[TowerTalk] N connector, Re: UHF (PL259) soldered center with braid crimp or, crimp-crimp, supply?

[Jim Brown]

On 6/25/2018 10:35 PM, Avery Davis wrote:
> Would you please share a link to a source that discusses the limits of N
> connectors?  Everything I have seen so far suggests they have as good or
> better power handling at low frequencies than the PL-259, and are much
> better at UHF as they are constant impedance (lower loss, higher power,
> lower SWR).  For example, Amphenol rates their SO-239 at 500 V, while
> their Type N is rated at 1500 Volts.  That sounds like better power
> handling, to me.

Only under the conditions of ridiculous SWR for legal limit power in the 
US. 500V at 50 ohms is 5kW, and 3.3kW at 75 ohms. GOOD QUALITY UHF 
connectors are plenty good enough at 6M and below unless you're running 
illegal power. Anyone who argues otherwise failed his course on 
transmission lines. Yes, UHF connectors are not 50 ohm connectors, but 
below UHF, any loss resulting from the small discontinuity they 
introduce is too small to matter below 150 MHz.

My station is standardized on UHF connectors. When I NEED N-connectors 
to mate with equipment, I use a very nice 2-piece connector developed by 
Andros Engineering. Unfortunately, their website is SNAFU. Both center 
and shield are soldered. It's like a PL259 -- soldered connections are 
to one plece and the other piece is the screw-on retainer.

For either connector, good weatherproofing is critical if you live where 
it rains. Where I live it rains a LOT!

73, Jim K9YC