IEC 62153-4-11:2009

Metallic communication cable test methods - Part 4-11: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Coupling attenuation or screening attenuation of patch cords, coaxial cable assemblies, pre-connectorized cables - Absorbing clamp method

IEC 62153-4-11:2009(E) details the method of test to determine the coupling attenuation and screening attenuation for patch cords, coaxial cable assemblies and pre-connectorized cables used in analogue and digital communication systems.
This publication is to be read in conjunction with IEC 62153-4-5:2006.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 06-Aug-2009
• ICS: 33.100.10 - Emission
• ICS: 33.120.10 - Coaxial cables. Waveguides
• 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-Aug-2009
• Completion Date: 31-Oct-2009

Overview

IEC 62153-4-11:2009 specifies a standardized test method to determine coupling attenuation and screening attenuation of patch cords, coaxial cable assemblies and pre-connectorized cables used in analogue and digital communication systems. Known as the absorbing clamp method, this part of the IEC 62153 series defines equipment, calibration, test-head and extension-cable requirements, measurement set-ups (near‑end and far‑end), and result expression for EMC evaluation of metallic communication cables. This publication is intended to be read in conjunction with IEC 62153-4-5:2006.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Scope: Measurement of coupling/screening attenuation for patch cords, coaxial assemblies and pre-connectorized cables using an absorbing clamp.
• Absorbing clamp method: Uses a ferrite absorber clamp to sample surface currents and convert them to a measurable signal (includes current transformer and measuring receiver).
• Test heads & extension cables:
  • Use unscreened/screened/unbalanced test heads and extension cables matching the cable type under test.
  • Extension cables must match the nominal characteristic impedance and velocity of propagation of the patch cord.
  • Operational attenuation of the near-end termination (including test heads) should be < 1 dB up to 100 MHz.
• Balun requirements (30 MHz – 1 GHz):
  • Primary impedance typically 50 Ω (unbalanced); secondary matched to 100 Ω or 150 Ω for balanced outputs.
  • Operational attenuation ≤ 10 dB; return loss ≥ 6 dB.
  • Output signal balance: ≥ 50 dB (30–100 MHz) and ≥ 30 dB (100 MHz–1 GHz).
• Impedance matching: Required only when return loss is < 10 dB; expected mismatch error ≤ ±0.5 dB.
• Test samples: Minimum single‑ended patch cord length is 1 m; double‑ended cords may be measured at any length (special cases for >6 m).
• Measurement sensitivity: Set-up sensitivity must be at least 6 dB better than the specified acceptance limit for the device under test.
• Calibration & validation: Detailed calibration and verification procedures are defined to ensure repeatable EMC results.

Applications and Users

This standard is essential for:

• Manufacturers of patch cords, coaxial assemblies and pre-connectorized cables validating EMC performance
• Independent test laboratories performing compliance and quality control testing
• EMC engineers, telecom installers and system integrators verifying screening/coupling performance in analogue and digital communications
• Product development teams ensuring designs meet screening attenuation targets

Keywords: IEC 62153-4-11, absorbing clamp method, coupling attenuation, screening attenuation, EMC testing, patch cords, coaxial cable assemblies, test heads, balun requirements.

Related Standards

• IEC 62153-4-5:2006 (absorbing clamp method - general)
• IEC 61196-1 (coaxial communication cables – generic specification)
• IEC 60050-726 (terminology for transmission lines)
• ITU‑T G.117 and O.9 (measurement/ unbalance guidance)

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 62153-4-11 ®
Edition 1.0 2009-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Metallic communication cable test methods –
Part 4-11: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Coupling attenuation or
screening attenuation of patch cords, coaxial cable assemblies,
pre-connectorized cables – Absorbing clamp method

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IEC 62153-4-11 ®
Edition 1.0 2009-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Metallic communication cable test methods –
Part 4-11: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Coupling attenuation or
screening attenuation of patch cords, coaxial cable assemblies,
pre-connectorized cables – Absorbing clamp method

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
PRICE CODE
N
ICS 33.100; 33.120.10 ISBN 978-2-88910-638-7
– 2 – 62153-4-11 © IEC:2009(E)
CONTENTS
FOREWORD.3

