Re: [TenTec] help in soldering pl259 outside

[Stuart Rohre <rohre@arlut.utexas.edu>]

The gold may develop surface tarnish that must be cleaned.  At least we 
have had gold contacts on lab circuit boards get that way.  I don't 
think the extra cost of the CB gold plated connectors justifies their use.
The Silver plated PL 259 is pretty common here, and we use that and you 
don't see the nickle connectors much except as New Old Stock.  Our local 
ham store in fact stocks Silver type pretty exclusively.
Silver that is new and clean readily takes good tin/lead solder.  Don't 
try to use the no lead solders, by the way!  The last thing you want in 
your antenna connections is tin whiskers from no lead solders.
-Stuart Rohre
K5KVH