The RG-214 cable I ordered from Germany to make up some patch leads
for my VNA has finally arrived. It was advertised as "high-end audio
cable" which is what it's commonly sold as over there (those wacky
Germans!) but it *is* the real deal low-loss 50 ohm UHF cable,
nevertheless (just as well since it took 3 months to arrive).

Now I have to make up these leads with N-type connectors to replace
the stock leads that didn't come with the analyzer. These hook up the
VNA to the Transmission/Reflection Test Set (which I do have). I see
from HP's tech spec that the interconnects I need to copy comprise
what was originally sold as the "11851A RF cable kit" and it consists
of four cables. Now here's the tricky bit:

"Kit includes three 24" 50 ohm cables, phase-matched to 4 degrees @
1300Mhz and one 34" cable. The 34" cable is used to phase balance the
transmission path of the Transmission/Reflection Test Set."

So does this mean the cable lengths are critical and if so, how best
to go about making them up?

thanks,
p.


--

"What is now proved was once only imagin'd" - William Blake