Connectors *can* be waterproof (those that have internal gaskets).
However experience tells us there is no guarantee that they are, and
that's the rub. So commercial practice is to always add additional
weatherproofing.
Every now and then a carrier will approve a non tape/butyl method such
as cold shrink or the latest variety of hard plastic clamshells, but the
experiment usually ends in failure. The holy grail is anything that
allows *easy* maintenance (easy being anything easier than cutting away
and re-applying a football sized mass of butyl and tape.
We were instrumental in getting double layer heatshrink approved by one
of the biggie carriers, but they later disapproved it because of
widespread jacket damage caused by too much heat. The average installer
is a little below average.
This same carrier still approves a layer of high stretch rubber or
silicone tape topped by vinyl tape. This is the method I prefer in
almost all cases. Very quick to remove, quick enough to apply, and very
effective.
-Steve K8LX
On 9/7/2016 6:36 AM, john@kk9a.com wrote:
Is any TX connector really water proof? Are DIN's being professionally
installed with no external butyl rubber and tape? On the two outdoor DINs
that I have, I weather proofed the connection the same way I did with UHF
and N connectors.
John KK9A
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