1 Scope.5
2 Normative references.5
3 Terms and definitions .5
4 Test method .5
4.1 Equipment .5
4.1.1 General .5
4.1.2 Balun requirements.6
4.1.3 Test head and extension cable requirements.7
4.1.4 Impedance matching.8
4.2 Test sample.8
4.2.1 Length of the patch cords under test .8
4.2.2 Length of extension cables connected to patch cord under test .8
4.2.3 Tested length.8
4.2.4 Preparation of extension cable and test head .8
4.3 Calibration procedure .9
4.4 Test set-up .9
4.4.1 General .9
4.4.2 Test set-up verification.11
4.5 Measuring procedure .12
5 Expression of test results.12
6 Test report.12
6.1 General .12
6.2 Evaluation of test results.13

Figure 1 – Measurement of surface wave at near end of patch cord .6
Figure 2 – Termination of extension cables.9
Figure 3 – Test set-up for a near end measurement of a double-ended patch cord.10
Figure 4 – Test set-up for a near end measurement of a single-ended patch cord .10
Figure 5 – Test set-up for a near end measurement of a double-ended patch cord.11
Figure 6 – Validation test set-up .12
Figure 7 – Typical measurement of an unscreened balanced patch cord .14
Figure 8 – Typical measurement of a screened balanced patch cord.14

Table 1 – Balun performance characteristics (30 MHz to 1 GHz).7

62153-4-11 © IEC:2009(E) – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
METALLIC COMMUNICATION CABLE TEST METHODS –

Part 4-11: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) –
Coupling attenuation or screening attenuation of patch cords,
coaxial cable assemblies, pre-connectorized cables –
Absorbing clamp method
FOREWORD
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International Standard IEC 62153-4-11 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 46:
Cables, wires, waveguides, R.F. connectors, R.F. and microwave passive components and
accessories.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
CDV Report on voting
46/311/CDV 46/327/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication is to be read in conjunction with IEC 62153-4-5 (2006).

– 4 – 62153-4-11 © IEC:2009(E)

This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts of the IEC 62153 series, under the general title: Metallic communication cable
test methods, can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until the
maintenance result 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.
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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 publication using a colour printer.

62153-4-11 © IEC:2009(E) – 5 –
METALLIC COMMUNICATION CABLE TEST METHODS –

Part 4-11: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) –
Coupling attenuation or screening attenuation of patch cords,
coaxial cable assemblies, pre-connectorized cables –
Absorbing clamp method
1 Scope
This part of IEC 62153 details the method of test to determine the coupling attenuation and
screening attenuation for patch cords, coaxial cable assemblies and pre-connectorized cables
used in analogue and digital communication systems.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application 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 60050-726, International Electrotechnical Vocabulary – Chapter 726: Transmission lines
and waveguides
IEC 61196-1, Coaxial communication cables – Part 1: Generic specification – General,
definitions and requirements
IEC 62153-4-5:2006, Metallic communication cables test methods – Part 4-5: Electromagnetic
compatibility (EMC) – Coupling or screening attenuation – Absorbing clamp method
ITU-T Recommendation G.117:1996, Transmission aspects of unbalance about earth
ITU-T Recommendation O.9:1999, Measuring arrangements to assess the degree of unbalance
about earth
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 60050-726 and
IEC 61196-1 apply.
In this document, the cords under test (patch cords, coaxial cable assemblies, pre-
connectorized cables) are denoted ‘patch cords’.
4 Test method
4.1 Equipment
4.1.1 General
See 5.1.1 of IEC 62153-4-5, and Figure 1 below.

– 6 – 62153-4-11 © IEC:2009(E)
For patch cord testing, two test head connecting hardware modules and extension cables are
needed for measurement of a patch cord (see 4.1.3). The two test heads are denoted as near
end test head and far end test head.

600 cm ± 10 cm
IEC  1468/09
Key
0 signal generator, output impedance Z 8 absorber (ferrite tube) of the clamp, operational
attenuation > 10 dB
1 patch cord under test, nominal characteristic 9 absorber (or second clamp), operational
impedance Z attenuation > 10 dB
2 outer circuit of patch cords under test, 10 termination of the far end extension cable
connected to patch cord under test
impedance Z2
3 absorbing clamp, impedance Z 11 shield of signal generator and balun if needed
for high dynamic range
4 measuring receiver 12 reflector plate
5 balun (if applicable) 13 extension cable connected through test head to
patch cord under test
6 current transformer of the clamp 14 test head for termination of patch cord at near
end
7 measuring receiver cable (use the same i
...