On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 15:23:46 -0500, "???" wrote:
Impedance; not resistance. Just to be impudent.

Well, if it is properly terminated, or infinitely long, it'll be 50+j0,
in other words purely resistive 50 ohms.

If it is open or shorted, it'll be 0+jX or 0-jX with X being a function
of frequency and electrical length. In other words, purely reactive.

If it is mismatch terminated, it'll be R+jX or R-jX, with R and X
functions of frequency, mismatch magnitude and direction, and
electrical length. The one thing it won't be is 50 ohms. There is
no cable length which can transform a mismatch to the cable's
own characteristic impedance.

This assumes a lossless cable. Cable loss attenuates reflections,
so a long lossy cable can appear to be 50+j0 even when mismatched.

Gary