[TowerTalk] PL259 Connectors Part 2

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

Simple use of reducers.

With the proper amount of center conductor exposed, remove between an 
eighth to a quarter inch of jacket exposing the braid.  I prefer an eighth
Slide/push the coax through the reducer, flare the braid onto the 
(inner) end of the reducer and solder the braid to the end of the 
reducer. Trim any excess braid and solder from the end of the reducer.
Pretty much the same as recommended plus solder.  Solid, secure, easily 
checked (before assembly), and prep requiring only a little skill
Still, Crimp is  easier, faster, no heat to damage coax,and produces 
consistent results.

SO2R with two stations (HF, VHF, and UHF),  six pack, remote antenna 
switches, three transceivers, two amps, two tuners, two towers, many 
antennas. Enough that I usually purchase connectors 50 or a hundred at a 
time.  7 to 10 connectors between rig and each antenna. It varies from 
~50 to nearly 100 connectors in the system.  Good, properly adjusted 
strippers for each model coax and crimpers with the proper dies.  
Connectors from 8X, RG-400, BuryFlex, LMR-400, LMR-600.  I can not 
imagine soldering connectors for this setup.

One thing I did (Jerry will love this) with the old, clamp type, N-type 
connectors was to pot them with epoxy.  Single use for sure, but I never 
had one fail <LOL>
Actually I consider most of the connectors in the station single use be 
they, solder, crimp, or clamp types.  When I remove connectors I 
normally pitch them.
The big expensive ones for hard line, I'd save, but I don't have any of 
those.

With a single station with one or two antennas, I can see saving the 
cost of strippers and crimpers, but when running power with multiple 
antennas plus tuners those tools and methods save a lot of time and 
frustration.

Even as a poor, as yet to get a job, Novice, I still never reused solder 
type connectors. We'd never heard of crimp type 55 years ago.

73

Roger (K8RI)


On 5/12/2016 Thursday 4:29 PM, Jerry Gardner wrote:
> It seems to me that people keep coming up with all sorts of wild and crazy
> ways to solder PL-259 connectors. I suppose this is because the original
> method developed by Amphenol decades ago has perceived shortcomings,
> particularly in how that method prescribes soldering the coax braid to the
> connector. Some of these "solutions" just make me wince, while others make
> me a little nauseous.
>
>
> The prep time involved with some of these methods is lengthy and tedious
> and, in my opinion, unnecessary. Why go to all that trouble for something
> as simple as connecting a connector to a cable? Just because hams seem to
> be wedded to soldering? Using a coax prep tool and crimper, I can strip
> coax and crimp a connector on in about 45 seconds from start to finish. Try
> that with some of the bizarre methods advocated here and on other ham
> websites.
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-- 

73

Roger (K8RI)


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