[TowerTalk] Selecting Coax connectors

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

I had an N-type double female coupler in the feedline to a 75 meter 
sloper short. Whether it was from an excursion far from resonance 
running the legal limit, or a nearby lightning strike? I don't know.

That connector shows OK with an ohmmeter but at 3.5MHz it's definitely 
shorted, even with 100W.  It's a silver plate Amphenol for those 
perfectionists out there <:-)

I haven't hit the wrong antenna, mainly because I'm in the habit of 
using the AIM for tune up, tuning the amp into a dummy load before 
hitting the antenna with power. That way the amp is tuned properly for 
the antenna.  I knw it's not necessary for the tribander, but it's a habit.

73

Roger (K8RI)


On 9/5/2016 Monday 9:02 PM, Al Kozakiewicz wrote:
> My evidence is strictly empirical, but it appears to me that the effective working voltage of N connectors is less than UHF.
>
> When doing dumb things - like trying to load a 30m antenna on 17m at full power - the attendant voltage from the SWR will arc over.
>
> Now, if you avoid dumb because, say,  you have resonant antennas (by resonant, I mean on the band you're trying to load them on) N is quite satisfactory.
>
> At one point I thought I was going to switch everything over to them.  I now have a bin full of crimp and chassis connectors. Since dumb seems to follow me around, I've since bagged that idea.
>
> Al
> AB2ZY

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