What is Insertion Loss?

Whenever a signal travels through a component or a system, there is always some loss of power due to a number of reasons. This loss that occurs while a signal is traveling through a component or system is called as Insertion Loss. It is measured in decibels (dB).

There are three main causes of insertion loss:

• Reflected Losses: Losses caused by the VSWR
• Dielectric Losses: Losses caused by the power dissipated in the dielectric materials
• Copper Losses: Losses caused by the power dissipated due to the conducting surfaces