[TowerTalk] Heliax Connectors

Jim Brown jim at audiosystemsgroup.com
Wed Dec 21 13:43:41 PST 2011


I've got about 250 ft of Andrew VXL5-50 (7/8-in, tubular center 
conductor)  that I plan to use in a single run. I have several different 
connectors for 7/8-in line, but none are specifically labeled for that 
cable. The connectors I have are L5-NM, L5NF, L45N, and FLC78-50NM. 
VXL5-50 is obsolete, and so are the connectors listed for it in the 
older Andrew catalog, and the current Andrew catalog has no indication 
(or at least I can't find any) of which of  their current 7/8-in cable 
connectors might be suitable.

I know that there are subtle differences between these cables that are 
not obvious on data sheets. For example, it isn't clear to me whether 
some of these cables have a solid center, or if all are tubular, and 
some cables that I suspect are tubular don't list and i.d. for the 
center conductor (a clue that the DC resistance of two very similar 
cable types are very different) .

I need advice on which (if any) of these connectors will fit this cable, 
and if the answer is none, where can I find connectors that will?  
N-female, or UHF male or female, would be my first choice, but I'll take 
what I can get. :)

73, Jim K9YC


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