The 2-piece Andros type N connectors are intended for use with solid
center-conductor coaxial cable such as 9913, 9086, LMR400, etc. The center
conductor does NOT need to be filed down in any way, the #9.5 AWG conductor
slips right into the center pin perfectly.
The caveats are:
-The center conductor of the coax needs to be precisely centered prior to
screwing the Andros body onto the cable; if there's any misalignment at all,
even .030" or so, the center conductor can "miss" the center pin, and push
the Teflon dielectric right out the end of the connector, rendering a $4
paperweight, and you must start over again with a new connector.
-Don't use stranded-conductor cable, at all -- this is a misapplication and
very tricky.
-The Andros 2-piece N creates a "blind mate" of center conductor into center
pin; that is to say, you really cannot see what's happening inside the
connector as the center conductor mates with the pin. You might catch a
small glimpse of the action through one of the four solder holes in the
body, but this is not a good view, nor does it last long. As such, the
conductor alignment with the pin, and the use of only solid-conductor cable,
is very important.
-The cable center conductor should be trimmed to 3/16" (.1875", or 4.75mm)
in length prior to connector installation. If it's any longer, it's too
long for the job and the conductor will try to push the N center pin right
out of the connector dielectric. If it's any shorter, it's too short for
the job and you may miss finding the conductor in the solder hole in the
side of the pin. It's a fairly critical trim length.
WB2WIK/6
"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough." -
Mario Andretti
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jon Ogden [SMTP:na9d@speakeasy.net]
> Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2002 7:05 AM
> To: steve sala; TOWERTALK@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] andros 2 piece N connectors
>
> Cable Xperts sells these and I've used a lot of them.
>
> Strip your cable like you would a PL259. Then solder away! Heat the
> center
> pin up and then let the solder flow into the hole. Once the center
> conductor of the coax heats up enough, it will suck the solder in nicely.
> That's the trickiest part.
>
> You may also need to file down or sand down your center conductor a
> little.
> On some 9913 solid I used, I had to do this in order to get it to fit.
>
> My other recommendation is to use a coax stripping tool. Pay the money
> and
> get one. The difficult part about these connectors and solid center
> conductors is that center pin. Any kink or any little bend in the center
> conductor will prevent it from going properly into the pin. Using a
> stripping tool helps prevent those sort of problems from happening.
>
> 73,
>
> Jon
> NA9D
>
> on 10/4/02 11:01 PM, steve sala at stetrekve@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> > I bought several N male connectors from HRO to connect
> > to my 9913F7 for my VHF/UHF beams which have N
> > terminations. The handbook shows a multi piece N
> > connector only. The Andros web site sucks, nothing on
> > using their connectors. Does someone have the cutting
> > dimensions to this connector? The connector says
> > Andros and made in USA and the connector solders the
> > center pin on its side and the braid sort of like a
> > PL-259. (This is an antenna topic because it is
> > stopping me from installing the antennas.....hihi)
> > Thanks, 73, Steve K7AWB Spokane
>
>
> -------------------------------------
> Jon Ogden
> NA9D (ex: KE9NA)
>
> Life Member: ARRL, NRA
> Member: AMSAT, DXCC
>
> http://www.qsl.net/ke9na
>
> "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
>
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