1307062
RF Coaxial Lightning & EMP
Protection
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In-line RF Coaxial Protection Against Lightning & EMP
Ideal Protection for Cellular Infrastructure Equipment
Available in ր4 Stub Tuner or Gas Discharge Tube
Formats
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Maintains Protection after Initial Strike or Pulse
M/A-COM offers a complete series of RF Coaxial Lightning &
EMP Protection Devices for use in cellular infrastructure appli-
cations. EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) occurs primarily as a
result of direct lightning strikes to infrastructure equipment
which can produce fast rising electric fields within micro
seconds. These electric fields induce high voltage pulses
through unprotected antennas and coaxial transmission cables
which can ultimately lead directly to the primary communica-
tion equipment. The EMP threat, generated from unpredictable
lightning strikes is a serious concern for cellular operators
around the world. Damage from a lightning strike can result in
costly repair of equipment as well as significant loss of airtime
service to subscribers.
/4 Stub Tuners
l/4 stub tuners are three port coaxial devices. The third port,
extending from the main electrical path, serves as a terminated
short circuit element at a predetermined distance from the RF
transmission path. This distance is designed to be exactly one
quarter wavelength at the desired centering frequency (Fo). l/4
stub tuners offer very low VSWR and feature very high attenu-
ation of incoming pulses but must be applied across relatively
narrow bandwidths (± 70 MHz). M/A-COM offers standard
designs for the most popular cellular frequency bands to
facilitate usage without the need for a custom design. Stub
tuners offer the greatest protection for sensitive electronic
components as they have neither the sparkover or residual
voltage characteristics of GDT devices. Stub tuners are
extremely reliable and maintenance free since they incorpor-
ate no active components. Standard stub tuner designs exist
for GSM, PCS 1900 and DCS 1800 frequencies with a wide
variety of connector interfaces such as Type N and 7-16
available. Cable assemblies, including low loss cable options,
are also available to provide complete in-line solutions for base
station design.
M/A-COM RF coaxial lightning protection (LP) devices have
been designed for use in commonly deployed cellular infra-
structure including GSM, NAMPS, PCS 1900 and DCS 1800
operating formats. The use of coaxial lightning protection has
two primary benefits for cellular applications. First, RF coaxial
lightning protection can easily be inserted into existing infra-
structure architecture either as a cable assembly or as an
in-line adapter. This facilitates cell site design and retrofit
capabilities. Secondly, the RF coaxial protection has been
designed to facilitate and not degrade RF performance during
normal operation of the system.
Surge Protectors
These devices incorporate internal gas discharge tube (GDT)
technology to provide a low impedance path to discharge the
EMP to ground. The GDT is hermetically sealed with an inert
gas which is not radioactive and requires no special handling.
GDT devices are broadband due to their inherently small
capacitance and cover frequencies up to 2.5 GHz. Once a
GDT device has been activated with an impulse and the
voltage level dissipated, the device becomes inactive and will
require subsequent maintenance or replacement. Surge
protectors are available in convenient bulkhead mounting
configurations with a wide variety of standard interface choices
including Type N, 7-16 and SMA.
Call your local M/A-COM sales office or global Applications
Engineering group for more information on our RF coaxial
lightning protection. M/A-COM is an ISO-9001 globally
certified manufacturer.
V5.00
M/A-COM Division of AMP Incorporated ■ North America: Tel. (800) 366-2266, Fax (800) 618-8883 ■ Asia/Pacific: Tel. +85 2 2111 8088, Fax +85 2 2111 8087
■ Europe: Tel. +44 (1344) 869 595, Fax +44 (1344) 300 020
www.macom.com
AMP and Connecting at a Higher Level are trademarks.
Specifications subject to change without notice.