[AMPS] reply on connectors and VHF

[Larry Molitor]

At 04:27 PM 3/3/00 -0700, John T. M. Lyles wrote:


>Yikes, Larry Sez:
>
>>The best solution is no connectors at all. For HF use there is little
>>reason to do so. Short pigtails with spade lugs can be weatherproofed
>>easily and the connection is capable of John Lyles power levels.
>
>Now! I don't know about 18 kV of RF on spade lugs, unless you put some 
>pretty good goop around the whole thing......

Hmmmmm. 18 kV RMS across 50 ohms is 6,480,000 watts. A bit much even for 
you John! But then, maybe you've been holding out on us. Is this one of 
those plasma thinghys or is it for 160?

Seriously though, would you rather try to make an "N" connector work at 
those power levels? I think I could make spade lugs work, but that's just 
conjecture. My experience with voltages that high is limited to Tesla 
coils, Van deGraf generators, and the like. Different problems, different 
solutions. I think I'd be afraid to work in your world, John.

One last "N" comment. Some have said it easy to install them. I suspect 
those folks have never had to replace a "N" on top of a 70 foot tower, as 
the sun is going down, the wind is blowing at 40 MPH, and a thunderstorm is 
rapidly approaching. Once again, it's all a matter of perspective.

Each to his own.

Larry - W7IUV


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