[TowerTalk] UHF (PL259) Connector Supplier

[Grant Saviers]

I would add the following

Marine grade 213 has the advantage over other 213 of a tinned braid 
which helps with soldering.  I have some 20 years old that loss tests 
show good as new.  But it is still RG8 losses with the solid dielectric.

Davis Buryflex and DXengineering 400MAX (just installed 500')  are my 
favorites (except hardline) for lower loss.  I don't like the LMR or 
9913 jackets.  Now replacing 9913 installed when Buryflex was out of 
stock.  With the heat sinking of the foil layer, it is hard , but 
possible to solder the braid to PL with a 250 watt Weller gun. Forget 
about it outside.   For foil plus braid over foam, crimping is better 
IMO for the shield and I agree soldering for the center conductor to 
eliminate one moisture path and to preserve the pin geometry.

I like to adhesive filled heat shrink seal the cable jacket to PL 
shank.  Heating the PL with the heat gun prior to sliding on the HS 
insures the adhesive bonds.  However, some crimp PL's have a very short 
shank for the heat shrink.

I try to avoid SO239's on anything outside as have never found a good 
way to make the PL-SO connection really watertight and few SO's on 
commercial gear are sealed well enough on the flange anyway.  For entry 
to J-boxes, chokes, baluns, etc. my preference is watertight glands the 
right diameter for the coax.   All beam chokes have the feedpoint choke 
done this way to avoid any use of connectors out on booms where they 
can't be accessed without a lot of work.   If PL-SO connections are 
required, eg lightning arresters, they are inside an enclosure.

All connector to connector outside joints use the commercially proven 
Commscope/Heliax tape/butyl/tape sealing technique.  My commercial tower 
guy then sprays 2 or 3 coats of outdoor clear acrylic over the outer 
tape layer.  There are about 8 PL-barrel-PL uses from a $15 kit.  I only 
use Amphenol barrels after bad experiences with others.

The suppliers mentioned all seem to have quality PL's.  For me, all 
hardline uses DIN's where possible.

And I've proved that poorly crimped connections up 100' get to be the 
worlds most expensive connectors.  Also verified it is important to keep 
connectors free of residual cable bending forces and wind or rotator 
induced motions.

Grant KZ1W

On 6/23/2018 9:25 AM, William J. Nicosia wrote:
>             These are my choices for connectors/cable, no failures 
> since 2009:
>
>             RG-213, Davis RF, Marine Grade, White Jacket.
>
>             UHF/PL-259, RF Parts Co., Crimp Type.
>
>             Cable Prep Tools, DX Engineering Kit.
>
>             Cush Craft, PVC Push-On Boots
>
>             My technique is to crimp the braid ferrule with the proper 
> tool and solder the tip (no crimp). If you can find them install the 
> Cush Craft boot first.                     Anybody who knows a 
> supplier of these, let me know. Finally, solder the tip. Fill the pin 
> on the connector.
>
>             No failures caused by bad connector or cable prep or 
> corrosion since 2009. Adding some dielectric grease to the connector 
> threads is not a bad                 idea either.
>
>             Bill, W2ZKX
>
>
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