Simple use of reducers.
With the proper amount of center conductor exposed, remove between an
eighth to a quarter inch of jacket exposing the braid. I prefer an eighth
Slide/push the coax through the reducer, flare the braid onto the
(inner) end of the reducer and solder the braid to the end of the
reducer. Trim any excess braid and solder from the end of the reducer.
Pretty much the same as recommended plus solder. Solid, secure, easily
checked (before assembly), and prep requiring only a little skill
Still, Crimp is easier, faster, no heat to damage coax,and produces
consistent results.
SO2R with two stations (HF, VHF, and UHF), six pack, remote antenna
switches, three transceivers, two amps, two tuners, two towers, many
antennas. Enough that I usually purchase connectors 50 or a hundred at a
time. 7 to 10 connectors between rig and each antenna. It varies from
~50 to nearly 100 connectors in the system. Good, properly adjusted
strippers for each model coax and crimpers with the proper dies.
Connectors from 8X, RG-400, BuryFlex, LMR-400, LMR-600. I can not
imagine soldering connectors for this setup.
One thing I did (Jerry will love this) with the old, clamp type, N-type
connectors was to pot them with epoxy. Single use for sure, but I never
had one fail <LOL>
Actually I consider most of the connectors in the station single use be
they, solder, crimp, or clamp types. When I remove connectors I
normally pitch them.
The big expensive ones for hard line, I'd save, but I don't have any of
those.
With a single station with one or two antennas, I can see saving the
cost of strippers and crimpers, but when running power with multiple
antennas plus tuners those tools and methods save a lot of time and
frustration.
Even as a poor, as yet to get a job, Novice, I still never reused solder
type connectors. We'd never heard of crimp type 55 years ago.
73
Roger (K8RI)
On 5/12/2016 Thursday 4:29 PM, Jerry Gardner wrote:
It seems to me that people keep coming up with all sorts of wild and crazy
ways to solder PL-259 connectors. I suppose this is because the original
method developed by Amphenol decades ago has perceived shortcomings,
particularly in how that method prescribes soldering the coax braid to the
connector. Some of these "solutions" just make me wince, while others make
me a little nauseous.
The prep time involved with some of these methods is lengthy and tedious
and, in my opinion, unnecessary. Why go to all that trouble for something
as simple as connecting a connector to a cable? Just because hams seem to
be wedded to soldering? Using a coax prep tool and crimper, I can strip
coax and crimp a connector on in about 45 seconds from start to finish. Try
that with some of the bizarre methods advocated here and on other ham
websites.
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73
Roger (K8RI)
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