of the input and output ports.

Figure A.1 – Common two-port network
The definition of the scattering matrix can be easily extended to arbitrary N gates, see
Figure A.2. For a four-port, this results in:
b a S SS S a
     
11 11 12 13 14 1
     
b a S SS S a
22 2
std 21 22 23 24
     

S ⋅
( )
     
b a S SS S a
33 31 32 33 43 3
     

     
b a S SS S a
 44   41 42 43 44  4
(A.2)
Figure A.2 – Common four port network
==
– 4 – IEC TS 62153-4-1:2014/AMD1:2020
 IEC 2020
A.3 Mixed mode S-parameter nomenclature
For the measurement of symmetrical two-ports, the physical ports of the multi-port VNA are
combined into logical ports, see Figure A.3:

Figure A.3 – Physical and logical ports of a VNA
According to Figure A.4, the following nomenclature is used:

s: Single ended
Modus d: Differential mode
c: Common mode
Figure A.4 – Nomenclature of mixed mode S-parameters
Accordingly, the S-parameters can be understood as ratios of power waves.
input signal at VNA - port Aat modus x
S= (A.3)
xyAB
input signal at VNA - port Bat modus y
std
The conversion of the asymmetrical four-port scattering parameters S to mixed mode
mm
scattering parameters S for a symmetrical two-port network is given by:
mm std -1
S = M ×S ×M (A.4)
 IEC 2020
where
1 -1 0 0
 
 
0-01 1
 
M= (A.5)
2  11 0 0
 
0 0 1 1
 
 S S SS 
  
dd11 dd12 dc11 dc12
 
  
SS S S
 dd21 dd22 dc21 dc22
mm
 
S =
(A.6)
 
SS S S
   
cd11 cd12 cc11 cc12
 
   
SS S S
 
 cd21 cd22  cc21 cc22
 
The derivation of the mixed mode parameters (Formulae (A.4) to (A.6)) is described in
Annex B.
For the measurement of a two-port with an unbalanced port (single ended) and a balanced
port, e.g. to measure coupling attenuation according to IEC 62153-4-5 or to IEC 62153-4-9,
the measurement configurations according to Table A.1 arise:
Table A.1 – Measurement configurations unbalanced – balanced
Stimulus
Single ended Differential mode Common mode
Logical port 1 Logical port 2 Logical port 2
Single ended Logical port 1 S S S
ss11 sd12 sc12
Differential mode Logical port 2 S S S
ds21 dd22 dc22
Common mode Logical port 2 S S S
cs21 cd22 cc22
The measurement of the coupling attenuation corresponds to a stimulus in the differential
mode and to a response in the unbalanced (coaxial) mode (single ended), i.e. a measurement
of the S-parameter S . The mea
...