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Coaxial RF Directional Couplers Quiz
RF Cafe Quiz #75
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RF Engineering Quizzes - RF CafeAll RF Cafe Quizzes make great fodder for employment interviews for technicians or engineers - particularly those who are fresh out of school or are relatively new to the work world. Come to think of it, they would make equally excellent study material for the same persons who are going to be interviewed for a job. Bonne chance, Viel Glück, がんばろう, buena suerte, удачи, in bocca al lupo, 행운을 빕니다, ádh mór, בהצלחה, lykke til, 祝你好運. Well, you know what I mean: Good luck!

Click here for the complete list of RF Cafe Quizzes.

Note: Some material based on books have quoted passages.

Welcome to the RF Isolators & Circulators Quiz, an essential assessment for engineers focused on the reliable sampling and monitoring of signal flow. Directional couplers are the cornerstone of power metering, reflected power detection, and signal injection in high-frequency transmission systems. Whether you are calibrating a forward-power monitor, auditing VSWR in a feedline, or balancing a complex signal distribution network, a rigorous understanding of coupling factor, directivity, and insertion loss is vital. This quiz challenges your knowledge of these passive structures, covering the mechanics of coupled transmission lines, the significance of isolation and directivity, and the critical trade-offs in power splitters and tap networks. By evaluating your grasp of these core principles, you gain the clarity needed to optimize your station's monitoring capabilities and ensure your RF systems are accurately measured. Use this assessment to solidify your expertise and keep your signal monitoring systems performing at their peak capacity.

Select your answers, then click the "Submit" button.

1. What is the primary function of a directional coupler?

To amplify input signals
To extract a sampled portion of the signal based on directionality
To convert AC to DC
To filter frequency harmonics

 

2. What does the "Coupling Factor" of a coupler represent?

Ratio of input power to the sampled output power
The total power loss of the main line
The isolation between input and output
The VSWR of the sample port

 

3. What is "Directivity" in a directional coupler?

The ability to distinguish between forward and reverse power
The physical size of the unit
The operating frequency range
The coupling attenuation magnitude

 

4. In a standard coupler, where is the "isolated port" typically found?

In parallel with the main input
Opposite to the coupled port
Internally shorted to ground
At the main output

 

5. How does a directional coupler measure reflected power on a feedline?

By sampling back-propagating waves via the coupled port
By measuring DC current from the antenna
By sensing the ambient temperature
By analyzing the center frequency drift

 

6. What happens if the coupled port is not terminated with a matched load (e.g., 50 ohms)?

Nothing; it's an open circuit
VSWR measurement becomes inaccurate due to reflections
Insertion loss increases significantly
The coupler becomes a DC block

 

7. What does "Main Line Insertion Loss" refer to?

The total signal lost due to coupling and ohmic resistance
Power reflected back to the source
The coupled signal strength
The noise figure of the coupler

 

8. Which coupling factor is most common for simple power monitoring?

0 dB
3 dB
20 dB or 30 dB
100 dB

 

9. A 3dB coupler is also commonly known as a:

Hybrid splitter
Low-pass filter
Variable attenuator
Circulator termination

 

10. What is the effect of low directivity in a SWR measurement system?

Higher power handling
Poor accuracy in separating forward from reflected power
Increased insertion loss
Wider frequency bandwidth

 

Quizzes from vintage electronics magazines such as Popular Electronics, Electronics-World, QST, Radio-Electronics, and Radio News were published over the years - some really simple and others not so simple. Robert P. Balin created most of the quizzes for Popular Electronics. This is a listing of all I have posted thus far.

RF Cafe Quizzes

Vintage Electronics Magazine Quizzes

Vintage Electronics Magazine Quizzes

Kirt Blattenberger - RF Cafe Webmaster

Copyright: 1996 - 2026
Webmaster: Kirt Blattenberger
   BSEE - KB3UON - AMA92498
   USAF Radar Technician

About RF Cafe

RF Cafe began life in 1996 as "RF Tools" in an AOL screen name web space totaling 2 MB. Its primary purpose was to provide me with ready access to commonly needed formulas and reference material while performing my work as an RF system and circuit design engineer. The World Wide Web (Internet) was largely an unknown entity at the time and bandwidth was a scarce commodity. Dial-up modems blazed along at 14.4 kbps while tying up your telephone line, and a lady's voice announced "You've Got Mail" when a new message arrived...

Copyright  1996 - 2026

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