 TNC connector on the left beside BNC. | |||
| Type | RF coaxial connector | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Production history | |||
| Designer | Paul Neill andCarl Concelman | ||
| Designed | Late 1950s | ||
| Manufacturer | Various | ||
| General specifications | |||
| Diameter | Male: 0.590 in (15.0 mm) Female: 0.378 in (9.6 mm) (outer, typical) Thread 7/16-28 UNEF | ||
| Cable | Coaxial | ||
| Passband | Typically 0–11 GHz | ||
TheTNC connector (initialism of "Threaded Neill–Concelman") is a threaded version of theBNC connector.
The interface specifications for the TNC and many other connectors are referenced in MIL-STD-348.[1] The connector has a 50 Ωimpedance and operates best in the 0–11GHz frequency spectrum. It has better performance than the BNC connector atmicrowave frequencies. Invented in the late 1950s and named afterPaul Neill ofBell Labs andCarl Concelman ofAmphenol, the TNC connector has been employed in a wide range of radio and wired applications.[2][3]
The TNC connector features a 7/16"-28 thread,[4] not to be confused with a7/16 DIN connector, which is the diameter of the mating surfaces as specified in millimeters.
Reverse-polarity TNC (RP-TNC, sometimes RTNC) is a variation of the TNC specification which reverses the polarity of the interface. A reverse polarity connector will have the opposite pin of standard connector. Gender is determined by the threading of the connector. On a male connector, the threading will be on the inside. On a female connector the threading is on the outside.[5]
Because they were not readily available, RP-TNC connectors have been widely used byWi-Fi equipment manufacturers to comply with specific local regulations, such as those from theFCC,[6] which are designed to prevent consumers from connecting antennas which exhibit gain and therefore breach compliance. The FCC considered that the RP-TNC was acceptable in preventing consumers changing the antenna; but by 2000 it regarded them as readily available,[7] though delaying its ruling indefinitely.[8] As of 2013, leading manufacturers are still using RP-TNC connectors on their Wi-Fi equipment.[9]
The TNCA connector is a variant of the TNC connector specified in MIL-STD-348[1] designed to provide an air gap in the dielectric region between the male and female connectors. The female TNCA connector is nearly identically to the standard TNC female connector, while the male TNCA connector provides the air cavity differentiating it from a standard male TNC connector. As such, TNCA connectors are mechanically compatible with standard TNC connectors.
Most TNC connectors are 50-ohm type even when used withcoaxial cable of other impedances,[citation needed] but a 75-ohm series is also available, providing a goodSWR to about 1 GHz.[10] These can be recognized by a reduced amount ofdielectric in the mating ends. They are intermatable with standard types.