[TowerTalk] RE: Crappy PL259's

[K7GCO@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/20/01 8:10:48 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
qcs0041@lexcominc.net writes:<< 
 Eddy,
 I have found the silver and teflon PL-259' s sold by Radio Works in 
Portsmouth,
 VA
 are good easily-soldered connectors like Amphenol used to make years ago. Any
 other brand that I 've bought in recent years has just been trash.
  GL, 73.
 Kent -K4MK
 
 Eddy Avila wrote:
  > Hi all,
  > When I was a young ham in the 60's I never ever had any problems 
assembling
 > PL259 connectors, particularly when it came to soldering them to the coax.
 > I'm sure I never used anything hotter than a 100-watt gun!! I'd simply heat
 > up the connector then apply some solder and voila! It was that easy.....
 >
 > But now, no matter what I buy, cheap or expensive silver-tinted PL259 and
 > using a 250watt gun I'm finding it very difficult to get solder to "stick"
 > to these crap connectors....getting really frustrated trying to get solder
 > to adhere to PL259's now!!!
 >
 > Can someone recommend (without hesitation) a source of good-quality
 > connectors that can take solder like they used to?
  > thanks much!
 > 73....../ed

Plating that doesn't really accept solder is a possibility.  A 250W Iron is a 
more likely source of the problem.  I've used nothing hotter than a 47W iron 
with a big tip it give you a little more time.  Drill the 4 holes with the 
next larger drill and bevel the hole.  I had a Coax Article in the last 
Century in CQ showing a picture of the enlarged beveled holes.  Soldering 
connectors on Pollyfoam is tricky as at a certain heat level just after the 
solder flows and attaches (sometimes before) the foam will bubble out ruining 
the connection--cut it off and start over.  With solid and foam coax I have 
wrapped a #30 or smaller bare wire around the shield firmly and tinned it 
carefully before inserting in to the connector.  After drilling the 4 holes 
larger and beveling them, you can tin the beveled part of the hole and let 
cool slightly--then insert the shield.  It give you a "preheat start" on the 
connector.  There is always a way to do something a little better. k7gco

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