What impedance is typical for coaxial cables used in radio transmitters and receivers?

Coaxial cables used in radio transmitters and receivers typically have an impedance of 50 ohms. This impedance is considered optimal for balancing the trade-off between power handling and signal loss in most radio frequency (RF) applications. At this impedance level, the cables can efficiently transmit signals while minimizing reflections and standing waves, which can adversely affect transmission quality.

In radio communications, especially for high-frequency applications, using a 50-ohm coaxial cable helps ensure that the equipment, such as transmitters and receivers, work effectively together, thus providing better performance in terms of range and clarity of the transmitted signal.

While other impedance values like 75 ohms are used in cable television and broadband signal distribution due to their lower attenuation characteristics, 50 ohms remains standard for RF work because it ensures a good compromise between power handling and signal integrity. Other options such as 25 ohms and 100 ohms are generally not utilized in these specific applications due to their less optimal performance characteristics for standard RF equipment.