[TowerTalk] Corroded connectors !

[Dick Green]

There certainly is a big difference in the quality of construction between
Amphenol and "brand X" UHF adapters. I recently used some tee, right-angle
and M-M adapters for my two-radio antenna switching system. I bought
Amphenol tee right-angle adapters, but had to settle for the import M-M
adaptors because the Amphenol M-M were special order and very expensive. I
happen to have one of them in my junk box. Dunno where I got it, but the
quality of construction is head and shoulders above the non-Amphenols. Next
hamfest I'll be looking for these!

I've found the biggest problem with the cheaper adapters is tightening the
connecting ring snuggly enough. If not tightened with a pair of pliers, the
connectors have a tendancy to work loose over time or loosen immediately if
there's some lateral force applied (the tees and right angles are especially
vulnerable to this.) The problem is that the cheaper connectors use a
circular retaining clip to keep the connecting ring on the body of the
connector. When you tighten the ring too much, it slips right past the clip
and comes off. You can usually put the ring back on, but the adapter is
pretty useless after that. I don't know what construction Amphenol is using,
but I've never had a problem tightening them.

The Amphenol barrels are much better that the cheaper ones, too. The tube
for the center conductor is quite loose in most cheaper ones, but very snug
in the Amphenol. I've had the cheaper one's come apart -- sometimes the
retaining ring just pops out. I have one splice in my system that uses a
barrel connector. I snugged both male connectors to it as tightly as I
could, wrapped the joint with Scotch 88, sealed it with vapor wrap and
finished with another layer of Scotch 88. No leakage after a year laying on
the ground, and no leakage in 6 months since I buried the joint under the
surface.

Seems to me that a few bucks spent on better adapters is well worth it.

73, Dick, WC1M



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