[Amps] Decline of homebrewing?

[Jeff Breitner]

On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 3:36 AM, Bill Turner <dezrat at outlook.com> wrote:

> It occurs to me that one could have some fun and make a few bucks
> homebrewing coax cable assemblies. I would suggest using crimp style
> PL-259 connectors and making up a variety of lengths. You cold sell
> them at your local club, hamfests, on eHam or eBay, etc, etc. Learn
> how to do a really professional job and get a good reputation and the
> world will beat a path to your door.
>
> I would seal them with adhesive type heat shrink tubing. Also be aware
> that there are two different sizes  of center conductors in the RG-213
> style coax, the difference being only a few thousandths, but critical
> for a good crimp. IMHO a properly done crimp is better than soldered,
> especially where vibration or flexing will happen, such as outdoors,
> hanging off an antenna.
>
> Just a thought - have fun!
>
>

I can attest that this is can be a winning idea.  About 8-10 years ago
while retiring NTSC transmitters and general site cleanup, I rescued about
1000' of 9913 and RG-214 of varying lengths that was headed for the
dumpster.  I created jumpers with crimp PL-259 and male N (with the N
jumpers twice the price) and send them to the club table at the hamfest,
with proceeds going to the repeater group.  They were replaced in two hours
with a nice sum of money.

As far as the homebrewing goes, I would never do much in amateur radio when
I worked in television/electronics because that is what I did all day.  Now
that I write software for a living, amateur radio is the only way to get my
electronics/RF fix.  And it is very much, a fix.