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Return loss in electronic communication systems is caused by imperfections or impedance mismatches in cables and connections, reducing signal strength and causing reception problems. Even basic systems have some performance loss due to echoes caused by imperfections in wiring. Uneven impedance can be caused by incorrect installation or mismatched components. Return loss is more of an issue with two-way signaling systems using transceivers, where echoes affect all data in the system.
In an electronic communications system, return loss is the portion of a signal that is reflected back to the transmitter. Return loss is usually caused by imperfections or impedance mismatches within cables and cable connections. Any energy reflected in this way reduces the overall strength of the transmitted signal and can lead to problems with signal reception and clarity.
The most basic communication system consists of a cable with a transmitter and one end and a receiver at the other. A signal sent by the transmitter travels down the wire and is processed by the receiver. Even a basic system like this has some performance loss. Just as a voice traveling down a tunnel will generate an echo which leads to distortion, so a signal traveling through a cable will echo and create return loss.
The return loss is caused by imperfections in the system wiring. These imperfections can be introduced at any point during the manufacturing or installation process. Imperfections in the wiring lead to uneven impedance, which means that the cable can create more or less resistance to signal flow at one physical point than another. Parts of the signal can essentially get stuck and reflect back towards the transmitter if they are unable to overcome the resistance at any given point in the loop. Individual problems can easily be ignored, but they can add up along the length of the system causing severe yield losses.
Uneven impedance can be caused by incorrect installation. Impedance problems could occur if the wires are not cut properly, if the cable is compressed in a way it was not designed for, or if the cable ends are not installed properly, impedance problems could occur. Mismatched components can also cause return loss if the impedance of one component is much higher or lower than the impedance of another component in the system.
Return loss has become more of an issue as telecommunications technology has improved. Many communication systems now use two-way signaling, so signals are no longer simply sent from a transmitter to a receiver. Most often transceivers are used, which transmit and receive signals.
In such systems, the problem is magnified. The echo affects not just the signal received at a single point, but all data in the entire system. A transceiver may have sent a signal and hear the response when echoes of its own signal are reflected back to it.
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