[TowerTalk] Crimp-on connectors for hardline

[Kenneth Goodwin]

Andrew Corporation (http://www/andrew.com) which is now CommScope had some
very good on-line training documentation regarding hardline and the
associated connectors.  It was very labor intensive finding amateur
applicable documentation with all of the buy-outs, name changes, revised
connector nomenclature, changes in technology driven by commercial
requirements and etc.  I could not easily find it on the Andrew/CommScope
web page today but I remember it took a fair number of hours coming up with
what I obtained a couple of years ago.  I will send you my documentation
pile for what it is worth but expect to spend many hours coming up to speed
on how to do just one hardline connector.  And what is worse, the hardline
connectors are predominantly mechanical connections - they just don't use
solder which I found hard to accept (but one has to believe that the
commercial big boys know what they are doing).  It does take a few
specialized tools (actually guides) that are cheap plastic and not mandatory
but some of the eBay suppliers provided them along with their NOS
connectors.  At a couple of dollars per foot for hardline, cut and try
wasn't in the cards for me but if you don't mind spending a few hours coming
up to speed, it is actually quite easy.   Ken K5RG