SMA End Launch for 18 GHz Signal Paths
The Amphenol RF 132255-12 is an SMA receptacle, female socket, rated to 18 GHz at 50 Ohm — the full bandwidth of the SMA interface per MIL-STD-348. The end-launch board-edge mounting puts the signal path straight off the trace, keeping the launch inductance low enough that the 18 GHz ceiling holds without a resonance dip. Gold-plated brass body, beryllium copper center contact with gold plating, and a PTFE dielectric. Threaded fastening with a standard SMA coupling nut.
End Launch Footprint — What It Means for Board Layout
No right-angle bend in the signal path — the trace runs straight to the launch pad. For a board layout engineer, the critical dimension is the center contact standoff above the board surface — that height sets the trace-to-ground-plane gap for a 50 Ohm match. The datasheet drawing gives the pad geometry; the end-launch body itself provides alignment during reflow.
Comparing the 132255-12 to the 132134-11
The 132134-11 is the closest functional peer in the Amphenol RF SMA end-launch family — same 50 Ohm impedance, same 18 GHz frequency ceiling, same gold-plated brass body and beryllium copper center contact. Both are active, both rated for 500 mating cycles. The difference is in the base part number suffix: the 132255-12 uses the 132255 base, the 132134-11 uses the 132134 base. The mechanical interface and RF performance are identical per the published specs. If you are sourcing against a BOM that calls out 132255-12, the 132134-11 is a direct functional equivalent — same footprint, same launch geometry, same electrical envelope.