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Re: [TowerTalk] Junk Coonectors (was Re: How lossy are PL-259s at HF?)

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Junk Coonectors (was Re: How lossy are PL-259s at HF?)
From: <john@kk9a.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2024 23:41:36 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
That is interesting.

The only 83-1SP failure I encountered was two decades ago when the threads on 
the barrel were not completely cut and I could not assemble it.  Of course I 
discovered this after soldering on the inner portion so I had to cut it off and 
toss it.  

I have noticed a difference in the knurling pattern and on the marking fonts 
even when purchased at the same time through the same vendor. I have also 
noticed that the pin does not seem tight in the SO-239 of one manufacture's amp 
but I assumed it was a socket issue.

It would be nice if you had samples of the two versions of 83-1SPs so the 
5/8-24 threads could be measured or even checked with a go / no-go gauge if 
someone had one.   I am sure that you didn't have that capability on the 
eastern Caribbean island where your station is and I am glad that everything is 
working well for you but it would be nice to see the data.

John KK9A 



-----Original Message-----
From: tomgeorgens15@gmail.com <tomgeorgens15@gmail.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2024 12:53 PM
To: 'Ron WV4P' <wv4ptn@gmail.com>; john@kk9a.com
Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: RE: [TowerTalk] Junk Coonectors (was Re: How lossy are PL-259s at HF?)

I have suspicions about the 83-1SP as well.  In 2022, I did a full rebuild of 
my contest station at a new location.  In the process, I installed at least 
100, 83-1SP connectors.

The story is too long to reproduce here, but the net is that there was 
considerable variability in both commercial SO-239's as well as the outer 
shells of the 83-1SP.

Some anecdotes -

One balun vendor had SO239s, that would not mate with the 83-1SP.  The 83-1SP 
shell would entirely slip over the threads of the SO 239 and never engage.  All 
my other cables laying around in the junk draw would mate.

Another common device has 2 SO239's on it.  The 83-1SPs have shells with 
slightly different size printing on them.  One size printing would mate with 
both SO239's.  The other size printing would only mate with one of the two 
connectors.  The threads on the two connectors would not engage, and the PL259 
would not screw on.  Clearly there was variation in both the SO-239s and the 
83-1SPs that would produce combinations that would not mate.  I do not have the 
ability to measure which were out of spec.  The symptom was the same, the shell 
seemed too big, or the threads too shallow.  

All of the 83-1SP's would mate with an Amphenol SO-239 (which rarely exist on 
commercial equipment).  Admittedly, I only had a couple of SO-239's to test.

So, what to conclude.  I wanted to believe that the issue was the unbranded 
SO239.  Possibly new vendors being used post Covid as supply shortages were 
widespread.  However, the data would indicate that that there was considerable 
variability the 83-1SPs as well.  Was it too much variability?  I could not 
tell, but this was a major headache.

It is possible that 83-1SP fakes had penetrated the supply chain.  All the 
connectors were new in bag, and purchased from DX Engineering, Mouser, or RF 
Connection.  Problematic 83-1SP's could be traced to at least two of them.

The last piece of information came from my last purchase.  I bought a number of 
83-1SPs, and the outer shells would not even mate with the threads on their own 
body.  The shell could be slid from behind the body, over the threads until it 
bottomed out fully forward.  I have video and pictures of all of these.  
Samples were sent back the Amphenol by one of my suppliers, but no response.

While fakes are still a possibility, I think it is a low probability that all 
three suppliers were fooled by this.  What I do believe is that Amphenol had 
productions issues in that timeframe regarding the outer shell.  Attributing 
root cause to multiple production sites, or different tooling would be pure 
speculation on my part without detailed measurements, but the net is that the 
83-1SP variability was a problem.  

I have not purchased any connectors since this happened, and have not had any 
failures or anomalous behavior with the installed connectors, but considerable 
time was wasted on this.  I plan to continue using the 83-1SP with the hope 
they fixed whatever issues they had.  

There are other stories out there as well

73, Tom W2SC 8P5A


-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Ron WV4P
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2024 11:57 PM
To: john@kk9a.com
Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Junk Coonectors (was Re: How lossy are PL-259s at HF?)

The 83-1SP



On Tue, Jun 18, 2024 at 10:42 PM <john@kk9a.com> wrote:

> Which model Amphenol PL-259's did not work for you?
>
> John KK9A
>
>
> Ron WV4P wrote:
>
> Going by names is nearly useless.. Amphenol PL-259's are Banned from 
> my station, After a sizable investment in them Real / Silver / 
> Silver)(Real from Mouser and Verified) the threads were way out of 
> spec from worn out equipment and they expressed no desire to re-tool.
> We had multiple failures during and after installation. Eventually we 
> replaced them and Banned their use.
>
> Ron, WV4P
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
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