What is BS EN 61726- Cable assemblies, cables, connectors and passive microwave components about?
BS EN 61726 is a safety standard on the cable assemblies, cables, connectors and passive microwave components.
The requirements of modern electronic equipment have indicated a demand for a method for testing screening attenuation of microwave components over their whole frequency range.
Convenient test methods exist for low frequencies and components of regular shape. These test methods are described in the relevant IEC product specifications (e.g., IEC 62153-4-3). For higher frequencies and for components of irregular shape, a new test method has become necessary and such a test method is described BS EN 61726.
BS EN 61726 describes the measurement of screening attenuation by the reverberation chamber test method, sometimes named mode stirred chamber, suitable for virtually any type of microwave component and having no theoretical upper-frequency limit. BS EN 61726 is only limited toward low frequencies due to the size of the test equipment, which is frequency-dependent and is only one of several methods of measuring screening attenuation.
For the purpose of BS EN 61726, examples of microwave components are waveguides, phase shifters, diplexers/multiplexers, power dividers/combiners, etc.
Who is BS EN 61726- Cable assemblies, cables, connectors and passive microwave components for?
BS EN 61726 on the screening attenuation measurement by the reverberation chamber method is relevant to:
- Manufacturers of cable assemblies, cables, connectors
- Manufacturers of test equipment
- Manufacturers of antennas
- Manufacturers of passive microwave components like waveguides, phase shifters, diplexers/multiplexers, power dividers/combiners
- Testing authorities
- Electromagnetic engineers
Why should you use BS EN 61726- Cable assemblies, cables, connectors and passive microwave components?
The reverberation chamber method for measurement of the screening attenuation of microwave components consists of exposing the device under test (DUT) to an almost homogeneous and isotropic electromagnetic field and then measuring the signal level induced into the device. The measurement of screening attenuation is based on the comparison of the electromagnetic field power outside the DUT to the electromagnetic field power induced into the DUT.
BS EN 61726 provides guidance on the screening attenuation measurement by the reverberation chamber method. These conditions are achieved by the use of a shielded enclosure, which acts as an oversized cavity (in terms of wavelength), with a high-quality factor. Its boundary conditions are continuously agitated by a rotating reflective surface (mode stirrer), mounted within the chamber, which enables the field to approach homogeneous and isotropic conditions during one revolution. In general, a reverberation chamber is a shielded enclosure having any shape. A perfect cubic shape should be avoided for optimum performance at lower frequencies. It is made of conductive materials (copper, aluminium, or steel) and shall not contain lossy materials. The size of the cavity depends on the lowest test frequency.
Overall, BS EN 61726 is useful as it offers a high dynamic range, especially if power controlled amplifiers are used at the output of the generator.
