[TowerTalk] Amphenol PL259

[Pete Michaelis - N8TR]

At 01:33 PM 10/28/2008, Jim Brown wrote:

>I've installed lots of both nickel and silver-plated Amphenols, and I've
>used the same scraping trick to solder to the nickels. The silvers are WELL
>WORTH the small additional cost. The LAST thing I want to do is apply any
>more heat than necessary and take the chance of melting a cable dielectric.

If an iron has a tip with appreciable thermal mass,  the connector heats up
fast and the soldering of the holes can be done quickly.  I use a wet sponge
to cool the connector after soldering (I also tin the braid before 
inserting the cable
into the connector).  I have installed many PL259's on to cables with both
foam and solid polyethylene dielectric without any problems.

73 Pete - N8TR