Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] Reliability (or not) of SMA connectors

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Reliability (or not) of SMA connectors
From: Wes <wes_n7ws@triconet.org>
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2022 06:08:31 -0700
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Same here.  I worked on Phoenix, AMRAAM, Standard and others.  We torqued and were done with it. We used to shock and shake the bejesus out of this hardware. Other things broke but I don't recall any connectors coming undone.

Wes  N7WS


On 12/4/2022 3:27 PM, Gary NA6O via TowerTalk wrote:
I’ve worked on dozens of different airborne and army ground-mobile RF 
assemblies over my career, as well as poking my nose inside many pieces of commercial 
RF gear. SMA connectors were everywhere. NEVER have I seen or heard of any kind of 
sealant, overcoat, or anything of the sort on any SMA connector. Above all, putting 
anything inside the threads is simply asking for trouble. TORQUE IT PROPERLY and be 
done with it. A quality SMA connector is a high-precision machined assembly and must 
be treated with care. See the old HP application note AN-326. They are in fact 
vibration-resistant when correctly installed. Proper torque is also mandatory to avoid 
well-known frequency response aberrations in the mid-GHz range due to waveguide 
effects.

Of course, if your connectors are all crap and/or damaged, none of the above 
applies...

Gary, NA6O
_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>