I would rather measure the transmission characteristics that I might
use.

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You've never acceptance tested a 20-mile long phone cable, 542-pairs,
88mH-loaded every 2000 yards.

There are so many things which can go wrong with it you can't believe it.

For example, it is a waste of time measuring line attenuation (loss) on all
542 pairs as a means of detecting a possible imperfection in any one pair.

Very serious defects, sufficient to disrupt normal service, can be entirely
overlooked if attenuation is measured just at one or two frequencies as a
check to see if loss is between specified performance limits. Loss is so
small on transmission lines it is very difficult to measure accurately. It
can get lost in temperature changes especially on overhead lines.

I know - I've done it !

It is obvious the most sensitive of ALL measuring instruments is a bridge
used to compare one value with another, good with bad. The bad sticks out
like a sore thumb even if it is only a teeny bit bad.
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Reg.