RF Interconnect for Board-Edge Launch
The Samtec SMA-J-P-H-ST-EM3 is a 50 Ohm SMA jack (female socket) rated DC to 20 GHz, built for board-edge SMT mounting. The gold-plated brass body and PTFE dielectric keep the impedance clean through the transition from the PCB trace to the coaxial cable. The threaded coupling nut mates with standard SMA male plugs and holds the pair tight under vibration — no snap-on or push-pull here, just a full 1/4-36 thread engagement.
What the 20 GHz Ceiling Means for Your Signal Path
20 GHz is the upper end of the rated frequency band — the connector's VSWR and insertion loss are specified to stay within SMA interface limits across that span. For a 5 GHz application, you have nearly four octaves of margin; the connector is electrically transparent at those frequencies. The practical limit is the launch geometry on your PCB — keep the trace width and ground-plane clearance matched to 50 Ohm to avoid a reflection at the solder joint.
Mounting and Termination — Board-Edge SMT Fit
This jack mounts at the board edge with surface-mount pads — the shield tabs and center contact all terminate to solder pads on the same side. No through-holes, no backside soldering. The cutout in the board edge lets the connector body sit flush with the PCB profile, which keeps the RF ground plane continuous under the interface.
Active lifecycle — the connector is supplied in tray packaging.