32 
Getting Started
Using your Attenuator as a Variable Back Reflector
1.4 Using your Attenuator as a Variable Back 
Reflector 
NOTE Before using the instrument, you should make sure that it is properly 
warmed up. The instrument is properly warmed up when it has been 
switched on for a minimum of 45 minutes. Failure to do this can cause 
errors of up to 0.04dB in the attenuation.
To use the attenuator as a back reflector, you need to set up the 
hardware as shown in the figure below.
Figure 1-4 The Hardware Configuration for the Back Reflector (Options 201 and 
203) 
Press B
ACK REFL to start operation as a back reflector. You need to 
enter measured values for the insertion loss of the attenuator (INS 
LOSS), the return loss of the attenuator (RL INPUT), and the 
reference return loss you are using (RL REF). The return loss (RL) 
is calculated according to the equation
You edit the value for the return loss while the application is 
running.
RL dB() 10 10
RLInput dB
()–
10
--------------------------------------
110
RLInput dB()–
10
--------------------------------------
–
10
2 Att dB
()InsLoss dB()+()RLRef dB()+()–
10
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