[TowerTalk] Soldering Coax Connectors

[Gedas]

Fred, I use 0.031" solder right now......should I be using smaller 
diameter for the tiny weep hole?

Gedas, W8BYA

Gallery at http://w8bya.com
Light travels faster than sound....
This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

On 9/6/2019 9:56 AM, Fred Matos wrote:
> Just my two cents....BUT thinner solder will melt much quicker than 
> the heavier gauge stuff.  People have been posting about irons and 
> wattage, etc., but the solder diameter and solder content type are 
> also factors.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gedas <w8bya at mchsi.com>
> To: towertalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Sent: Fri, Sep 6, 2019 9:33 am
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Soldering Coax Connectors
>
> I use crimp and traditional clamp type of connectors. I have a question
> on the proper way or technique that should be used to solder the center
> pin of N, BNC, and SMA style connectors onto the coax center conductor
> w/o making a mess.
>
> I do not have any issues with connectors like PL-259's or pure crimp
> type connectors but I still struggle to solder just the center conductor
> of the coax to the center pin w/o making a small mess on the outside of
> the center pin and w/o melting the dielectric. I use a 25W Weller for
> the center pin and have tried various tips. I also have tried different
> solder sizes down to those ideal for SMD work.
>
> How do folks get solder to flow just into the weep hole ? Do you use a
> tiny pointed tip iron and put that tip into the weep hole and hold it
> there until the center pin gets hot enough to melt solder? If so do you
> then keep the iron in the weep hole and dab solder at the tip/pin
> interface and hope it gets drawn in? Or, do folks use a larger sized
> iron tip underneath the center pin to heat it up enough so that solder
> when pushed into the weep hole will melt and cause a good connection?
>
> What about pre tinning the center conductor?
>
> Either way, regardless how careful I am, more times then not I seem to
> get residual solder all over the outside of the center pin and need to
> carefully scrap it off with an X-acto blade after things cool off.
>
> And then of course there is the problem with holding the larger iron tip
> under the center pin too long and start melting the dielectric because
> the center conductor has been over heated.
>
> Gedas, W8BYA
>
> Gallery at http://w8bya.com
> Light travels faster than sound....
> This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
>
>
>
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