IEC 61169-1-2:2019

Radio-frequency connectors - Part 1-2: Electrical test methods - Insertion loss

IEC 61169-1-2:2019 provides test methods for the insertion loss of radio-frequency (RF) connectors.
This document is applicable to cable RF connectors, microstrip RF connectors and RF connector adapters. It is also applicable to RF channels in multi-RF channel connectors and hybrid connectors which contain any combination of coaxial contact, optical fibres contact, and current-carrying electrical contact element.

Connecteurs pour fréquences radioélectriques - Partie 1-2 : Méthodes d’essai électrique - Perte d’insertion

l’IEC 61169-1-2:2019 spécifie des méthodes d’essai pour la perte d’insertion des connecteurs pour fréquences radioélectriques (RF, radio frequency).
Le présent document est applicable aux connecteurs de câble RF, aux connecteurs de microruban RF et aux raccords de connecteur RF. Il est également applicable aux canaux RF présents dans les connecteurs de multicanaux RF et les connecteurs mixtes qui contiennent toute combinaison d’éléments de contact coaxial, de contact à fibres optiques et de contact électrique conducteur.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 11-Sep-2019
• ICS: 33.120.30 - RF connectors
• Technical Committee: SC 46F - RF and microwave passive components
• Drafting Committee: WG 1 - TC 46/SC 46F/WG 1
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 12-Sep-2019
• Completion Date: 06-Sep-2019

Overview

IEC 61169-1-2:2019 is an international standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that specifies electrical test methods for measuring the insertion loss of radio-frequency (RF) connectors. This standard applies to a broad range of RF connectors including cable RF connectors, microstrip RF connectors, RF connector adapters, and RF channels inside multi-RF channel and hybrid connectors containing coaxial contacts, optical fiber contacts, or current-carrying electrical contacts.

Insertion loss measurement is critical in RF connector testing, as it quantifies the power loss incurred when the connector is inserted into a transmission line. Ensuring minimal insertion loss is essential for maintaining signal integrity, reducing interference, and optimizing connector performance in various RF applications.

Key Topics

• Scope and Application
  IEC 61169-1-2 covers the test methods for insertion loss in various RF connectors and adapters used in communications, broadcasting, and industrial electronics.

• Insertion Loss Definition
  Insertion loss (IL) is expressed in decibels (dB) and calculated by the power ratio before and after the connector insertion. It reflects the power reduction caused by the connector in a transmission line.

• Test Sample Preparation
  Different approaches are outlined for preparing the device under test (DUT):

  • Cable RF connectors: Two methods using cable assemblies to measure total insertion loss or isolate the connector loss.
  • Microstrip RF connectors: Use of appropriate test fixtures; optionally connecting two identical microstrip connectors back-to-back for testing.
  • Adapters: Direct testing when possible or using standard test adapters when direct connections are not feasible.

• Test Procedure and Equipment
  The standard defines the theory behind measuring insertion loss, emphasizing frequency-dependent behavior and impedance matching. It also details the requirements for test equipment to ensure accurate insertion loss measurement.

• Failure Criteria and Reporting
  The document provides guidance on how to define failure criteria based on insertion loss thresholds and the essential information to be included in test reports.

Applications

IEC 61169-1-2:2019 is widely applicable across industries where RF connectors are integral components. Typical use cases include:

• Telecommunications: Testing connectors used in cellular, satellite, and broadband communication systems to ensure minimal signal degradation.
• Broadcasting: Ensuring high-quality signal transmission in RF cables and connectors for radio and television broadcast equipment.
• Instrumentation and Measurement: Verifying connector performance in precision laboratory instruments and RF test equipment.
• Aerospace and Defense: Validating robust RF connectors used in avionics, radar, and secure communication to maintain signal integrity under stringent conditions.
• Consumer Electronics: Measuring insertion loss in connectors for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other wireless devices.

Implementing the test methods defined by the standard helps manufacturers confirm product quality and compliance while supporting interoperability across different regions and applications.

Related Standards

For comprehensive testing and specification of RF connectors, IEC 61169-1-2 is part of a larger series and should be considered alongside:

• IEC 61169-1: Radio-frequency connectors – Part 1: Generic specification – General requirements and measuring methods. This foundational document provides key definitions and general testing guidelines for RF connectors.
• Other parts of IEC 61169 series: Covering mechanical, environmental, and additional electrical testing for RF connectors.
• ISO/IEC Directives: Ensuring standardized practices for developing and implementing international standards across related technical fields.

