[TowerTalk] LMR600 male DIN

[Steve Maki]

Connectors *can* be waterproof (those that have internal gaskets). 
However experience tells us there is no guarantee that they are, and 
that's the rub. So commercial practice is to always add additional 
weatherproofing.

Every now and then a carrier will approve a non tape/butyl method such 
as cold shrink or the latest variety of hard plastic clamshells, but the 
experiment usually ends in failure. The holy grail is anything that 
allows *easy* maintenance (easy being anything easier than cutting away 
and re-applying a football sized mass of butyl and tape.

We were instrumental in getting double layer heatshrink approved by one 
of the biggie carriers, but they later disapproved it because of 
widespread jacket damage caused by too much heat. The average installer 
is a little below average.

This same carrier still approves a layer of high stretch rubber or 
silicone tape topped by vinyl tape. This is the method I prefer in 
almost all cases. Very quick to remove, quick enough to apply, and very 
effective.

-Steve K8LX



On 9/7/2016 6:36 AM, john at kk9a.com wrote:

> Is any TX connector really water proof?  Are DIN's being professionally
> installed with no external butyl rubber and tape? On the two outdoor DINs
> that I have, I weather proofed the connection the same way I did with UHF
> and N connectors.
>
> John KK9A