Cleaning of the VNA Test Cable

With tight tolerances such as mmWave components, all VNA Test Cable interfaces must be kept clean. Although it may seem extreme, microscopy is a good practice. The cleaning process is simple: find a lint-free cloth (polyester recommended); dampen it with isopropyl alcohol; wipe the parts clean with the damp cloth. In addition, filtered compressed air or nitrogen can also be used. However, it should be noted that pressurized tanks are often added with chlorinated solvents for deepening penetration, which may cause more harm to VNA Test Cable.

After the above cleaning process is complete, a magnifying glass can be used for VNA Test Cable surface inspection. This inspection process can also be repeated when it is necessary to ensure that all metal particles or other substances are removed. Although a magnifying glass is readily available, it is more effective in interface inspection. Possible VNA Test Cable defects include bent pins, missing pins, damaged dielectric layers, frayed or damaged threads, and other visible damage. As soon as any such defect is found, the cable must be replaced.

In general, VNA Test Cable used in measurement systems in the aerospace sector suffer the most from improper use. This is because only some surveyors in the field understand the proper handling of cables, while others do not. There are many instances of rough handling of VNA Test Cable in this field, such as: moving the measuring table by dragging the VNA Test Cable; laying the cable under other objects; pinching, squeezing, stepping on the cable; pulling the VNA Test Cable over sharp edges ; often bend the cable beyond its maximum bend radius.

While the above conditions are difficult to eradicate, anyone responsible for the maintenance of a measurement system should at least do their best to ensure that all VNA Test Cable put into service are undamaged cables. Also, in an outdoor measurement environment, a "drop loop" should be created for the VNA Test Cable. This is because water droplets can flow down the cable into the connector, ultimately causing changes in cable performance such as increased insertion loss. 

Under aviation conditions, VNA Test Cable assemblies are exposed to harsh environments due to the presence of oils and other liquids and gases. Cables should not be directly exposed to such environments, but probably only the VNA Test Cable user is aware of this. While cables in test and measurement applications are designed to be durable, they do not necessarily have to withstand exposure to all harsh environments.