[TowerTalk] Fwd: sealing PL259's

Tue May 26 12:00:09 EDT 2015

I don't want to start a brouhaha but would like to solicit opinions as 
to the best crimpers for crimping crimp type PL-259 connectors. I have 
seen some pretty poor examples and would appreciate knowing what are 
some good ones.  I don't mind paying a premium for a quality tool that 
does  a good job and is robust and long lasting.

Patrick   NJ5G

On 5/26/2015 10:32 AM, Bert Almemo wrote:
> Use crimp UHF and solder the center pin. Much better!
>
> Bert VE3NR
>   
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> Patrick Greenlee
> Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2015 10:24 AM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Fwd: sealing PL259's
>
> Good stuff Roger!  One thing you left out.  You mention the gob (or
> glob) of solder on the center pin but soldering the shield through the
> supplied holes seems to be difficult to impossible for  many users.  I have
> seen good lookig solder jobs that didn't contact the shield, others that
> looked great but had melted the dielectric, and so forth.
>
> I vote for sealing the entire connection after the male and female are
> tightened together with coax seal tape or whatever AND THEN applying the
> shrink (with the hot melt glue coating inside so that it covers the male and
> female connectors entirely.  Inconvenient as a rock in your boot but gives
> good waterproofing and good mechanical strength compared to many other
> approaches.  Wrapping everything tightly in tape before putting on the
> shrink works too.
>
> Patrick   NJ5G
>
> On 5/26/2015 1:20 AM, Roger (K8RI) on TT wrote:
>> The UHF connectors are fine for HF, and you can put 10 of them in a
>> row and still have negligible loss, BUT the UHF connectors are
>> mechanically weak.  They depend on the shield/braid being securely
>> soldered in and still the construction still allows linear motion.
>> They are also poor at keeping water out on either end as well as the
>> the threads.  You can seal the threads, but that does little to keep
>> water out of the connection at either end.
>>
>> There seems to be a reluctance to use any material that sticks to, or
>> leaves residue on the connectors.  This in no way detracts from
>> reusing the connectors, so has no logical basis in the use of the
>> connectors.
>>
>> Coax seal, the various self vulcanizing tapes that adhere to the
>> connectors add  strength to an otherwise mechanically weak
>> connections.  The flooded heat-shrink tubing (coated with hot melt
>> glue on the inside adds the most strength to the connectors and it's
>> rare to see one that leaks.
>>
>> There is nothing wrong with going to the extra work to assure that no
>> residue is left on the connectors other than the extra work that
>> leaves a relatively weak connector water proofed, but still
>> mechanically  weak..  It's strictly an appearance issue.
>>
>> As for N-type you are likely to have one of those develop a poor
>> connection on a vertical run, ot exposed to movement from the wind or
>> temperature extremes.  Ask Jim what he thinks about N-type connectors.
>> I used to use a lot of them, but have replaced all used at HF with UHF
>> connectors.
>>
>> Other than water and being weak, the UHF connector suffers from poor
>> soldering techniques with "the gob" on the center pin.
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Roger (K8RI)
>>
>> On 5/25/2015 9:49 PM, Hans Hammarquist via TowerTalk wrote:
>>> Maybe even better; the type of plumber dope they use to seal the
>>> threads.
>>>
>>>
>>> What I don't like with the PL-259 is the lack of springs to keep the
>>> connection good at the screen side. All other connectors have some
>>> type of spring that ensure a good connection such as BNC and N. You
>>> have to tighten the PL-259 "well" in order to keep a good contact and
>>> there are no insurance they will losen up over time.
>>>
>>>
>>> Hans - N2JFS
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Kris Mraz <n5kilomike at gmail.com>
>>> To: towertalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
>>> Sent: Mon, May 25, 2015 6:19 pm
>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] sealing PL259's
>>>
>>>
>>> What about plumber's Teflon tape?
>>>
>>> Kris
>>> N5KM
>>>
>>> -------------------------------------------------
>>> Jim K9YC said:
>>>
>>> On
>>> Mon,5/25/2015 4:45 AM, Marsh Stewart wrote:
>>>> Timely question. I've been
>>> wondering about how to waterproof the shell of a
>>>> PL259 to the flange of an
>>> SO239.
>>>
>>> I use Scotch Mastic tape, 2228.
>>>
>>> 73, Jim
>>> K9YC
>>> _______________________________________________
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