[TowerTalk] Crimp-on PL259 et al

[K8RI on TT]

On 2/12/2011 11:36 AM, Peter Dougherty wrote:
> Here are two photos of what I mean by crimp-on PL-259s failing.
>
> http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll290/W2IRT/Towers%20and%20Antennas/?acti
> on=view&current=Crimp-fail-1.jpg
> http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll290/W2IRT/Towers%20and%20Antennas/?acti
> on=view&current=Crimp-fail-3.jpg
I've never had one pull back. It appears that possibly the wrong die was 
used not making a tight enough crimp.
The crimp sleeve is covered so I can't tell for sure, but it looks like 
the crimp may have been too far back. It should be right against the 
connector shoulder.

Photos without the heatshrink would tell much more.

73

Roger (K8RI)
> You can see the braid/ferrule has pulled back from the main part of the
> connector. When installed this was flush against the body of the connector.
> Eventually this will pull right off. If I hadn't soldered the center
> conductor in (some are intended to just crimp on) the coax would pull right
> out of the connector. When, in the middle of CQWW 2009, my 160 TX antenna
> had failed I went outside and found the coax laying on the sodden ground
> having failed exactly in that manner.
>
> After the contest was over I pulled somewhat-gently on every coax sticking
> down from the Ameritron antenna switchbox and two more pulled apart. At that
> point I still trusted the connectors, but I insisted on soldering the
> centers after that. When more failed inside the shack, on patch cables, etc,
> I gave up and went back to solder-only.
>
>
> ------
>
>   - pjd
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Michael W5NIG
> Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 9:17 AM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Crimp-on PL259 et al
>
> ***Quote***
> Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:39:52 -0500
> From: "Peter Dougherty"<w2irt at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Crimp-on PL259
> To:<nf4l at nf4l.com>, "'towertalk reflector'"
> <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Message-ID:<018401cbca3c$99d3e380$cd7baa80$@net>
>
> Mike, I have to say my experiences with crimp-on connectors has ranged from
> convenient to catastrophic failure, with the latter being commonplace. I'd
> say about 75% of the crimp connectors have failed within the three years
> they've been installed, both inside and outside. Once any stress goes on the
> cable (just gravity for the most part), it's just been a matter of time
> before it fails in my experience. I'm using connectors from The RF
> Connection as well as the crimp tool they provided and I use a cable-prep
> tool from DX Engineering. This summer all my remaining crimp-on connectors
> will be cut off and new solder-type (inside) and clamp-type connectors
> (outside) will go on instead. I'm quite intrigued about this new clamp type
> and I'd personally like to get more first-hand experiences before
> shotgunning out all the existing connectors.
>
> ***UnQuote***
>
> Very interesting!   I've been using a coax prep tool for quite a while now,
> it's a
> love/hate relationship, hi hi.  works well though, all in all.  I just
> bought a crimp
> tool with the extra set of jaws at the last hamfest that I attended.  I
> haven't had
> opportunity yet to us one on regular rg8 or 213 but have had the pleasure of
>
> installing
> a few on 8x. I've got to say Im impressed with it in that capacity!  good
> compression
> on the shield and great tension on the jacket.  Usually the thing is subject
>
> to twisting
> etc and if the coax is moving a lot I eventually might have issues with it.
> I"ll be testing
> it on 8/213 coax at easy to get to places to see how it goes when I get back
>
> on my tower
> project!
>
>      Michael  de W5NIG
>
>
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