What actually is Attenuation?

I keep seeing the term "Attenuation" Can anyone explain what that actually
is in simple terms?

cheers,

Dan

"danyool" <(E-Mail Removed) > wrote in message
news:3ff1d93e$0$18032$(E-Mail Removed) ...
>
> I keep seeing the term "Attenuation" Can anyone explain what that actually
> is in simple terms?

Quite simply the ratio between the input signal and the output signal; if a
signal is put into one end of a line with high attenuation, then a very low
level signal will come out the other end - too much attenuation will result
in effective signal loss and nothing will be heard.

This, obviously, is the extremely simplistic answer; attenuation is made up
of many factors and can have different effects and different frequencies
(resistance, reactance, capacitance, inductance, etc). As the name
"broadband" implies, an ADSL signal occupies a large portion of the
frequency spectrum of the line - the attenuation of the line will affect
this signal in a variety of ways and may ultimately affect how this signal
may, or may not, be detected by your ADSL modem.

Cheers

Andy

In article <3ff1d93e$0$18032$(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) (danyool) wrote:

>
> I keep seeing the term "Attenuation" Can anyone explain what that
> actually
> is in simple terms?
>
In VERY simple terms, it's the LOSS between the sender and the receiver.

In ADSL terms, it's the difference between the signal that BT stuff into
the telephone cable and what your modem actually receives.

Now comes the tricky bit...

The ratio of signal in to signal out is measured in Decibels (dB). A
logarithmic scale, such that 3dB is actually half, (Well, fairly close to
it !) and for every 3dB you add you halve the signal coming out the other
end !


- Steve

Also the attenuation can vary by a few dB with environmental factors like how
wet the ground is and what router or modem and microfilter you have connected as
they are supposed to present a perfectly matched load to get maximum
transmission (lowest attenuation) but in practice they vary a little from the
ideal load.



"Steve" <j80k-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In article <3ff1d93e$0$18032$(E-Mail Removed)>,
> (E-Mail Removed) (danyool) wrote:
>
> >
> > I keep seeing the term "Attenuation" Can anyone explain what that
> > actually
> > is in simple terms?
> >
> In VERY simple terms, it's the LOSS between the sender and the receiver.
>
> In ADSL terms, it's the difference between the signal that BT stuff into
> the telephone cable and what your modem actually receives.
>
> Now comes the tricky bit...
>
> The ratio of signal in to signal out is measured in Decibels (dB). A
> logarithmic scale, such that 3dB is actually half, (Well, fairly close to
> it !) and for every 3dB you add you halve the signal coming out the other
> end !
>
>
> - Steve
>

In article <3ff27eec$0$61063$(E-Mail Removed)>,
sbrads@nildramDOTcoDOTuk (Steve B) wrote:

> Also the attenuation can vary by a few dB with environmental factors
> like how
> wet the ground is and what router or modem and microfilter you have
> connected as
> they are supposed to present a perfectly matched load to get maximum
> transmission (lowest attenuation) but in practice they vary a little
> from the
> ideal load.
>
>
>
The OP did say 'SIMPLE' terms, so I kept away from impedance matching
LOL.. but if you wanna talk dirty ;-)

- Steve

In article <3ff27eec$0$61063$(E-Mail Removed)>,
sbrads@nildramDOTcoDOTuk (Steve B) wrote:

> Also the attenuation can vary by a few dB with environmental factors
> like how
> wet the ground is and what router or modem and microfilter you have
> connected as
> they are supposed to present a perfectly matched load to get maximum
> transmission (lowest attenuation) but in practice they vary a little
> from the
> ideal load.
>
>
>
The OP did say 'SIMPLE' terms, so I kept away from impedance matching
LOL.. but if you wanna talk dirty ;-)

- Steve

In article <3ff27eec$0$61063$(E-Mail Removed)>,
sbrads@nildramDOTcoDOTuk (Steve B) wrote:

> Also the attenuation can vary by a few dB with environmental factors
> like how
> wet the ground is and what router or modem and microfilter you have
> connected as
> they are supposed to present a perfectly matched load to get maximum
> transmission (lowest attenuation) but in practice they vary a little
> from the
> ideal load.
>
>
>
The OP did say 'SIMPLE' terms, so I kept away from impedance matching
LOL.. but if you wanna talk dirty ;-)

- Steve

In article <3ff27eec$0$61063$(E-Mail Removed)>,
sbrads@nildramDOTcoDOTuk (Steve B) wrote:

> Also the attenuation can vary by a few dB with environmental factors
> like how
> wet the ground is and what router or modem and microfilter you have
> connected as
> they are supposed to present a perfectly matched load to get maximum
> transmission (lowest attenuation) but in practice they vary a little
> from the
> ideal load.
>
>
>
The OP did say 'SIMPLE' terms, so I kept away from impedance matching
LOL.. but if you wanna talk dirty ;-)

- Steve

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
j80k-(E-Mail Removed) (Steve) wrote:

> In article <3ff27eec$0$61063$(E-Mail Removed)>,
> sbrads@nildramDOTcoDOTuk (Steve B) wrote:
>
> > Also the attenuation can vary by a few dB with environmental factors
> > like how
> > wet the ground is and what router or modem and microfilter you have
> > connected as
> > they are supposed to present a perfectly matched load to get maximum
> > transmission (lowest attenuation) but in practice they vary a little
> > from the
> > ideal load.
> >
> >
> >
> The OP did say 'SIMPLE' terms, so I kept away from impedance matching
> LOL.. but if you wanna talk dirty ;-)
>
> - Steve
>
>
Ooops, sorry folks ! that one got stuck in the out basket !!

- Steve