---

Keywords: IEC 61169-1-2, insertion loss, RF connectors, cable RF connectors, microstrip RF connectors, RF connector adapters, electrical test methods, radio-frequency, RF test standards, connector test methods, IEC standards, RF transmission loss, multi-RF channel connectors.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 61169-1-2 ®
Edition 1.0 2019-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Radio-frequency connectors –
Part 1-2: Electrical test methods – Insertion loss

Connecteurs pour fréquences radioélectriques –
Partie 1-2: Méthodes d’essai électrique – Perte d’insertion

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or
your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

Droits de reproduction réservés. Sauf indication contraire, aucune partie de cette publication ne peut être reproduite
ni utilisée sous quelque forme que ce soit et par aucun procédé, électronique ou mécanique, y compris la photocopie
et les microfilms, sans l'accord écrit de l'IEC ou du Comité national de l'IEC du pays du demandeur. Si vous avez des
questions sur le copyright de l'IEC ou si vous désirez obtenir des droits supplémentaires sur cette publication, utilisez
les coordonnées ci-après ou contactez le Comité national de l'IEC de votre pays de résidence.

IEC Central Office Tel.: [phone]
3, rue de Varembé [e-mail]
CH-1211 Geneva 20 www.iec.ch
Switzerland
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigendum or an amendment might have been published.

IEC publications search - webstore.iec.ch/advsearchform Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a The world's leading online dictionary on electrotechnology,
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical containing more than 22 000 terminological entries in English
committee,…). It also gives information on projects, replaced and French, with equivalent terms in 16 additional languages.
and withdrawn publications. Also known as the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary

(IEV) online.
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published IEC Glossary - std.iec.ch/glossary
details all new publications released. Available online and 67 000 electrotechnical terminology entries in English and
once a month by email. French extracted from the Terms and Definitions clause of
IEC publications issued since 2002. Some entries have been
IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc collected from earlier publications of IEC TC 37, 77, 86 and
If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or CISPR.

need further assistance, please contact the Customer Service

Centre: [e-mail].
A propos de l'IEC
La Commission Electrotechnique Internationale (IEC) est la première organisation mondiale qui élabore et publie des
Normes internationales pour tout ce qui a trait à l'électricité, à l'électronique et aux technologies apparentées.

A propos des publications IEC
Le contenu technique des publications IEC est constamment revu. Veuillez vous assurer que vous possédez l’édition la
plus récente, un corrigendum ou amendement peut avoir été publié.

Recherche de publications IEC - Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
webstore.iec.ch/advsearchform Le premier dictionnaire d'électrotechnologie en ligne au
La recherche avancée permet de trouver des publications IEC monde, avec plus de 22 000 articles terminologiques en
en utilisant différents critères (numéro de référence, texte, anglais et en français, ainsi que les termes équivalents dans
comité d’études,…). Elle donne aussi des informations sur les 16 langues additionnelles. Egalement appelé Vocabulaire
projets et les publications remplacées ou retirées. Electrotechnique International (IEV) en ligne.

IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished Glossaire IEC - std.iec.ch/glossary
Restez informé sur les nouvelles publications IEC. Just 67 000 entrées terminologiques électrotechniques, en anglais
Published détaille les nouvelles publications parues. et en français, extraites des articles Termes et Définitions des
Disponible en ligne et une fois par mois par email. publications IEC parues depuis 2002. Plus certaines entrées
antérieures extraites des publications des CE 37, 77, 86 et
Service Clients - webstore.iec.ch/csc CISPR de l'IEC.

Si vous désirez nous donner des commentaires sur cette
publication ou si vous avez des questions contactez-nous:
[e-mail].
IEC 61169-1-2 ®
Edition 1.0 2019-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Radio-frequency connectors –
Part 1-2: Electrical test methods – Insertion loss

Connecteurs pour fréquences radioélectriques –

Partie 1-2: Méthodes d’essai électrique – Perte d’insertion

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 33.120.30 ISBN 978-2-8322-7261-9

– 2 – IEC 61169-1-2:2019 © IEC 2019
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Preparation of test sample (DUT) . 6
4.1 Cable RF connector . 6
4.1.1 Method 1 . 6
4.1.2 Method 2 . 6
4.2 Microstrip connector . 7
4.3 Adapter . 7
5 Test methods . 7
5.1 Test theory . 7
5.2 Test equipment . 8
5.3 Test procedure . 8
5.3.1 Cable RF connector . 8
5.3.2 Microstrip connector . 9
5.3.3 Adapter. 9
6 Failure criterion . 10
7 Information to be given in the relevant specification . 10
8 Test report . 10

Figure 1 – Preparation of cable RF connector test sample (DUT) . 6
Figure 2 – Illustration of signal transmission and reflection in DUT . 7
Figure 3 – S-parameter representing transmission and reflection characteristics. 8

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
RADIO-FREQUENCY CONNECTORS –
Part 1-2: Electrical test methods – Insertion loss

