[TowerTalk] [BULK] - soldering 259s to buryflex 9914F

[Ian White GM3SEK]

Gary Schafer wrote:
>>  2.  If you pre-heat the plug body with a hot-air gun, you can use 
>>your normal 25W soldering iron. (A hot-air gun is much better value 
>>than a giant soldering iron, and it does heat-shrink tubing too.)
>>
>
>The whole idea of using a large iron to solder the plug with is to get 
>the job done quickly with enough localized heat so you don't spread so 
>much heat to the coax. By preheating the plug you have defeated yourself.

Actually it doesn't work out that way. You're still heating the plug 
body fast enough to avoid softening the cable inside.

What it does guarantee is a good solder joint to the plug body, down 
through the full depth of each hole. Many so-called "soldered" PL259s 
have a good joint to the braid, but only a cold joint to the body.


-- 
73 from Ian G/GM3SEK         'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek