5305 Spectrum Drive, Frederick, MD 21703-7362 TEL: 301-846-9222, 800-638-2048 Fax: 301-846-9116
web: www.aeroflex.com/weinschel email: weinschel-sales@aeroflex.com
112
Revision Date: 2/12/10
Programmable Attenuators
Model 150 dc to 18.0 GHz
Model 151 dc to 4.0 GHz
Model 152 dc to 26.5 GHz
Relay Switched Programmable Attenuators
Description
The Model 150, 151 and 152 Programmable Step
Attenuators represent the widest variety of programmable
attenuators available. This attenuator design is the result of
an extensive development program and offers long reliable
operation with exceptional accuracy and repeatability.
These attenuators can provide programmable adjustments
of RF signal levels in precise steps of 1 dB, 5 dB, 10 dB, or
with custom steps available. Each attenuator consists of a
cascaded assembly of
switched attenuator cells
(Figure 1). The attenuator
elements located in the
attenuator cell are created
by a thin-film process
which provides excep-
tional long-term stability,
low power and tempera-
ture coefficients. This
series uses a reed switch-
ing structure that provides
rapid switching together
with low insertion loss.
Other features include:
oBroadband Frequency Coverage
oHigh Accuracy and Repeatability
oLong Life, 5 Million Cycles Per Cell
o3, 4, and 5 Cell Configurations
PROGRAMMABILITY: In each programmable step
Attenuator, solenoids are used to switch the internal resistor
card of each cell into and out of the circuit. Once the cell is
switched, the solenoid is magnetically latched into position
and is able to withstand extreme shock and vibration.
Internal circuitry is included to interrupt the coil current after
switching is complete. This reduces power dissipation even
if power is continuously applied. The switching time for each
cell is rated at 20 msec maximum which includes the con-
tact settling time.
BROADBAND ACCURACY & LOW SWR: The use of
Aeroflex / Weinschel's proprietary thin-film resistor process
provides these programmable step attenuators with a high
degree of accuracy and the lowest possible SWR uncer-
tainty (refer to specifications for actual values). This thin film
process permits the construction of circuits which are truly
distributed and without stray reactances, even at the higher
microwave frequencies.
RELIABILITY: Each programmable step attenuator is
composed of 3 to 5 (4 in most models) cells. As with all
mechanical designs, usable life becomes a primary concern
to the user. With this in mind Aeroflex / Weinschel backs all
these attenuators with a rated switch life of 5 million
operations per cell. Standardized testing is also performed
on each programmable step attenuator over its operating
frequency range by a computer controlled Aeroflex /
Weinschel Attenuation Measurement System which is
traceable to NIST standards.
ENVIRONMENTAL: These Model 150 Programmable Step
Attenuators have undergone an extensive environmental
qualification program and have been subjected to
temperature, shock, vibration, and humidity conditions per
MIL-STD-202F. These programmable step attenuators
operate within these specifications at an ambient
temperature of -20° to +75°C. Operating beyond these
limits will adversely affect the accuracy and could damage
the internal circuitry.
