The quality of testing cables is crucial for testing applications, ensuring consistent and repeatable test results and maintaining long-term reliable electrical performance is particularly crucial. For this reason, cable components must be durable, able to withstand frequent movement, bending, and various environmental conditions, while maintaining reliable electrical performance.

Electrical performance indicators
The electrical performance indicators need to be considered first. Generally speaking, the higher the frequency, the higher the requirements for the performance indicators of the cable, mainly including the following important indicators:
① Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR)
The closer the VSWR is to 1, the better, the smaller the return loss, and the higher the accuracy of the testing system.
Stability of VSWR: whether the VSWR curve of the test cable can keep stable and not drift in the process of dithering and bending will directly determine the performance consistency of the Device under test.
② Mechanical phase stability and mechanical amplitude stability
It mainly refers to the change of Electrical length and insertion loss of cable assembly under the specified mechanical bending or twisting state.
③ Insertion loss
The insertion loss of the testing cable can be calibrated at the vector network port and is not an important indicator that affects the testing process.
The insertion loss of testing cables mainly consists of three parts: connector loss, cable loss, and loss caused by impedance mismatch.

Mechanical and physical properties
The correct use method can greatly extend the service life of the testing cable. When using it, relevant protection should be taken to avoid cutting, scratching, or bending damage to the cable as much as possible. The main important indicators are:
① Flexibility
Testing cables still requires a high level of flexibility. Flexibility is not only determined by the material of the sheath, but also by the different structures of the inner conductor, insulation layer, outer conductor, and sheath material.
② Holding force (longitudinal tension)
During the use of test cables, they are prone to pulling and twisting, and often encounter cable breakage, cable and connector breakage, often caused by improper use. In addition, test cables with good retention have the characteristics of good material selection in the braid layer and optimized connector structure design.
③ Number of bends
The number of bends is directly related to the structure and material quality of the cable. If the repeated bending of the cable is not good, it is easy to cause the central conductor to break and the braided wire to deform.