[TowerTalk] Re: Cutting braid

[Roger D Johnson]

W2RU - Bud Hippisley wrote:
> What I haven't seen mentioned in this series of postings about properly installing PL-259 connectors is a recommended wattage for the soldering iron or gun.  My experience has been that all these techniques being shared by everyone only work if the iron or gun is hot enough to _quickly_ tin (and, later, solder to the connector) the coax cable braid and center conductor.  Melted dielectric is the real bugaboo for many of us, not lack of strength from failure to solder the braid or center conductor to the corresponding part of the PL-259 metalwork.  In years past, I have made some of the strongest short-circuits you can imagine....:-)
> 
> Bud, W2RU
> 
I have a beat up old Weller D550 gun rated at 325/260 watts. I
purchased a replacement D550 at a hamfest and found it was only
rated at 260/200 watts! It looks like the only current model that
comes close is the D650 at 300/200 watts. Personally, I think
that crimp-on connectors are the only way to go although the
crimping tool is pretty expensive. Good purchase for a club.

73, Roger
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