Reverse Polarity SMA
Reverse polarity SMA (RP-SMA or RSMA) is a variation of the SMA connector specification which reverses the gender of the interface, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The term "reverse polarity" here refers only to the gender of the connector's contact pin, not in any way to the signal polarity. The female RP-SMA connector has the same external housing as a standard or conventional female SMA connector, which consists of an outer shell with the threads on the outside; however, the center receptacle is replaced by a male pin. Similarly, the RP-SMA male has threads on the inside like a conventional male, but has a center receptacle instead of the male pin in the middle.
| Male central Pin | Female central Receptacle | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Thread | SMA Male | Reverse SMA Male |
| Outside Thread | Reverse SMA Female | SMA Female |
RP-SMA connectors were introduced to separate professional and commercially available equipment, preventing unintentional or intentional connection of high-gain professional antennas with SMA connectors and commercial wireless equipment with RP-SMA connectors, violating federal or international laws. Today, however, both type of connectors are readily available. RP-SMA connectors are widely used by Wi-Fi equipment manufacturers to comply with specific local regulations {Section 15.203 Antenna requirement}, e.g., the FCC, which were intended to make it difficult for consumers to connect antennas with gain and thereby breach compliance. However, RP-SMA equipped antennas are now widely available.
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Famous quotes containing the words reverse and/or polarity:
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—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
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