For additional information on the 150 Series, visit our website @ www.aeroflex.com/AW/programmables.htm
Figure 1. Cell Schematic
RoHS
113
5305 Spectrum Drive, Frederick, MD 21703-7362 TEL: 301-846-9222, 800-638-2048 Fax: 301-846-9116
web: www.aeroflex.com/weinschel email: weinschel-sales@aeroflex.com Revision Date: 2/12/10
Programmable Attenuators
VOLTAGE MODEL(S)
+ 24 V with 150-XX, 151-XX, 152-XX,
Viking Connector 152A-XX
+ 24 V with 150-XX-1, 151-XX-1, 152-XX-1
Ribbon Cable 152A-XX-1
+ 5 V with 150-XX-2, 151-XX-2, 152-XX-2
Viking Connector 152A-XX-2
+ 5 V with 150-XX-3, 151-XX-3, 152-XX-3
Ribbon Cable 152A-XX-3
Cell 1 Cell 2 Cell 3 Cell 4 Cell 5
ATTN Cells ATTN ATTN ATTN ATTN ATTN Power
Value No. Bypass Element Bypass Element Bypass Element Bypass Element Bypass Element +Vdc
11 dB 4 0 dB 1 dB 0 dB 4 dB 0 dB 2 dB 0 dB 4 dB - - - - - -
15 dB 4 0 dB 1 dB 0 dB 8 dB 0 dB 2 dB 0 dB 4 dB - - - - - -
31 dB 5 0 dB 1 dB 0 dB 8 dB 0 dB 2 dB 0 dB 16 dB 0 dB 4 dB
62 dB 5 0 dB 2 dB 0 dB 32 dB 0 dB 16 dB 0 dB 4 dB 0 dB 8 dB
55 dB 4 0 dB 5 dB 0 dB 10 dB 0 dB 20 dB 0 dB 20 dB - - - - - -
70 dB 4 0 dB 10 dB 0 dB 20 dB 0 dB 20 dB 0 dB 20 dB - - - - - -
3 0 dB 10 dB 0 dB 40 dB 0 dB 20 dB - - - - - - - - - - - -
75 dB 4 0 dB 5 dB 0 dB 40 dB 0 dB 20 dB 0 dB 10 dB - - - - - -
90 dB 4 0 dB 10 dB 0 dB 30 dB 0 dB 20 dB 0 dB 30 dB - - - - - -
110 dB 4 0 dB 10 dB 0 dB 40 dB 0 dB 20 dB 0 dB 40 dB - - - - - -
Round PIN # 5 6 9 10 7 8 11 12 3 4 1
Conn.
3 & 4 Cell Wire Violet Yellow Orange Blue Black Green Brown White - - - - - - Red
5 Cell Color Black White Green Orange Blue WHT/BLK RED/BLK GRN/BLK ORN/BLK BLU/BLK Red
Ribbon PIN# 13 2 3 9 11 5 4 10 8 7 6
Cable Wire Orange Yellow Blue Brown Purple Black Gray White Orange yellow Red
Conn. Color
Table provides standard attenuation ranges, increments, and cell configurations for all Aeroflex / Weinschel Programmable Step
Attenuators (Models 150, 151, 152, & 152A)
150 Series Cell Configurations...
Specifications
NOMINAL IMPEDANCE: 50 Ω
FREQUENCY RANGE: Model 151: dc to 4 GHz
Model 150: dc to 18 GHz
Model 152: dc to 26.5 GHz
OPERATIONAL VOLTAGE: + 24V Nominal (+20V mini-
mum to +30V maximum) or +5V Nominal (+4V minimum* to
+7V maximum)
*Minimum operating voltage derated to +4.25 V @ 55°C and further
derated to +4.5 V @ 75°C
POWER RATING: 1 watt average, 100 watts peak
(5 μsec pulse width; 0.5% duty cycle)
TEMPERATURE: -20° to +75°C operating
-55° to +85°C nonoperating
TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT: < 0.0001 dB/dB/°C
POWER SENSITIVITY: < 0.001 dB/dB/ Watt
RATED SWITCH LIFE: 5 million cycles per cell
RF INPUT CONNECTORS: Rugged female 3.5 mm
connectors which mate nondestructively with SMA male
connectors per MIL-STD-39012.
CONTROL CONNECTOR: 12 pin Viking TNP12-101
connector with 5' cable or 14 conductor 16" ribbon cable
with connector (shown below):
SWITCHING TIME: 20 msec (includes settling time)
CYCLING RATE: 4 Hz max per relay
CONTROL PULSE WIDTH: 20 msec (minimum)
SWITCHING CURRENT: 125 mA @ +24V per cell
300 mA @ +5V per cell
REPEATABILITY: +0.1 dB typical per cell
VIBRATION: MIL-STD-202F, Method 204D Cond B
ALTITUDE: MIL-STD-202F, Method 105C Cond B,
50,000 Ft.
SHOCK: MIL-STD -202F, Method 213B Cond B,
except 10G, 6 msec
HUMIDITY: MIL-STD-202F, Method 103B,
Cond. B (96 Hrs. @ 95%, RH)
EMC: Radiated interference is within the requirements of
MIL-STD-461 method RE02, VDE 0871 and CISPR
Publication II.
