ADAMSON UNIVERSITY

College of Engineering
Electronics and Communications Department

Experiment No. 3
Characteristic Impedance Measurement
Using Electrical Equivalent

MONDAY
(07:00 – 10:00)

4 SCHEDULE

Transmission Media and Antenna System Lab

Group No. SUBJECT Grade

ATTENDANC
E NAME CONTRIBUTION REMARKS
PASCUAL, Joshua Philip Conclusion

RADA, Bernanette Analysis

ROSAL, Cherry Gin Theoretical Background

SEITON, John Seiton Simulation

TOLIAO, Kim Tristan Program Flowchart

ZARI, Irvin Johnson Guide Question, Solving

D.O.P. 02 – 21 – 2022 D.O.S. 03 – 07 – 2022

Bernadeth B. Zari, PECE

Instructor
EXPERIMENT 3: CHARACTERISTIC IMPEDANCE MEASUREMENT USING ELECTRICAL EQUIVALENT

I. OBJECTIVES
To design a transmission line and compute the characteristics impedance using electrical
equivalent.

II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

The characteristic impedance (Zo) is the equivalent resistance of a transmission
line if it were infinitely long, due to distributed capacitance and inductance as voltage and
current waves propagate along its length at a propagation velocity equal to a large
fraction of light speed. The characteristic impedance of a transmission line increases as
the conductor spacing increases. The distributed capacitor, or the larger gap between
caps, will decrease when the conductors are moved away from each other, but the
distributed inductance will increase, which will result in less cancellation of the two
opposing magnetic fields. Then a lower series inductance can cause the line to draw less
current for a given amount of applied voltage, resulting in a higher impedance. Putting
the two conductors closer together increases the parallel capacitance while lowering the
series inductance. The adjustment of capacitance and inductance causes a higher current
to be drawn for a given applied voltage, resulting in a lower impedance. The
characteristic impedance of a transmission line is equal to the square root of the ratio of
the line's inductance per unit length divided by the line's capacitance per unit length,
assuming no dissipative effects such as dielectric "leakage" and conductor resistance. The
formula used:
Zo =
√ L
C
where, Zo = Characteristic impedance of line
L = Inductance per unit length of line

C = Capacitance per unit length of line

III. PROCEDURES
1.) Search for any application regarding a transmission line using the lumped elements as
its basis.
2.) Check for the electrical parameters of the transmission line.
3.) Calculate the characteristics impedance of the line using RLGC and different
frequencies.
4.) Calculate the characteristics impedance of the line using a fixed frequency and
different dominating parameters.
5.) Observe and analyse the effect of frequency and RLGC to the characteristic
impedance of the transmission line.

IV. MATERIALS
Below are the functions and tools used for the students to conduct the experiment in
LabVIEW:

 9 – Numeric Control  4 – Multiply Function
 4 – Numeric Indicator
 6 – Divide Function  3 – Square Root Function
  5 – Numeric Constant  2 – Re/Im Complex Function
 2 – Complex to Polar Function
V. PROGRAM FLOWCHART

Fig. 1: Program Flowchart for Determining Characteristic Impedance using Electrical

Equivalent

VI. BLOCK DIAGRAM

Here it indicates the block diagram & its front panel used for conducting the experiment:

Fig. 2: Block Diagram for Determining Characteristics Impedance using Electrical

Equivalent
 Fig. 3: Front Panel for Determining Characteristics Impedance using Electrical
Equivalent

VII. DATA AND RESULTS

Table 1: Effect of Frequency in the Characteristics Impedance
Type of Zo
Electrical Attributes Frequency
Transmission Line Calculated
1. RG58/U by R = 2.042 mΩ/m 10MHz 0.193<44.997° Ω
PASTERNACK L = 0.290 µH/m 50MHz 0.431<44.998° Ω
G = 489.716 S/m 100MHz 0.610<44.999° Ω
C = 86.610 pF/m 200MHz 0.863<44.994° Ω

SOLUTION:
R = 6.7mΩ/ft ( 3.281
1 ft
m)
= 2.042mΩ/m G=
1
=
1
R 2.042mΩ /m
= 489.716S/m

Zo @ f = 10MHz:
Zo =
√
R+ jωL
G+ jωC

=
√
2.042 x 10−3 + j(2 π )(10 x 106 )(0.29 x 10−6)
6
489.716 + j(2 π )( 10 x 10 )(86.61 x 10 )
−12

=
√ 2.042 x 10−3 + j( 5.8 π )
489.716+ j(1.732 x 10−3 π )

