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What are pigtails and how to choose the appropriate HF cables for radio equipment

Post cover: What are pigtails and how to choose the appropriate HF cables for radio equipment
This content has been automatically translated from Ukrainian.
Pigtail – is a mounting cord that has a connector of a certain type at one end. Pigtails are used to complete cables, which is carried out by welding or mechanical splice. The most suitable modification of the mounting cords should be chosen, taking into account the specific operating conditions of the network, the active equipment used and some individual parameters.
Pigtails belong to passive optical components and are optical connectors - devices designed to connect various components of the linear path at the places of radiation input or output. The A-Radio online store offers to purchase different types of pigtails, but buyers need to decide on a specific choice.

What types of connectors exist

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There are several main options:
  • SC – is cheap and easy to connect, but less reliable than FC;
  • LC – is compact, with a retainer, provides a more reliable connection;
  • FC – excellent connection quality, used where reliability is important;
  • ST is a popular type, used in medicine and manufacturing.

Field of application of pigtails

Mounting cords are used to terminate optical terminals –, most often this means welding an optical cable on a communication node. Therefore, the most common field of application of pigtails is optical crosses.
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Optical mounting cords can also be used in network emergency recovery operations. Thus, with the help of pigtail, it is possible to restore the broken or defective output of passive optical equipment, such as an optical divider, a circulator, a WDM spectral compression multiplexer.
Also, with the help of pigtails purchased on https://a-radio.com.ua/vch-kabeli-pigteyly/, it is possible to restart passive optical devices when there is no possibility or equipment for the production change of the optical connector.
In some cases, a set of mounting optical cords can be used as a temporary connecting cord – patch cord.

What is important to know about polishing

To reduce the back reflection from the fiber to the light source and avoid the transition between the fiber and air, pigtails use polishing of the ferula, which is the optical part of the connector. There are two main types of polishing: UPC and APC.
When polishing UPC (ultraphysical contact), the ends of the tips of the optical connectors have convex, not flat, grinding to prevent the transition between glass and air, which means to reduce signal fading. Also, in the assembly process, the bushings are compressed with a certain force, which ensures flat contact between the glass.
When polishing APC (Angle Physical Contact), the front surface of the connector is polished at an angle of 8°, except for physical contact, to minimize the back reflected light that interferes with sensitive transmitters. Due to the inclination, the light diffracts in the shell and does not return to the fiberglass.
It is important to give preference to the products of well-known manufacturers who have been working in this field for quite a long time and offer high-quality products at quite affordable prices.
High-quality cords distinguish: 
  • minimum losses to be contributed. 
  • stability of final life cycle parameters. 
  • high-quality UPC/APC polishing. 
  • a large number of switching cycles. 
  • resistance to mechanical and temperature influences. 
  • affordable price of optical pigtail.
Buying pigtail in a proven online store not only guarantees its quality, but will also be convenient, as the buyer receives delivery. This allows you to significantly save time, since you will not have to go to the store to pick up the product. In most online stores, you can order a wholesale batch.

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