UHF connector
|
PL-259 (male) plug. Outside diameter is about 18 mm. | |||
| Type | RF coaxial connector | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Production history | |||
| Designed | 1930s | ||
| Manufacturer | Various | ||
| General specifications | |||
| Diameter | 18 mm (0.71 in) (typical) | ||
| Cable | Coaxial | ||
| Passband | Typically 0–100 MHz | ||
| Connector |
SO-239 (socket) PL-259 (plug) | ||
| Electrical | |||
| Signal | Non-constant impedance | ||
| Max. voltage | 500 volts peak | ||
The UHF connector is a name for a fairly common, but old type of threaded RF connector. The connector design was invented in the 1930s for use in the radio industry. It is a widely used standard connector for HF transmission lines on full-sized radio equipment, with BNC connectors predominating for smaller, hand-held equipment.
The name "UHF" is a source of confusion, since the name of the connectors did not change when the frequency ranges were renamed. The design was named during an era when "UHF" meant frequencies over 30 MHz. Today, the meaning of the term ultra high frequency (UHF) is instead defined to be frequencies between 300 MHz and 3 GHz and the frequencies formerly called UHF are now called very high frequency (VHF).
Unlike modern connector designs that replaced it, no active specification or standard exists to govern the mechanical and electrical characteristics of the so-called "UHF" connector system, making it effectively a deprecated design with no guarantee for suitability to an electrical or mechanical purpose. There is evidence of inconsistency in performance of marketed UHF connectors. Testing reveals connector designs introduced after WWII, such as N connector and BNC connector, are electrically superior to the 'UHF' connector for modern UHF frequencies. Other testing showed that one sample of UHF connectors had negligible ill effects on signals for frequencies up to 435 MHz.