COAXIAL CONNECTOR CHART

Connector Type

Other names (or mates with)

Female

Male

Maximum Frequency

Phone plugs and jacks

TS,  TRS

 100 kHz or less

Ever see those old telephone switchboards with hundreds of jacks and patch cords and plugs? Those are phone jacks and plugs, also known as TS (Tip-Sleeve) for two-conductor connections, or TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) for three-conductor connections.

RCA

Phono plugs and jacks

10 MHz

A round, press-on connector commonly used for consumer-grade audio and composite video connections.  In most recent home stereo equipment, the jacks are color-coded as follows:  red (audio-Right), black or white (audio-Left) and yellow (composite video). Generally not a constant characteristic impedance connector.

UHF

PL-259 (male), SO-239 (female)

300 MHz or less

 Manufacturers of UHF plugs and receptors all state that this type connector are of generally non-constant (characteristic) impedance and are suitable for use up to 200 or 300 MHz only, depending on production quality. They also state that the UHF connector can be used up to 500 MHz with a cautionary note of reduced performance. 

F

Video

250 MHz to 1 GHz

The “F” series connectors are primarily utilized in television cable and antenna applications. Normally these are used at 75 ohm characteristic impedance. 3/8-32 coupling thread is standard, but  push-on designs are also available.

BNC

2 GHz or higher

The BNC uses a slotted outer conductor and some plastic dielectric on each gender connector. This dielectric causes increasing losses at higher frequencies. Above 4 GHz, the slots may radiate signals, so the connector is usable, but not necessarily mechanically stable up to about 10 GHz. Both 50 ohm and 75 ohm versions are available.

TNC

2 GHz or higher

The TNC connector is in wide use in cellular telephone RF/antenna connections. Because the mating geometries are compatible with the N connector, it is possible to temporarily mate some gender combinations of BNC and N. This is not a recommended use because the connection is not mechanically stable, and there will be significant impedance changes at the interface.

7/16 DIN

7.5 GHz

The primary advantage it has over N type connectors is that it uses a wrench to tighten.  It is rated to 7.5 Ghz, uses rubber gaskets and silver or gold plate.

GR874

General Radio (to old-timers, anyway), G874

same

8.5 GHz

GR874 connectors are sexless (hermaphroditic), 50-ohm impedance connectors with a slide-on interface that has been a standard for many years on a wide variety of test equipment, due to its good electrical characteristics and ease of mating.

GR900BT

14 mm, MPC14

same

8.5 GHz

These sexless (hermaphroditic) connectors are often used in highly critical laboratory applications at frequencies up to 8.5 GHz.

C

12 GHz

 The C series uses a Teflon dielectric for its interface. The dielectric overlap enables better voltage handling capabilities. The bayonet coupling does not perform well electrically during vibration.

Type N

12 GHz or more

 Type-N connectors follow the military standard MIL-C-39012. Even the best specialized type-N connectors will begin to mode around 20 GHz, producing unpredictable results if used at that frequency or higher. A 75 ohm version, with a reduced center pin is available and in wide use by the cable-TV industry.

SMA

3.5 mm or APC-3.5, WSMA, 2.92 mm, K

12 GHz or more

The SMA (Subminiature A) connector was designed by Bendix Scintilla Corporation and is one of the most commonly used RF/microwave connectors. It is intended for use on semi-rigid cables and in components which are connected infrequently.

APC-7

7 mm

same

18 GHz

The APC-7 (Amphenol Precision Connector - 7 mm) offers the lowest reflection coeff