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Re: [TowerTalk] PL-259 Going Open?

Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] PL-259 Going Open?
From: "Roger (K8RI)" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:34:02 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>

Kim Elmore wrote:
> I'm not sure Towertalk is the right forum, but here goes:
>
> I'm using PL-259s outside to connect transmission lines (Belden 9913) 
> that run up the tower to my antennas to the underground lines that 
> run to the shack.  Obviously, the PL-259s are connected through a 
> barrel connector (which has a number designation I've forgotten). 
> Everything is Amphenol and I've soldered more PL-250s than I can 
> count, all with an American Beauty 100 W iron.
>
>   
I had the same problem with 9913 and mine was sealed thoroughly.  
Lightning blew the seal off at the top and wqith in 15 minutes I had 
water running out of the rig.  The solder on those began to disintegrate 
for lack of a better word.  That was the point where I removed some 
where around a 1000 feet of 9913 and gave most of it away.  I did have 
one piece left that I used out in the shop. Water got into the matching 
unit, followed the center conductor through the chassis connector and 
then down the 9913.  That piece went on the junk pile. I've never used 
9913 since.

> Twice I have experienced one of the PL-259s becoming open. These have 
> been outside for about two years and I live in Oklahoma, so while we 
> see about 35" per yrar of rain, it tends to come in good sized 
> amounts with extended dry periods in between. Disconnecting and 
> reconnection doesn't affect the problem and bending around the 
> transmission line has no effect: I have to actually re-solder the connectors.
>   
73


Roger (K8RI)
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