Effect of Removing Spring Fingers and the Wavy Washer on the Measured Transfer Impedance of a MIL-C-38999-500 Connector

The surface transfer impedance of a MIL-C-38999-500 connector was measured in the intact condition, with varying numbers of the spring fingers covered with kapton tape and with the wavy washer removed. Voltage response was measured from 1 kHz to 1 GHz. Transfer impedance could be calculated up to 200 MHz. These measurements showed that the transfer impedance did not change significantly when up to 8 spring fingers were covered with tape and that the transfer impedance of the connector with all spring fingers taped was less than that of 1 meter of single overbraid. In addition, the wavy washer was almost as effective as the spring fingers for insuring low contact impedance between the plug and the receptacle.