Dave Plowman wrote:

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

The issue is, as has been pedantically stated, one of reflection. This
may set up resonances in teh stubs to each side of teh joint, so that
some stations arer stronger, othgers weaker, depending on frequency.


Makes you wonder how the fairly standard:-

aerial - cable - plug - DA - plug - cable - outlet - plug - cable - plug
- inlet ever works at all...



Exactly. As Pop said, it shouldn't work at all.

But it does.

We ****ed around in the lab once with bits of cable and a VSWR and a
scope and a pulse generator as young graduates in our first job.

Plugs aren't as percfect as cable, and solder is very little different -
even if not 'done correctly'. - i.e. bringing the tails out side by
side, making the joint and insulating with tape.

Splitting is immediately noticeable tho.

Nearly all connections in the equipment were not done onto circuit board
with a coaxial connection: Normally you have a solder tag to the chassis
by the socket, and wire to that with a tail from a bit of coax. and the
barid then goes to a pin on teh ground plane. Hardly ideal, but in
practice very little different from 'ideal'.

The difference between a theoretical and a practical engineer is the
theoretician knows what makkes a difference, the practical knows how
much difference. And ignores if less than a dB.