An outdoor bridge between two fire-station buildings needs low-loss cable and correct connectors between the radio and antenna. Why do cables and connectors matter?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Every extra foot of lossy coax and every mismatched connector nibbles the link budget like trail mix. Match the parts, keep runs sane, and the antenna actually gets the power the radio sent. Cables are RF path, not just PoE spaghetti.
Full Explanation
Antenna feedline and connectors are part of the RF path and contribute insertion loss between the radio and the antenna. Incorrect connector types, poor mating, or excessively long/lossy cable reduce delivered power and degrade link margin. These physical-layer losses are independent of SSID naming and are not limited to DC power delivery. Outdoor bridge installs must follow the design's cable and connector specifications for a reliable link budget.