WR-19 High Power Termination
The WR-19 High Power Termination is a precision-engineered waveguide component that absorbs massive amounts of RF energy, safely dissipating it as heat to prevent signal reflection. It is specifically designed for the 40 - 60 GHz frequency range, serving as a critical building block in U-Band infrastructure.
High-power terminations feature a wedge-shaped ceramic or silicon-carbide absorbing element bonded to a large external heatsink with cooling fins to maximize thermal convection. Covering the 40-60 GHz U-Band, WR-19 components operate near the 60 GHz atmospheric oxygen absorption spike. This makes WR-19 critical for secure, short-range military communications that cannot be intercepted from afar.
Key Features
High Power Capacity
Rated for sustained high-power RF absorption with integrated thermal management for reliable operation.
Heat Dissipation
Cooling fin heatsink design provides maximum thermal dissipation for continuous high-power operation.
Rugged Construction
Heavy-duty OFHC copper body engineered for demanding transmitter test and system burn-in environments.
Full-Band Coverage
Maintains excellent VSWR and return loss across the complete operating bandwidth even at elevated power levels.
U-Band Use Cases
V-Band WiGig
IEEE 802.11ad/ay testing
Covert Comms
Oxygen-absorption limits
Plasma Physics
High-frequency diagnostics
Radar Systems
Short-range tracking
More High Power Terminations
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a high power termination overheats?+
If the absorbing wedge exceeds its thermal limit, it can crack or outgas. More importantly, as it heats up, its electrical resistance changes, ruining the impedance match and causing massive RF reflections (high VSWR) back into your amplifier.
Why is WR-19 used for secure communications?+
WR-19 covers frequencies approaching 60 GHz. At 60 GHz, oxygen molecules in the Earth's atmosphere naturally resonate and absorb the RF energy, severely limiting the transmission range. Military systems exploit this by creating secure point-to-point links that naturally dissipate before enemies can intercept them.
What flange types are standard for WR-19?+
Because the aperture is only 0.188" x 0.094", WR-19 typically utilizes UG-383/U or precision anti-cocking flanges to ensure perfect alignment. Even a 0.005" misalignment will cause massive VSWR spikes at 60 GHz.