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61169-1-2 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.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
46F/466/FDIS 46F/480/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this International Standard can be found in
the report on voting indicated in the above table.
This document has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

– 4 – IEC 61169-1-2:2019 © IEC 2019
A list of all parts of the IEC 61169 series, under the general title Radio-frequency connectors,
can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to
the specific document. At this date, the document will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
RADIO-FREQUENCY CONNECTORS –
Part 1-2: Electrical test methods – Insertion loss

1 Scope
This part of IEC 61169 provides test methods for the insertion loss of radio-frequency (RF)
connectors.
This document is applicable to cable RF connectors, microstrip RF connectors and RF
connector adapters. It is also applicable to RF channels in multi-RF channel connectors and
hybrid connectors which contain any combination of coaxial contact, optical fibres contact,
and current-carrying electrical contact element.
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 61169-1, Radio frequency connectors – Part 1: Generic specification – General
requirements and measuring methods
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 61169-1 and the
following apply. ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at
the following addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
insertion loss
loss of power resulting from the insertion of a connector or similar device into a transmission
line, expressed by formula (1), in decibels:

P
IL=−10lg (1)

P
1
where
IL is the insertion loss, in dB;
P is the input power into the RF connector, transmitted by the signal source;
P is the output power from the RF connector to the load, transmitted by the signal source.
– 6 – IEC 61169-1-2:2019 © IEC 2019
4 Preparation of test sample (DUT)
4.1 Cable RF connector
4.1.1 Method 1
Cable RF connectors should be tested by making a connector-cable assembly as follows:
a) First, make a standard cable assembly for calibrating the test system by using a section of
pre-selected uniform cable with uniform characteristic impedance and at its both ends
connecting two standard test connectors which can directly connect and match to the two
ports of the test equipment.
b) Then cut the standard cable assembly in the middle without making it shorter, and connect
respectively to the connector pair under test, as shown in Figure 1. The connector pair
under test shall be mated together for the test. The test result is the insertion loss of the
connector pair under test.
c) When needed, insertion loss of a single connector is about 1/2 of the test result (assuming
the insertion losses of the pin connector and the socket connector are equal).

NOTE When no standard test connector is available, verified coaxial connectors can be used.
Figure 1 – Preparation of cable RF connector test sample (DUT)
4.1.2 Method 2
Cable RF connectors should be tested by making a connector-cable assembly as follows:
a) First, make a long cable assembly to measure the attenuation of the cable by using a
section of pre-selected uniform cable with uniform characteristic impedance with the
connector under test at one end and the mating connector at the other end. The length of the
cable shall be sufficiently long (its RF transmission loss shall be not less than 2 dB at 2 GHz)
so that the insertion loss of connectors can be ignored. The cable length in the test sample is
defined as the distance from face to face of the cable dielectric of the stripped cable for
the connectors. The attenuation of the cable shall be calculated as follows.
IL
α= (2)
L
where
α is the attenuation of the cable, in dB/m;
IL is the insertion loss of the long cable assembly, in dB;
L is the length of the long cable, in m.
b) Then, make a short cable assembly by cutting the long cable assembly near the connector
under test and connecting the mating connector at the cable end. The short cable
assembly should be such as to minimize the loss due to the cable alone and sufficiently
long so that its characteristic impedance remains unchanged at least during the cable
stripping and connector assembly procedure. The insertion loss of the connector pair
under test can be calculated as follows.
IL IL−×α L (3)
where
IL is the insertion loss of the connector pair under test;
α is the attenuation of the cable, in dB/m;
IL is the insertion loss of the short cable assembly, in dB;
L is the length of the short cable, in m.
c) When needed, a single connector insertion loss is about 1/2 of the test result (assuming
the insertion losses of the pin connector and the socket connector are equal).
4.2 Microstrip connector
The microstrip connector shall be tested by using an appropriate test fixture at the microstrip
end, and the microstrip connector with the test fixture as a whole should be treated as the test
sample (DUT). The insertion loss result from the test fixture shall be as small as possible.
When possible, two identical microstrip connectors may be connected back-to-back as a test
sample by using an applicable test fixture. In that case, the insertion loss of each microstrip
connector is about 1/2 of the test result (assuming the insertion loss of the test fixture is
ignored).
4.3 Adapter
An adapter shall be tested directly when it can be connected to test equipment or by using
standard test adapters when it cannot be connected to test equipment.
5 Test methods
5.1 Test theory
At lower frequencies, the physical length of the test sample is less than λ/10, and the test
values of the voltage/current on the test sample are independent of the test position. At higher
frequencies, the physical length of the test sample is bigger than λ/10, and the characteristic
impedance reflects its transmission characteristics. The voltage/current on the test sample
differs at different positions.
It is assumed that the shielding effect of the test sample is good enough with no interference
from outside and no signal leaking out. The input signal a of the test sample will transmit one
part of signal b to the load and also a portion of signal b and a is reflected back at both the
2 1 2
input port 1 and the output load port 2 respectively, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 – Illustration of signal transmission and reflection in DUT
=
– 8 – IEC 61169-1-2:2019 © IEC 2019
The signal transmission and reflection characteristics in the test sample can be represented
by the S-parameter in Figure 3.

