10.

The characteristic impedance of a cable depends

mostly on the resistance of the wires.
Transmission Lines ANS: F
(Blake C14)
11. For coaxial cables, there are only a few standard
values in common use.
TRUE/FALSE
ANS: T
1. A transmission line is a metallic cable.
12. The value of the load at the end of a transmission
ANS: T line must be equal to or less than Z0.

2. Coaxial cables are referred to as "unbalanced". ANS: F

ANS: T 13. RF signals travel slower on a transmission line than

they would through free space.
3. "Balanced" means that both conductors are the
same size. ANS: T

ANS: F 14. Energy can "reflect" from a load at the end of a

cable and travel back to the source.
4. Twisted-pair telephone wire is a kind of
transmission line. ANS: T

ANS: T 15. A "mismatched" line will cause reflections.

5. Cable resistance does not depend on frequency. ANS: T

ANS: F 16. The typical load on a cable, such as an antenna, has

the same value at any frequency.
6. Losses occur in the plastic dielectric of a
transmission line. ANS: F

ANS: T 17. A mismatched line between a transmitter and an

antenna could actually damage the transmitter.
7. Basically, a transmission line looks like an inductor
in series with a small resistor. ANS: T

ANS: F 18. A matched transmission line will exhibit "standing"

waves.
8. Distributed parameters (inductance and
capacitance) are characteristic of transmission ANS: F
lines.
19. The optimum value for SWR is one.
ANS: T
ANS: T
9. Transmission lines are often considered to be
"lossless" at higher frequencies. 20. "Ghost" images on a cable TV indicate an
impedance mismatch.
ANS: T
ANS: T
21. If a cable is shorter than 1/16 of the signal's a. Shorted Wave c. Shorted Wire
wavelength, it does not really behave as a Radiation Region
transmission line. b. Sine Wave d. none of the
ANS: T
Response above

22. Shorted stubs radiate more energy than open stubs

do. ANS: D

ANS: F 2. TDR stands for:

a. Total Distance of c. Time-Domain

23. It is often better to measure SWR at the load rather
Reflection Response
than the source.
b. Time-Domain d. Transmission
ANS: T Reflectometer Delay Ratio

24. The only limit to the power that a transmission line

can carry is the heat from I2R losses. ANS: B

ANS: F 3. An example of an unbalanced line is:

25. A length of transmission line can be used to match a. a coaxial cable c. an open-wire-line
impedances at very high frequencies. cable
b. 300-ohm twin- d. all of the above
ANS: T lead TV cable

26. A circular graph called a "Jones" chart is

commonly used to analyze transmission lines. ANS: A

ANS: F 4. When analyzing a transmission line, its inductance

and capacitance are considered to be:
27. There is no practical way to connect a balanced line
to an unbalanced line. a. lumped c. equal reactances
b. distributed d. ideal elements
ANS: F

28. A 1/4 wavelength transmission line can be used as ANS: B

a transformer.
5. As frequency increases, the resistance of a wire:
ANS: T
a. increases c. stays the same
29. When used, stubs are usually inserted in series with b. decreases d. changes
a transmission line. periodically

ANS: F
ANS: A
30. Slotted-lines are only useful at lower frequencies.
6. The effect of frequency on the resistance of a wire
ANS: F is called:

MULTIPLE CHOICE a. I2R loss c. the skin effect

b. the Ohmic effect d. there is no such
1. SWR stands for: effect
 ANS: C ANS: B

7. As frequency increases, the loss in a cable's 12. A positive voltage pulse sent down a transmission
dielectric: line terminated in a short-circuit:

a. increases c. stays the same a. would reflect as a positive pulse

b. decreases d. there is no loss in b. would reflect as a negative pulse
a dielectric c. would reflect as a positive pulse
followed by a negative pulse
d. would not reflect at all
ANS: A

8. The characteristic impedance of a cable depends ANS: B

on:
13. A positive voltage pulse sent down a transmission
a. the resistance per foot of the wire used
line terminated with its characteristic impedance:
b. the resistance per foot and the
inductance per foot a. would reflect as a positive pulse
c. the resistance per foot and the b. would reflect as a negative pulse
capacitance per foot c. would reflect as a positive pulse
d. the inductance per foot and the followed by a negative pulse
capacitance per foot d. would not reflect at all

ANS: D ANS: D

9. For best matching, the load on a cable should be: 14. A positive voltage-pulse sent down a transmission
line terminated in an open-circuit:
a. lower than Z0 c. equal to Z0
b. higher than Z0 d. 50 ohms a. would reflect as a positive pulse
b. would reflect as a negative pulse
c. would reflect as a positive pulse
ANS: C followed by a negative pulse
d. would not reflect at all
10. The characteristic impedance of a cable:

a. increases with c. increases with

ANS: A
length voltage
b. increases with d. none of the above 15. The optimum value for SWR is:
frequency
a. zero c. as large as possible
b. one d. there is no
ANS: D optimum value
11. The velocity factor of a cable depends mostly on:
ANS: B
a. the wire c. the inductance per
resistance foot 16. A non-optimum value for SWR will cause:
b. the dielectric d. all of the above
constant
 a. standing waves c. higher voltage
peaks on cable
b. loss of power to d. all of the above ANS: C
load 22. On a Smith Chart, you "normalize" the impedance
by:
ANS: D a. assuming it to be c. multiplying it by
zero 2
17. VSWR stands for:
b. dividing it by 2 d. dividing it by Z0
a. variable SWR c. voltage SWR
b. vacuum SWR d. none of the above
ANS: D

