[TowerTalk] DIN Connectors You Can't Solder To

[Martin Ewing - AA6E]

"Reduction of Hazardous Substances" (RoHS) is a European initiative 
which requires manufacturers to use non-lead-bearing solder for 
commercial electronics devices, among other practices.  You have to 
follow these rules if you want to sell in EU -- in practice, the world 
electronics business is following suit.

See 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restriction_of_Hazardous_Substances_Directive

The rules don't apply to hobbyists, but most of the stuff we will buy 
will be RoHS compliant.  In practice, this means that soldering is 
trickier because you have to use higher temperature solders.

On the other hand, we might all preserve our mental faculties a little 
longer! (One of the symptoms of Pb poisoning is reduced IQ.)

73 Martin AA6E

David Robbins K1TTT wrote:
> First, what is RoHS???
> 
> Most likely they are plated with chrome.  I would take some fine sandpaper
> and scratch the plating of the top of the pins, that at least gives a little
> area to tack onto.  If the pins have a hollow on the back like most of them
> find a drill or jeweler's file that fits in there and scrape out the plating
> also.  This also works for chrome plated pl-259's since most all of these
> types of things are just plated brass.
> 
> David Robbins K1TTT
> e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
> web: http://www.k1ttt.net
> AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
>