Figure 3 – S-parameter representing transmission and reflection characteristics
The definition of S-parameter is based on ratio of the signal voltages which are vectors:
ba SS+a
1 1 11 2 12
ba S+a S
2 1 21 2 22
The vector network analyser is based on the above principle to measure the S-parameter of
the connector, cable and cable assemblies, and these S-parameters reflect the transmission
and reflection characteristics of the connector, cable and cable assemblies in the frequency
domain. S and S represent the forward and reverse insertion loss. As connectors are
21 12
normally very short, S and S are the same in principle, and only one direction insertion
21 12
loss needs to be measured unless both S and S are required in the relevant specifications.
21 12
5.2 Test equipment
Test equipment is as follows:
a) an applicable vector network analyser (VNA);
b) calibration standards including open, short, precision terminal load, standard test adapter,
and electronic calibration may also be used. The frequency range of the standard parts
should cover the entire test frequency range.
5.3 Test procedure
5.3.1 Cable RF connector
The insertion loss of the cable connectors can be measured by using one of the following
methods:
a) Method 1: The test procedure is as follows:
1) After the vector network analyser is run in, set the measurement frequency range and
other related parameters.
2) System calibration: Full two port calibration shall be performed at the ends of the test
cables.
3) Set the test mode to measure the insertion loss and connect the standard cable
assembly to the two test ports of the vector network analyser and store the result.
4) Maintain the test equipment with no change and take the standard cable assembly off.
Then cut the standard cable assembly in the middle and connect respectively to the
connector pair under test (DUT) as shown in Figure 1.
5) Mate connectors under test and reconnect them to the two test ports of the vector
network analyser. Then measure the insertion loss and subtract the stored values got
at above item 3) and then get the insertion loss of the connector pair under test and
record the result (the maximum value for specified frequency range).
=
=
6) The insertion loss of a single connector under test is 1/2 of the test result.
b) Method 2: The test procedure is as follows:
1) After the vector network analyser is run in, set the measurement frequency range and
other related parameters.
2) System calibration: full two port calibration shall be performed at the ends of test
cables.
3) Set the test mode to measure the insertion loss and connect the long cable assembly
(its length is L ) to the two test ports of the vector network analyser and measure its
insertion loss IL .
4) Maintain the test equipment with no change and take the long cable assembly off.
Then cut the long cable assembly and make a short cable assembly as specified in
4.1.2.
5) Connect the short cable assembly (its length is L ) to the two test ports of the vector
network analyser and measure its insertion loss IL .
6) Assuming the attenuation of the cable is a constant within its length range, the
insertion loss IL of the connector pair under test can be calculated by using equations
(2) and (3).
7) The insertion loss of a single connector under test is 1/2 of the result.
5.3.2 Microstrip connector
The insertion loss of the microstrip connectors can be measured as follows:
a) After the vector network analyser is run in, set the measurement frequency range and
other related parameters.
b) System calibration: full two port calibration shall be performed at the ends of test cables.
c) Set the test mode to measure the Finsertion loss.
d) When the two test ports of the vector network analyser can be connected directly to the
test sample of the microstrip connectors (see 4.2), connect the test sample of the
microstrip connectors (see 4.2) to the two test ports of the vector network analyser and
measure its insertion loss IL, which is the insertion loss of the microstrip connectors under
test (DUT).
e) If the two test ports of the vector network analyser cannot be connected directly to the test
sample of the microstrip connectors, standard test adapters and calibration are needed.
Remove one of adapters, change it for the standard test adapter with the same electrical
length and sex, then connect the test sample of the microstrip connectors for insertion
loss measurement and record the test result.
f) The insertion loss of a single connector under test is 1/2 of the result.
5.3.3 Adapter
The insertion loss of adapters can be measured as follows:
a) After the vector network analyser is run in, set the measurement frequency range and
other related parameters.
b) System calibration: full two port calibration shall be performed at the ends of the test
cables.
c) Set the test mode to measure the insertion loss.
d) When the two test ports of the vector network analyser can be connected directly to the
adapters under test, connect the adapters under test directly to the two test ports of the
vector network analyser and measure its insertion loss IL, which is the insertion loss of
the adapters under test (DUT).
...