ANS: C 23. The radius of the circle you draw on a Smith Chart
represents:
18. The impedance "looking into" a matched line:
a. the voltage c. the impedance
a. is infinite c. is the characteristic b. the current d. none of the above
impedance
b. is zero d. 50 ohms
ANS: D

ANS: C 24. The center of the Smith Chart always represents:

a. zero c. the characteristic

19. A Smith Chart is used to calculate:
impedance
a. transmission line c. optimum length b. one d. none of the above
impedances of a transmission
line
ANS: C
b. propagation d. transmission line
velocity losses 25. A TDR is commonly used to:

a. measure the characteristic impedance of

ANS: A a cable
b. find the position of a defect in a cable
20. Compared to a 300-ohm line, the loss of a 50-ohm
c. replace a slotted-line
cable carrying the same power:
d. all of the above
a. would be less c. would be the same
b. would be more d. cannot be
compared ANS: B

COMPLETION
ANS: B
1. A cable that lacks symmetry with respect to ground
21. A balanced load can be connected to an unbalanced is called ____________________.
cable:
ANS: unbalanced
a. directly c. by using a "balun"
b. by using a filter d. cannot be
connected
 2. Parallel lines are usually operated as
____________________ lines since both wires are
symmetrical with respect to ground.
ANS: balanced
3. Normally, a transmission line is terminated with a
load equal to its ____________________
impedance.
ANS: characteristic
4. Twisted-pair cables are transmission lines for
relatively ____________________ frequencies.
ANS: low
5. To analyze a transmission line, it is necessary to
use ____________________ parameters instead of
lumped ones.
ANS: distributed
6. The increase of a wire's resistance with frequency
is called the ____________________ effect.
ANS: skin
7. The increase of a wire's resistance with frequency
is caused by the ____________________ field
inside the wire.
ANS: magnetic
8. Dielectrics become more ____________________
as the frequency increases.
ANS: lossy
9. The inductance and capacitance of a cable are
given per unit ____________________.
ANS: length
10. Characteristic impedance is sometimes called
____________________ impedance.
ANS: surge
11. A cable that is terminated in its characteristic
impedance is called a ____________________
line.
ANS: matched
12. A pulse sent down a cable terminated in a short-
circuit will reflect with the
____________________ polarity.
ANS: opposite
13. The apparently stationary pattern of waves on a
mismatched cable is called a
____________________ wave.
ANS: standing
14. SWR stands for ____________________-wave
ratio.
ANS: standing
15. The ideal value for SWR is
____________________.
ANS: one
16. Transmission line impedances can be found using a
____________________ chart.
ANS: Smith
17. Short transmission-line sections called
____________________ can be used as capacitors
or inductors.
ANS: stubs
18. Any cable that radiates energy can also
____________________ energy.
ANS: absorb
19. A ____________________-dB loss in a cable
means only half the power sent reaches the load.
ANS: 3
20. It is often best to measure SWR at the
____________________ end of a cable.
ANS: load
21. Besides heat from I2R, the power a cable can carry
is limited by the ____________________ voltage
of its dielectric.
 ANS: breakdown
22. To normalize an impedance on a Smith Chart, you
divide it by ____________________.
ANS: Z0
23. The ____________________ of a Smith Chart
always represents the characteristic impedance.
ANS: center
24. A ____________________ wavelength
transmission line can be used a transformer.
ANS: one-quarter
25. A slotted line is used to make measurements in the
____________________ domain.
ANS: frequency
SHORT ANSWER
1. A transmission line has 2.5 pF of capacitance per
foot and 100 nH of inductance per foot. Calculate
its characteristic impedance.
ANS:
Z0 = 200 ohms
2. Two wires with air as a dielectric are one inch
apart. The diameter of the wire is .04 inch.
Calculate, approximately, its characteristic
impedance.
ANS:
386 ohms
3. If a coaxial cable uses plastic insulation with a
dielectric constant r = 2.6 , what is the velocity
factor for the cable?
ANS:
0.62
4. If a cable has a velocity factor of 0.8, how long
would it take a signal to travel 3000 kilometers
along the cable?
ANS:
12.5 ms
5. If a cable has a velocity factor of 0.8, what length
of cable is required for a 90° phase shift at 100
MHz?
ANS:
0.6 meters
6. A cable has a VSWR of 10. If the minimum
voltage along the cable is 20 volts, what is the
maximum voltage along the cable?
ANS:
200 volts
7. A lossless line has a characteristic impedance of 50
ohms, but is terminated with a 75-ohm resistive
load. What SWR do you expect to measure?
ANS:
1.5
8. If a cable has an SWR of 1.5, what will be the
absolute value of its voltage coefficient of
reflection?
ANS:
0.2
9. A generator matched to a line with a voltage
coefficient of reflection equal to 0.2 transmits 100
watts into the line. How much power is actually
absorbed by the load?
ANS:
96 watts
110. Using a Smith Chart to analyze a 50-ohm cable,
what would be the normalized value of an
impedance equal to 200 + j50 ohms?
ANS:
4 + j1