The Keysight (Agilent HP) 8496B is a manual coaxial step attenuator operating from DC to 18 GHz. It offers an attenuation range of 0 to 110 dB in 10 dB steps, providing high repeatability and a mechanical operating life of over 5 million cycles per section. Designed for precise signal level control in RF and microwave applications, it features a choice of standard 50-ohm RF connectors.
Specifications
Physical
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Operating Temperature | 0 to +55 |
| Weight | 0.425 |
| Number of Attenuator Sections | 4 (10, 20, 40, 40 dB) |
General Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Frequency Range | DC to 18 GHz |
| Attenuation Range | 0 to 110 dB |
| Step Size | 10 dB |
| Characteristic Impedance | 50 Ω |
RF Performance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Insertion Loss (at 0 dB) | 0.6 dB + 0.09 dB/GHz |
| Maximum VSWR (DC to 8 GHz) | 1.5 |
| Maximum VSWR (8 to 12.4 GHz) | 1.6 |
| Maximum VSWR (12.4 to 18 GHz) | 1.9 |
| Repeatability | 0.03 dB maximum (typically 0.01 dB) |
| Maximum Average RF Input Power | 1 W |
| Maximum Peak RF Input Power | 100 W |
Switching Characteristics
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Operating Life (Switching Cycles) | > 5 million cycles per section |
| Switching Mechanism | Manual |
Mechanical Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| RF Connector Type | Choice of Type-N female, SMA female, or APC-7 |
Options and Configurations
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Calibration Documentation | NIST traceable data (SWR and attenuation) available as Option 890 |
Control
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Control | Manual (Rotary Dial) |
Technology
Coaxial
Applications
Test & Measurement