Transmission Lines

In RF systems, the cable (or waveguide) connecting the transmitter/receiver to the antenna is a critical component that introduces loss.

Insertion Loss

Every cable has attenuation, usually expressed in dB per unit length (e.g., dB/100m). This loss increases with frequency.

$L_{cable} = \text{Length} \times \text{Loss per Meter}(f)$

Connectors

Connectors (SMA, N-Type, etc.) also introduce small losses, typically 0.1 to 0.5 dB per mating pair.