[Amps] Topband: PL259 type connectors for RG11

[Jim Garland]

I agree completely with Frank about the virtues of the DXE-PL259CS8U “Next Generation” UHF PL259 connectors. (Actually, I pretty much always agree with Frank, whatever the topic.) One thing I especially like about these connectors, aside from their ease of installation, strength, and adaptability to all RG8 style coax cables, is how easily they thread onto a female mating connector without cross threading. They are about as foolproof as one can imagine, and I find myself cutting the ends off good jumper cables and replacing their old style PL259s with these new ones just to avoid future problems. I think the ability to solder the center pin and only crimp the braid is a real plus. 

On a related topic, I’ve stopped using LMR400 and LMR400UF coax completely for HF work, using instead trusty, old-time RG-213, with its untinned copper braid. I find the aluminum foil in LMR cables unneeded and time-consuming to work with, and the source of failures when mechanically flexed. Soldering to the foil is near impossible, especially when I find myself belted into a tower! 
73,
Jim W8ZR

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: donovanf at erols.com
Sent: Thursday, April 8, 2021 1:58 PM
To: 160
Subject: Re: Topband: PL259 type connectors for RG11

The DX Engineering DXE-PL259CS8U-12 crimp coax connector 
with solder center center pin should work perfectly on RG-11. 


I fold back the RG-11 center conductor about 1/4 inch to provide 
more surface area for soldering 


73 
Frank 
W3LPL 


----- Original Message -----

From: "Rick Kunath via Topband" <topband at contesting.com> 
To: "Raymond Benny" <rayn6vr at gmail.com>, "160" <topband at contesting.com> 
Sent: Thursday, April 8, 2021 7:39:36 PM 
Subject: Re: Topband: PL259 type connectors for RG11 

DX Engineering has some that would work I think. It's a crimp on the 
shield and a soldered center pin. 

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-pl259cs8u-12 

Not sure if that would work for your application? I suspect that the 
larger sized center pin needed for 50 ohms would make a crimp to the 
center pin problematic on 75 ohm cable in a 50- ohm connector. 

I've never used these connectors before but I might now that I see them. 

Any cables I make up with PL-259 connectors i have been soldering both 
the shield and the center pin. On the shield end I strip the jacket and 
flux and tin the braid. Then I measure for center pin length, and use a 
tubing cutter to cut the tinned shield to the right dimension, clean the 
cut edge to remove any bits of metal and screw on the PL-259. After that 
I remove the tip of a Weller 125 watt soldering gun and after fluxing 
the 4 solder holes in the PL-259 I bridge the connector across the 
soldering gun ends where the tip usually goes. The connector becomes the 
tip, heats up quickly and a quick application of solder and its soldered 
all around. I let it cool before moving it and then quickly solder the 
center pin and trim it. 

I've had good luck doing that over the years (so far). 

For N connectors it's always a shield crimp but I solder the center pin on. 

Rick Kunath, K9AO 


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