[TowerTalk] PL259 Cobbectors Part 2 - Murray W9EHQ

[Don W7WLL]

I live on the coast, just a few hundred feet from the Pacific. Most wind is 
from the ocean onshore. The cable and sat installers here use crimped 
connectors, fast which counts for the installers. HOWEVER, later, they also 
spend a lot of time repairing lines and replacing connectors which corrode 
via the salt spray and air, specifically the work that is outdoors for 
periods of time. Varies of course depending upon the protection provided. 
Like Paul, every connector used outdoors at this house is 4 hole soldered 
for just the latter reason. And the coax cover is properly screwed into the 
connector. Where I use barrels to interconnect two cables they are covered 
with flooded heatshrink and the heatshink ends double sealed with an 
application of 3M liquid tape. I learned when I first moved here that while 
tape was great for keeping water out most of the time, when I did find dry 
connectors, they still were coated almost pure white with salt.  So FAR 
DIFFERENT from when I lived inland in Portland. There what corrodes and 
rusts here in a couple of weeks would not reach that condx for years and 
years.

Crimping is great but one has to consider the environment when choosing, at 
least that is the case here.

Don W7WLL



-----Original Message----- 
From: Paul Christensen
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2016 11:21 AM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] PL259 Cobbectors Part 2 - Murray W9EHQ

>'I'm perplexed, but not really surprised, that hams still insist on using
this kind of backwoods engineering when a better way has been available for
decades. I guess old habits die hard."

If you mean crimped connectors as a "better way," I agree when they're used
either indoors or when they're adequately weather shielded.    Mechanically,
I've had more crimped connectors break and fail than soldered type when
high, accidental lateral force is exerted.  For indoor use, I exclusively
use crimped type.  For outdoors, almost exclusively soldered type.

Paul, W9AC

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