WEIGHT: 5 Cell 350 g (12 oz)
4 Cell 290 g (9.0 oz)
3 Cell 230 g (8.0 oz)
VOLTAGE/CONNECTOR OPTIONS:
Ribbon Cable Models Round (Viking)Cable Models
Frequency Attenuation Setting (dB)
Range (GHz) 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
dc-4 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8 1.0
4-12.4 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.3
12.4-18 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.8 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.2 1.6
18-26.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.9 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.5 2.0
Model 152-55:
Frequency Attenuation Setting (dB)
Range (GHz) 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32
dc-4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6
4-12.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8
12.4-18 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.2
Model 150/151-62:
Frequency Attenuation Setting (dB)
Range (GHz)343638 404244 4648505254 56 58 60 62
dc-4 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.2
4-12.4 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.8 1.8
12.4-18 1.4 1.4 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.8 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.4
Frequency Attenuation Setting (dB)
Range (GHz)102030 405060 708090
dc-4 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.2
4-12.4 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.3 1.5 1.6 1.7
12.4-18 0.5 0.6 0.8 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.7 1.8 2.1
18-26.5 0.5 0.6 0.9 1.4 1.5 1.8 2.3 2.4 2.8
Model 152-70 & 152-90:
Frequency Attenuation Setting (dB)
Range (GHz)102030 405060 708090100110
dc-4 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.7 1.9
4-12.4 0.4 0.7 0.9 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.4 2.7 3.0 3.0
12.4-18 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.6 4.0 4.0
18-26.5 0.5 0.9 1.3. 2.0 2.2 2.6 3.2 3.6 4.0 4.2 4.6
Model 150/151-70, 150/151/152-110, 152A-70:
Frequency Attenuation Setting (dB)
Range (GHz) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
dc-4 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
4-12.4 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7
12.4-18 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8
Model 150/151-31:
Frequency Attenuation Setting (dB)
Rang
e
(GHz)171819 202122 23242526 27 28 29 30 31
dc-4 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8
4-12.4 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1
12.4-18 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.3
Frequency Attenuation Setting (dB)
Range (GHz) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
dc-4 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
4-12.4 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7
12.4-18 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8
18-26.5 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1
Model 150/151/152-11 & 150/151/152-15:
Frequency Attenuation Setting (dB)
Range (GHz) 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75
dc-4 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.4
4-12.4 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.6 0.9 0.9 1.2 1.2 1.5 1.5 1.8 1.8 2.1 2.1 2.1
12.4-18 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.8 1.2 1.2 1.6 1.6 2.0 2.0 2.4 2.4 2.8 2.8 2.8
Model 150/151-75:
5305 Spectrum Drive, Frederick, MD 21703-7362 TEL: 301-846-9222, 800-638-2048 Fax: 301-846-9116
web: www.aeroflex.com/weinschel email: weinschel-sales@aeroflex.com
114
Revision Date: 2/12/10
Programmable Attenuators
MAXIMUM SWR (50 ΩCharacteristic Impedance):
Frequency (GHz)
APPLICABLE MODELS dc-4 4-18 18-26.5
151-11, 151-15, 151-31, 150-62, 1.50 - - - - - -
151-75, 151-110
150-11, 150-15, 150-31, 151-62, 1.50 1.90 - - -
150-75, 150-110
151-70 (3 cell) 1.35 - - - - - -
150-70 (3 cell) 1.35 1.70 - - -
152A-70 (3 cell) 1.40 1.70 1.80
152-55, 152-70, 152-90, 152-110 1.40 1.60 1.90
ATTENUATION ACCURACY (+dB with respect to 0 dB reference):
MAXIMUM INSERTION LOSS (dB):
Frequency (GHz)
APPLICABLE MODELS dc-4 4-18 18-26.5
151-11, 151-15, 151-75, 151-110 0.90 - - - - - -
150-11, 150-15, 150-75, 150-110 0.90 2.20 - - -
151-31, 150-62 (5 cell) 1.10 - - - - - -
150-31, 151-62 (5 cell) 1.10 2.60* - - -
151-70 (3 cell) 0.70 - - - - - -
150-70 (3 cell) 0.70 1.60 - - -
152A-70 (3 cell) 0.90 2.00 2.98
152-55, 152-70, 152-90, 152-110 0.90 2.00 2.98
*4-12.4 is 1.80, 12.4-18 is 2.60
115
5305 Spectrum Drive, Frederick, MD 21703-7362 TEL: 301-846-9222, 800-638-2048 Fax: 301-846-9116
web: www.aeroflex.com/weinschel email: weinschel-sales@aeroflex.com Revision Date: 2/12/10
Programmable Attenuators
PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS:
Models 150, 151, & 152:
DIM A B C
3 cell 82.3 (3.28) 76.2 (3.0) 104.6 (4.12)
4 cell 110.7 (4.36) 103.7 (4.08) 133.6 (5.25)
5 cell 136.1 (5.36) 129.1 (5.08) 159.5 (6.28)
NOTE:
