[TowerTalk] One more question on PL-259s

[Jim Lux]

At 10:30 AM 11/9/2006, Cecil Moore wrote:
> >From: Terry Dunlap <kk6t at pacbell.net>
> >To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
> >Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] One more question on PL-259s
> >Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2006 09:21:30 -0800
> >I wonder why quite a few people on this reflector recommend using a crimp
> >style PL-259 but still talk about the best way to solder the center
> >conductor.
> >If it's best to crimp the shield wouldn't it be better to have a connector
> >where the center conductor gets crimped also?
>
>Can solid wires be crimped? Every time I have tried it, something went
>wrong.

Yes.  However, the crimp fitting is different for solid and stranded wire.
As an example, I crimp lots of SMA connectors onto semi-rigid coax 
(.141 and .085 sizes). In both cases the outer conductor is basically 
a solid wire, and in the .085, the SMA center pin is crimped onto the 
center conductor. (For 141, the center conductor becomes the SMA center pin)

Back in the day when I was doing lots of ThinNet installs, there were 
two different types of connector for solid and stranded RG-58.  Same 
crimp dies used, but the center pin had a different size and shape 
hole, and the two did not successfully interchange.

Jim, W6RMK