Balunless measurement: Cobalt test equipment 

AESA Cobalt equipment: Automatic high frequency balunless measuring system for LAN cables.

The LAN cables are specified for a more and more broad frequencies range. The usual cannot measure more than 3 frequency decades then the cable industry looks into a substitution measurement method. Then AESA introduces Cobalt, a new balunless automatic test equipment based on the modal decomposition mathematical algorithm. Cobalt helps the development of new cables (complete tests at the lab). It simplifies as well the operator's tricky job within the systematic tests after production, essential to get reliable results.

Performance

  • Very broad frequency range (>4GHz)
  • No more baluns used, so full dynamic available
  • More than 170 parameters available including LCL family and in Pair skew
  • Automatic LCL measurement
  • Measurement of short length possible (10m), reduced scrap
  • Perfect balance, common mode measurement integrated
  • No movable parts requiring mechanical adjustments or periodical maintenance
  • Exclusive High-Tech HF switching using MIL standardized relays

Specifications for High Frequency parameters testing

Attenuation (corrected at 20°C)

Accuracy

772kHz - 10MHz

10MHz - 100MHz

100MHz - 200MHz

200MHz - 400MHz

400MHz - 750MHz

750MHz - 1.5GHz

1.5GHz-2.5GHz

2.5GHz - 4GHz

-80 dB to -50 dB

± 1.3 dB

± 1.5 dB

± 1.7 dB

± 1.9 dB

± 3 dB

± 4 dB

± 6 dB

± 6 dB

-50 dB to -25 dB

± 0.5 dB

± 0.6 dB

± 0.6 dB

± 0.7 dB

± 0.9 dB

± 1.5 dB

± 2 dB

± 3 dB

-25 dB to -10 dB

± 0.2 dB

± 0.2 dB

± 0.3 dB

± 0.4 dB

± 0.8 dB

± 1.3 dB

± 1.7 dB

± 2 dB

-10 dB to 0 dB

± 0.2 dB

± 0.2 dB

± 0.2 dB

± 0.4 dB

± 0.8 dB

± 1.3 dB

± 1.5 dB

± 1.5 dB

 

Near-End Crosstalk NEXT & Far-End Crosstalk FEXT

Accuracy

772 kHz - 10 MHz

10 MHz - 200 MHz

200 MHz - 400 MHz

400 MHz - 750 MHz

750 MHz - 1.5 GHz

1.5 GHz - 4.0 GHz

-90 dB to

-60 dB

± 2 dB

± 2 dB

± 2.5 dB

± 4 dB

± 6 dB

± 8 dB

-60 dB to

-30 dB

± 1.6 dB

± 1.4 dB

± 1.6 dB

± 1.8 dB

± 4 dB

± 6 dB

-30 dB to

-10 dB

± 0.5 dB

± 0.8 dB

± 1 dB

± 1.5 dB

± 2 dB

± 3 dB

 

Impedance (open/short and terminated 100Ω)

Accuracy

772kHz - 10MHz

10 MHz - 100MHz

100MHz - 400MHz

400MHz - 750MHz

750MHz - 1.5GHz

1.5GHz - 4.0GHz

70Ω - 90Ω

± 1Ω

± 1.5Ω

± 2Ω

± 3Ω

± 4.5Ω

± 6Ω

90Ω - 110Ω

± 0.75Ω

± 1Ω

± 1.5Ω

± 2Ω

± 4Ω

± 5Ω

110Ω - 130Ω

± 1Ω

± 1.5Ω

± 2Ω

± 3Ω

± 4.5Ω

± 6Ω

HF Parameters available

  • Transmission/reflection

Reflection differential mode

Transmission differential mode

Reflection common mode

Transmission common mode

Conversion loss

Single Ended reflection

Single Ended Next & Fext

  • Near-NEXT

Differential, Diff/comm and common mode

  • Far-NEXT

Differential, Diff/comm and common mode

  • FEXT

Differential, Diff/comm and common mode