5G & 6G, SATCOM, UAVs, quantum computers, and test equipment all push for higher performance. David Shaff’s review of this year’s premier microwave industry event finds new RF interconnects are ready for the next advancements. All sections of the RF/microwave industry came together at the IEEE International MTT Symposia (IMS) in Boston the week ofRead More
Characterization and modeling of connector losses in internal connector interfaces. Article Contributed By Baptiste Bouix, Product Manager, Würth Elektronik When two or more PCBs need to be interconnected, designers must select the appropriate connectors for their application. However, choosing the wrong connector can compromise the entire design. Larger pitches like 0.8 mm and 1.0 mmRead More
This week’s Product Roundup highlights board-to-board connectors from leading connector manufacturers and suppliers. Board-to-Board Connectors PRECI-DIP’s board-to-board connectors use precision-machined contacts to ensure stable electrical performance and high contact reliability in PCB interconnections. Their custom design supports direct board stacking with consistent contact alignment and durability over repeated mating cycles. Available in multiple series with variousRead More
This week’s Product Roundup highlights RF & coaxial interconnects from leading connector manufacturers and suppliers. RF & Coaxial Interconnects SV Microwave’s SMPM-XT RF interconnects are designed to maintain reliable electrical performance, even when mechanical tolerances vary. These SMPM interconnects accommodate a greater degree of axial tolerance, ensuring repeatable board-to-board connections up to 12 GHz. ThisRead More
New-to-market connectivity products, including interconnects, wire, cable, and cable assemblies, sensors, antennas, materials, accessories, tools, and development kits. March 2026 New Connectivity Products March 2026 New Connectivity Products > Interconnects, etc. binder’s portfolio of customized connectivity solutions expands with the launch of its new M8 flange connectors featuring a solder connection. The rugged, space-saving connectors offer maximum flexibility during cable assembly, making them ideal forRead More
Meet the Connector: QSFP Transceivers This high-speed optical transceiver has gone through many iterations and continues to evolve with higher port density and increased data rates. The QSFP (quad small form-factor pluggable), defined in the initial Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) in 2006, is a high-speed optical transceiver. It is small and hot-swappable with higher port densityRead More
For decades, the subminiature push-on connector has been a mainstay of RF applications. However, in complex architectures, the SMP interface had challenges in blind mating situations. A solderless coax connector presents an alternative. Article Contributed by Smiths Interconnect The landscape of high-speed radio frequency (RF) interconnects is continuously evolving, driven by the need for enhancedRead More
This week’s Product Roundup highlights SMP and SMPM connectors from leading connector manufacturers and suppliers. SMP and SMPM Connectors Amphenol and Cinch SMP RF connectors, available at PEI-Genesis, are miniature, high-frequency coaxial connectors known for their push-on coupling mechanism. They offer reliable connections up to 40 GHz, making them ideal for high-speed data transmission inRead More
New-to-market connectivity products, including interconnects, wire, cable, and cable assemblies, sensors, antennas, materials, accessories, tools, and development kits. November 2025 New Connectivity Products November 2025 New Connectivity Products > Interconnects, etc. PEI-Genesis offers Trompeter Space-Rated Subminiature RF Connectors from Cinch Connectivity Solutions worldwide. Trompeter connectors have been integral to mission-critical programs, including communications satellites, GPS navigation satellites, and rovers. These high-reliability connectors are specifically designedRead More
New-to-market connectivity products, including interconnects, wire, cable, and cable assemblies, sensors, antennas, materials, accessories, tools, and development kits. October 2025 New Connectivity Products October 2025 New Connectivity Products > Interconnects, etc. Bulgin’s new Standard Vitalis Buccaneer range of sustainable, waterproof connectors is a bio-based alternative to its flagship series, the Standard Buccaneer, offering the same technical performance with improved sustainability. The Standard Vitalis Buccaneer isRead More
In the field, at home, and even in hospital settings, demand for medical devices that are small, light, durable, reliable, and portable are creating pressure for smaller interconnects. Portability is an ongoing trend for medical devices. Monitoring equipment is no longer limited to a fixed location, even within a hospital setting. To achieve this portability,Read More
Meet the Connector: MIL-PRF-39012 Connectors MIL-PRF-39012 connectors bring high reliability to a wide range of RF devices and assemblies such as amplifiers, transceivers, filters, antennas, and more. Previously referred to as MIL-C-39012, this standard defines the materials, quality conformance, qualification, and verification for coaxial connectors. As industries continue to adopt high-reliability coaxial cable assemblies, MIL-PRF-39012Read More
Quantum engineers must consider the complex needs of today’s computing systems as well as plan for future needs as performance expectations inevitably scale up. Three areas of consideration help guide component selection. Article contributed by SV Microwave The field of quantum computing is undergoing a rapid evolution with the arrival of new material innovations, softwareRead More
This week’s Product Roundup highlights high-speed connectors from leading connector manufacturers and suppliers. High-speed connectors The Amphenol R-VPX Evolution Series, available at PEI-Genesis, offers high-speed modules capable of 16+ Gb/s data rate transfers. The series supports the latest high-speed protocols while still meeting OpenVPX requirements. The R-VPX Evolution Series meets VITA 46 and 47 requirementsRead More
New-to-market connectivity products, including interconnects, wire, cable, and cable assemblies, sensors, antennas, materials, accessories, tools, and development kits. September 2025 New Connectivity Products September 2025 New Connectivity Products > Interconnects, etc. DigiKey added more than 32,000 innovative new product introductions (NPIs) in the second quarter of 2025, extensively expanding its range of products available for same-day shipment. In total, the distributor added over 236,000 new productsRead More
Meet the Cable: Coaxial Cables Their design was first used in 1858 and patented by mathematician Oliver Heaviside in 1880, yet these reliable and cost-effective cables are still widely used to transmit data, video, and voice communication. Today, they are even used for power in certain applications. Coaxial or coax cable is used to transmitRead More
Meet the Connector: NMD (Network Measurement Division) Connectors NMD (Network Measurement Division) connectors are used specifically in network measurement equipment and setups. The name for these precision connectors was coined by Agilent Technologies, the Hewlett Packard business unit that produced the Agilent 8510A and 8720A analyzers and was spun off in 1999. These connectors areRead More
Meet the Connector: SMB/SMC Connectors The SMB (Sub-Miniature type B) and SMC (Sub-Miniature type C) coaxial RF connectors were first developed in the 1960s as sub-miniature connectors for fitment on RF cable and equipment. The SMB offers quick connect/disconnect snap-on mating, while the SMC has a #10-32UNF-threaded screw-type coupling mechanism that is suitable for high-vibration,Read More
Meet the Connector: Microminiature and Ultraminiature RF Connectors RF (radio frequency) connectors work with radio frequencies in the multi-megahertz range. Technology advanced significantly in the 2000s to meet the demand for inexpensive, high-data-rate wireless transceivers. Wire-to-wire, wire-to-board, and board-to-board micro-miniature RF connectors and ultraminiature RF connectors were developed to work in smaller and smaller devices.Read More
IMS 2023, the premier worldwide RF microwave symposium, revealed exponential gains in next-generation interconnects for wireless communications technologies. Take a tour of the highlights with RF expert Dave Shaff. This year’s International Microwave Symposium (IMS) reestablished the event as the premier world level expo for RF through THz technology, engineering, and products. IMS 2023, heldRead More