=
√ 18.22<89.994 °
489.716<6.366 x 10−4 °
= √ 37.21 x 10−3 <89.993 °
= 0.193<44.997° Ω
Zo @ f = 50MHz:
Zo =
√
R+ jωL
G+ jωC

=
√
2.042 x 10−3 + j(2 π )(50 x 106 )(0.29 x 10−6)
6
489.716 + j(2 π )( 50 x 10 )(86.61 x 10 )
−12

=
√ 2.042 x 10−3 + j(29 π )
489.716+ j(8.661 x 10−3 π)

=
√ 91.106<89.999 °
489.716<3.183 x 10−3 °
= √ 186.038 x 10−3 < 89.996 °
= 0.431<44.998° Ω

Zo @ f = 100MHz:
Zo =
√
R+ jωL
G+ jωC

=
√
2.042 x 10−3 + j(2 π )(100 x 106 )(0.29 x 10−6)
489.716 + j(2 π )( 100 x 106 )(86.61 x 10−12 )

=
√ 2.042 x 10−3 + j(58 π )
489.716+ j(17.322 x 10 π )
−3

=
√ 182.212<89.999 °
489.716<2.027 x 10−3 °
= √ 372.077 x 10−3< 89.997 °
= 0.610<44.999° Ω

Zo @ f = 200MHz:
Zo =
√
R+ jωL
G+ jωC

=
√
2.042 x 10−3 + j(2 π )(200 x 106 )(0.29 x 10−6)
6
489.716 + j(2 π )( 200 x 10 )(86.61 x 10 )
−12

=
√
2.042 x 10−3 + j(116 π )
489.716+ j(0.035 π )
=
√ 364.425<90 °
489.716<0.013 °
= √ 744.156 x 10−3< 89.987 °
= 0.863<44.994° Ω
Fig. 4: Characteristics Impedance of RG58/U by PASTERNACK with f=10MHz

Fig. 5: Characteristics Impedance of RG58/U by PASTERNACK with f=50MHz

 Fig. 6: Characteristics Impedance of RG58/U by PASTERNACK with f=100MHz

Fig. 7: Characteristics Impedance of RG58/U by PASTERNACK with f=200MHz

Table 2: Effect of Electrical Parameters in the Characteristics Impedance

(R & G: Dominating Parameters)
Type of Zo
Electrical Attributes Frequency
Transmission Line Calculated
1. RG58/U by R = 2.042 mΩ/m
PASTERNACK L = 0.290 µH/m
1Hz 2.042 mΩ
G = 489.716 S/m
C = 86.610 pF/m
Solution:
f = 1Hz ≈ 0 Hz
Zo =
√ R+ jωL
G+ jωC
=
√
R + j 2 π ( 0)L
G+ j2 π (0)C
=
√ √
R
G
= 2.042 mΩ/m
489.716 S /m
= 2.042mΩ

Fig. 8: Characteristics Impedance of RG58/U by PASTERNACK (R & G: Dominating

Parameters)

Table 3: Effect of Electrical Parameters in the Characteristics Impedance

(L & C: Dominating Parameters)
Type of Zo
Electrical Attributes Frequency
Transmission Line Calculated
1. RG58/U by R = 2.042 mΩ/m
PASTERNACK L = 0.290 µH/m
1GHz 57.865 Ω
G = 489.716 S/m
C = 86.610 pF/m

Solution:
f = 1GHz ∴ R ≈ 0 Ω/m & G ≈ 0 S/m
Zo =
√ R+ jωL
G+ jωC √
= 0+ jωL = L =
0+ jωC C √ √ 0.290 µH /m
86.610 pF /m
= 57.865 Ω

Fig. 9: Characteristics Impedance of RG58/U by PASTERNACK (L & C: Dominating

Parameters)

RG58/U Coaxial Cable Data Sheet:

