The Keysight (Agilent HP) 8496A is a manual coaxial step attenuator operating from DC to 4 GHz. Designed for exceptional repeatability and reliability, it offers attenuation from 0 to 110 dB in 10 dB steps. Featuring precision gold-plated leaf springs, it guarantees a long operating life of over 5 million cycles per section. It is ideal for RF and microwave measurement setups where accurate and repeatable signal leveling is required.
Specifications
General
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Interfaces | None (manual operation) |
| Display | Manual direct-reading dial |
Physical
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Supply | None required (passive device) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 to +55 °C |
| Dimensions (W×H×D) | 54 mm × 60 mm × 177 mm |
| Weight | 0.48 kg |
RF and Microwave Performance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Frequency Range | DC to 4 GHz |
| Attenuation Range | 0 to 110 dB |
| Attenuation Steps | 10 dB |
| Nominal Impedance | 50 Ω |
| Maximum SWR | 1.5 |
| Insertion Loss at 0 dB | 0.6 dB maximum |
| Maximum Insertion Loss (at 4 GHz) | 0.6 dB |
| Maximum Average Input Power | 1 W |
| Maximum Peak Input Power | 100 W |
| Maximum Peak Power Pulse Width | 10 µs |
| Maximum Peak Power Duty Cycle | 0.001 (0.1%) |
| RF Power Sensitivity | < 0.001 dB/W |
| Attenuation Accuracy (10 dB) | ±0.2 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (20 dB) | ±0.4 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (30 dB) | ±0.5 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (40 dB) | ±0.7 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (50 dB) | ±0.8 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (60 dB) | ±1.0 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (70 dB) | ±1.2 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (80 dB) | ±1.3 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (90 dB) | ±1.5 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (100 dB) | ±1.6 dB |
| Attenuation Accuracy (110 dB) | ±1.8 dB |
Mechanical and Actuation Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Actuation Type | Manual |
| Operating Life | 5 million cycles per section |
| Attenuation Repeatability | 0.03 dB maximum (typically 0.01 dB) |
| Internal Section Configuration | 4 sections (10, 20, 40, and 40 dB) |
| Contact Material | Gold-plated leaf springs |
Physical Characteristics
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| RF Input/Output Port Locations | In-line (end-to-end) |
Environmental Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Storage Temperature Range | -40 to +75 °C |
Ordering and Configuration Options
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Connector Option 001 | Type-N female |
| Connector Option 002 | SMA female |
| Connector Option 003 | APC-7 |
| Calibration Option 890 | NIST traceable calibration data (SWR and attenuation) |
| Compatible Interconnect Kits | Keysight 11716A/B/C |
Mechanical
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Actuation Torque | 0.12 N-m (17 oz-in) typical |
Environmental
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Operating Altitude | 4,570 m (15,000 ft) |
| Non-Operating Altitude | 15,240 m (50,000 ft) |
| Operating Humidity | 95% RH @ 40 °C |
| Shock Resistance | 100 g, 6 ms |
| Vibration Resistance | 0.015 inches, 10 Hz to 55 Hz, 3 axes, 15 mins |
Compliance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Environmental Standards Compliance | Complies with MIL-A-24215B |
Options
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Calibration Option UK6 | Commercial calibration certificate with test data |
RF Performance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum SWR (DC to 1 GHz) | 1.15 |
| Maximum SWR (1 GHz to 4 GHz) | 1.25 |
Technology
Coaxial Step Attenuator
Applications
RF/Microwave Signal Level Control