[TowerTalk] PL-259's can be installed correctly in 5 minutes

[Scott Robbins]

K1KY method adapted from (I think) W0UN as taught to me ca. 1995:

* Unscrew shell of AMPHENOL PL-259, place on coax.  Not hamfest brand PL-259. 
AMPHENOL.

* Hold body of PL-259 next to coax with the top of the connector even with the
end of the raw cable.  With an Exacto or razor blade cutter, gently trim black
covering, braid, dielectric from top of connector to just below 1st 'ridge' on
PL-259, leaving only center wire.

* Hold body of PL-259 next to coax same way.  At a point approx 1/4" above the
bottom of the connector, trim black covering, leaving braid intact.

* Place a very tiny dab of teflon grease at the top of where the black covering
is still intact.  Install connector.  The teflon grease makes wiggling the
connector onto large coax easier.  

* Place coax and PL-259 in a vise, tipped very slightly downward, solder center
connection.

* Tip connector in vise so it's parallel to the ground.  Put soldering iron
across PL-259 hole.  Count to 20, flow solder into hole.  Working quickly to
keep shell hot, rotate connector in vise, solder other holes.  Leave in vise to
heat sink for cooling. 

5 minutes.  I was the designated connector installer at K4JNY.  One memorable
weekend in the <<<we are completely insane>>> building phase in 2003, I
installed them for 8 consecutive hours on every kind of cable imaginable. 

Scott W4PA


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