VIII. ANALYSIS
Using LabVIEW, a VI model of transmission line with measurable characteristic
impedance using electrical equivalent is simulated. Three tables are made to record the
data. Table 1 to show the effect of frequency on the characteristic impedance, while the
other two shows the effect of electrical parameters on the characteristic impedance with
Table 2 having resistance R and conductance G as dominating parameters, and Table 3
having inductance L and capacitance C as dominating parameters.
 In table 1, the constant electrical attributes of the transmission line RG58/U were
recorded. This specific Pasternack’s coaxial cable has a 2.042-milliohm resistance per
meter, 0.290-microHenry inductance per meter, 489.716-siemen calculated conductance
per meter, and an 86.610-picofarad capacitance per meter. From this data, it can be
inferred that with increasing frequency of 10 MHz, to 50 MHz, to 100 MHz, to 200 MHz,
the characteristic impedance ZO calculated also increased from 0.193 Ω, to 0.431 Ω, to
0.610 Ω, to 0.863 Ω, respectively with all about 45˚.
Still using the same transmission line, Table 2 used a low frequency of just 1 Hz,
and resulted to a low characteristic impedance Z O of 0.00204 Ω. Table 3 used a high
frequency of 1 GHz, and resulted to a high characteristic impedance ZO of 57.865 Ω.
For a lossless transmission line, inductance L and capacitance C must be valued
about zero to make the resistance R and conductance G the dominating values., same way
resistance R and conductance G must be valued about zero to make the inductance L and
capacitance C the dominating values. Lossless transmission lines are intended to be used
on high frequencies. However, it still needs to be accounted that the imperfect dielectric
material can still cause some loss in transmission.

IX. CONCLUSION
The students modelled a transmission line through the application MULTISIM. It
enables to measure the characteristic with different varying conditions of the lumped
elements such as resistance, inductance, conductance and capacitance of the transmission
line. The frequency was also varied in different values and it is proven that it has an
effect on the transmission line. The experiment showed that it has its practical
applications that matches the calculations. The parameters are controlled and showed two
operations, one with the R and G that produced a low characteristic impedance with low
frequency while the other combination is the L and C that produces high surge impedance
with high frequency reading. In conclusion, a lossless transmission line produces high
surge impedance with high frequency and the lossy transmission line produces a low
surge impedance with low frequency reading.

X. GUIDE QUESTIONS
1.) What determines the characteristics impedance of a two-wire radio frequency
transmission line?
- Characteristics impedance is determined in a two-wire radio frequency
transmission line is the spacing between wires, diameter of one of the conductors,
and dielectric constant.

2.) Describe the electrical and physical properties of a transmission line.

- Its electrical properties include wire conductivity and insulator dielectric constant.
While physical properties are consisting of wire diameter and conductor spacing.

3.) Explain the lumped-element model of the transmission line.

- The lumped-element model of a transmission line is used to calculate the
characteristics impedance, phase velocity, and both phase and attenuation
propagation constant. This model uses section/s of series of inductors, resistors,
and capacitors.
 4.) For a lossless transmission line, calculate the Zo that exhibits an inductance of 5nH/m
and 1.2pF/m.
Solution:
Zo =
√ √
C
L
=
5 nH /m
1.2 pF /m
= 64.550 Ω

FINAL ANSWER: Zo = 64.55 Ω

5.) Used the given below to determine the characteristics impedance of a coaxial cable at
frequency of 5MHz:
 L = 250nH/m  R = 0.522Ω/m
 C = 75pF/m  G = 0.7S/m

Solution:
Zo =
√R+ jωL
G+ jωC

√
6 −9
0.522+ j(2 π )(5 x 10 )(250 x 10 )
=
0.7+ j(2 π )(5 x 10 6)(75 x 10−12)

=
√ 0.522+ j(2.5 π )
0.7+ j(750 x 10−6 π )
=
√
7.871< 86.198°
0.7< 0.193 °
= √ 11.244 <86.005 °
= 3.353<43.003° Ω
FINAL ANSWER: Zo = 3.35<43.00° Ω

6.) Based on question 5, determine the propagation constant of a transmission line.

Solution:
∝ = √ (R+ jωL)(G+ jωC )
= √ [ 0.522+ j ( 2 π ) ( 5 x 10 ) ( 250 x 10 ) ][ 0.7+ j ( 2 π ) ( 5 x 10 ) ( 75 x 10 ) ]
6 −9 6 −12

= √ [ 0.522+ j ( 2.5 π ) ] [ 0.7+ j ( 750 x 10 π ) ]

−6

= √ (7.871< 86.198°)(0.7< 0.193 °)

= √ 5.510<86.391 °
= 2.347<43.196° Ω
= 1.711+j1.607
FINAL ANSWER: ∝ = 1.71+j1.61

XI. REFERENCE
 BIBLIOGRAPHY Characteristic Impedance. (n.d.). Retrieved from All About Circuits:
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/alternating-current/chpt-14/characteristic-impedance/
#:~:text=Characteristic%20impedance%20is%20also%20known,equal%20to%20some%20large%20fraction