A valid point!
It seems to me that, originally, RF cabling was almost universally in the
hands of knowledgeable people, technicians and amateurs.
They would have been much more aware of the possible dangers than the
general population. This was not the situation in the electrical area.
So this is what became customary.
Besides most manufacturers installed SO-259 on equipment because it was
cheaper than pt PL-239.
Did you try to find bulkhead mounted PL-239's? it seems nobody makes them
and the only manufacturer I've senn using the was Bird.
Alex 4Z5KS
-----Original Message-----
From: amps-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:amps-bounces@contesting.com] On
Behalf Of Gene May
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2012 11:56 PM
To: Amplifier Mailing List
Subject: [Amps] PL-259 and SO-239 cable attachments
This is a semi-new thread, branching off the discussion related to cable
connections that started on "Tubes vs. Solid State" then went on to
"Soldering vs. Crimping":
I hope it isn't too stupid a question, but I have been long curious as to
why there is a different convention and custom as related to RF cable and
the connectors used on them vs. the male and female connectors used on AC
power connections. In the case of AC power cables, for reasons of common
sense, safety and the National Electric Code, the male connectors go onto
the "power using" loads or sinks, and the female connectors are on the AC
power sources. Obviously, it would be a bad idea to have the protruding
bare metal prongs on male connectors "hot" with 115 VAC (unless one is
trying to reduce the circle of one's acquaintences), so the "hot" leads are
and should be in female sockets. However, RF cables seem to have PL-259s on
both ends, and the devices to which they are attached seem to have SO-239s,
with the corresponding opportunity to touch a "hot" center prong, as well as
the chance for reversing what should be the inputs and output on the device.
Am I the only reader of th is that has a bag of barrel connectors, and
occasionally gets annoyed at having to use them, when the AC power
convention works so well?
I know that SO239s do not have their metal connection "buried" as deeply
inside as female 115 VAC power sockets do, so don't furnish as much
protection from contact with a "hot" lead. Still, how and/or why did we
depart from the power cord convention, when it would at least provide some
visual warning of a "hot" lead?
Gene May
WB8WKU
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