back to attenuators

switchable attenuators:




The simplest attenuator you can make is just a box with a BNC jack on both ends and several switches along
the length, that each switch in some fixed amount of attenuation. While selecting close values of resistor
is a good idea, the values aren't critical unless you're close to 0 or 50 ohms.

Small amounts of attenuation usually aren't helpful, so a common box might have a 10 and three 20 dB switches
on it. Each switch adds, so all four switches flipped would provide, in theory, 70 dB of attenuation.

Of course some signal is going to find its way around the switches, sneak into the box through the seams and
holes, get in through the coax leading to the receiver, and MOST troublesome of all, get into the receiver
itself right through the case. This sets the upper limit of just how much attenuation you can provide
for the radio, because even with a dummy load attached directly to the antenna jack, almost any receiver is
still going to start picking up a transmitter, possibly to S-9 levels, if it gets too close to the antenna.


10-60 db attenuator sw.txt

attenuator resistors.xls

WV2UAU - build a step attenuator - YouTube

Z33T - build a step attenuator

attenuator 1	attenuator 2	step construction	step schematic

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last updated 12/08/2023 at 23:31:29 by make_www_index.command version 2023.12.08.B