1. All dimensions are given in mm (inches) and are maximum, unless otherwise specified.
2. Unit available with RoHS compliant materials, specify when ordering.
5305 Spectrum Drive, Frederick, MD 21703-7362 TEL: 301-846-9222, 800-638-2048 Fax: 301-846-9116
web: www.aeroflex.com/weinschel email: weinschel-sales@aeroflex.com
116
Revision Date: 2/12/10
Programmable Attenuators
Frequency Range/ NO. Attenuator Range/Step Size
Voltage/Connector Cells 11/1 dB 15/1 dB 55/5 dB 31/1 dB 62/2 dB 70/10 dB 75/5 dB 90/10 dB 110/10 dB
dc-4 GHz/+24 V/ 4 151-11 NA N/A 151-75 N/A 151-110
Viking Connector 3 N/A
5 151-31 151-62
dc-18 GHz/+24 V/ 4 150-11 150-15 N/A 150-75 N/A 150-110
Viking Connector 3 150-70
5 150-31 150-62
dc-26.5 GHz/+24 V/ 4 N/A N/A 152-55 N/A N/A 152-90 N/A
Viking Connector 3 N/A N/A
dc-4 GHz/+24 V/ 4 151-11-1 NA N/A 151-75-1 N/A 151-110-1
Ribbon Cable 3 N/A
5 151-31-1 151-62-1
dc-18 GHz/+24 V/ 4 150-11-1 150-15-1 N/A N/A N/A 150-110-1
Ribbon Cable 3 150-70-1
5 150-31-1 150-62-1
dc-26.5 GHz/+24 V/ 4 N/A N/A 152-55-1 N/A N/A N/A N/A 152-90-1 152-110-1
Ribbon Cable 3
dc-4 GHz/+5 V/ 4 151-11-2 151-15-2 N/A 151-75-2 N/A 151-110-2
Viking Connector 3 N/A
5 151-31-2 151-62-2
dc-18 GHz/+5 V/ 4 150-11-2 150-15-2 N/A 150-75-2 N/A 150-110-2
Viking Connector 3 150-70-2
5 150-31-2 150-62-2
dc-26.5 GHz/+5 V/ 4 N/A N/A 152-55-2 N/A N/A N/A 152-90-2 152-110-2
Viking Connector 3 N/A
dc-4 GHz/+5 V/ 4 151-11-3 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Ribbon Cable 3 N/A
5 151-31-3 151-62-3
dc-18 GHz/+5 V/ 4 150-11-3 150-15-3 N/A 150-75-3 N/A 150-110-3
Ribbon Cable 3 150-70-3
5 150-31-3 150-62-3
dc-26.5 GHz/+5 V/ 4 N/A N/A 152-55-3 N/A N/A 152-90-3 152-110-3
Ribbon Cable 3 N/A
N/A = Not Available
150 Series Ordering Guide...
OPTIONAL TEST Data: Test Data is available at an addi-
tional cost for all programmable step attenuators models.
Standard test date is sweep measurements which magitude
and VSWR for each primary cell'.
MODELS WITH BUILT-IN TTL/CMOS INTERFACE\
DRIVER CIRCUIT: Aeroflex / Weinschel offers versions of
the 150 series with built-in TTL/CMOS interfaces. This gen-
eration of intelligent attenuators will greatly simplify as well
as provide an economical solution to 150 series driver prob-
lems. Refer to Model 150T, 151T, and 152T data sheet for
more information.
ACCESSORIES