[TowerTalk] Overlooking the basics

[Dxhogg at aol.com]

AFTER A 10 YEAR HIATUS EXCEPT FOR ONLY WORKING NEW ONES FOR OVERALL DXCC I  
HAVE REBUILT MY STATION.
IN THE PROCESSS OF REPLACING ALL  MY INTERSTATION COAX CABLES I FOUND  THAT 
IN MOST CASES ALL THE SHIELDS HAD BEEN COMPROMISED 
THEY HAD BEEN INSTALLED AS PER THE ARRL MANUAL BY SOLDERING THE SHIELDS  THRU 
THE CONNECTOR THEN SLIDING THE BODY OF THE CONNECTOR UP AND SCREWING THE  
CABLE TO THE FITTING IN USE
I HAD FOUND THE SIMPLE MOVEMENT OF THE CABLE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE  
CONNECTOR USUALLY BREAKS THE SHIELD BOND LOOSE INSIDE THE CONNECTOR 
SO KNOWING THAT I HAVE COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO INSTALLING  PL259S
I STRIP BACK 2 INCHES OF OUTSIDE COVERING LEAVING 2 INCHES OF SHIELD  EXPOSED 
THEN TRIM SHIELD BACK WITH SISSORS 3/4 INCH AND THEN STRIP OFF CENTER  
LEAVING 1/2 INCH OF CENTER CONDUCTOR EXPOSED
SO NOW WE HAVE 1 1/4 INCH SHIELD AND CENTER CONDUCTOR 3/4 INCH
TIN THE SHIELD WITH SOLDER THEN SCREW A PL259 CONNECTOR ONTO THE  SHIELD
REMEMBER TO FIRST PUT ON THE BODY OF THE PL259 FIRST AFTER FIRMLY SCREWING  
THE CONNECTOR ON SLIP THE BODY UP AND TURN IT INO PLACE 
TAKE THE CABLE AND HOLD IT AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE BACK  
SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR WHERE THE SHIELD AND CONNECTOR MEET
SOLDER THE SHIED FIRNLY TO THE CONNECTOR BODY ALL THE WAY AROUND THEN THE  
CENTER PIN  TAPE  AND ENJOY    73  RAY NR1R