[TowerTalk] Adventures in PL259 land (WAS Coaxial Seal Removal)

Fri Oct 16 11:08:31 EDT 2020

If this thread really about buying tools to tighten PL-259 connectors?  Tools for such?  They have these places called gymnasiums. These days memberships are cheap.  -Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Joe Partlow
Sent: Friday, October 16, 2020 10:32 AM
To: Artek Manuals
Cc: towertalk at contesting.com reflector
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Adventures in PL259 land (WAS Coaxial Seal Removal)

Years ago it was recommended to me to get a pair of spark plug pliers for
tightening PL-259 connectors. Ten years and no problems.
https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-52900-Spark-Plug-Pliers/dp/B085TNS5Q5/ref=asc_df_B085TNS5Q5/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459647904235&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16103316796591171145&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1013638&hvtargid=pla-942433335507&psc=1

On Fri, Oct 16, 2020 at 4:53 AM Artek Manuals <Manuals at artekmanuals.com>
wrote:

> As is often the case the folks in Asia have confused inches with cm and
> mm...8^(...caveat emptor..Those pliers only weigh 7ounces, but if they
> are 83 inches long maybe they weigh 7lbs or 7kg ? At least it says they
> are made in Japan and not China !
>
> I recently bought some SO239 panel mount connectors, they were
> beautiful, only problem was they had a metric thread rather than the
> INTERNATIONAL STANDARD 5/8" 24tpi. They would work ok with a PL259 but
> apparently the adapters ( T, L Barrels etc) are made to� a tighter
> tolerance than the PL259 and the threads on adapters would seize before
> the connect6or was fully bottom out. Luckily I had a 5/8 24TPI tap-die
> and was able to re-chase the threads
>
> Dave
> NR1DX
>
> On 10/16/2020 12:13 AM, Richard Smith wrote:
> > Wow! that's a huge pliers!� 83 inches long!
> > Maybe not inches?
> > 73, Rich, N6KT
> > On Thursday, October 15, 2020, 07:05:58 PM PDT, Grant Saviers
> > <grants2 at pacbell.net> wrote:
> > Or for OCD's like me who don't want burrs on the barrels
> >
> >
> https://www.amazon.com/PH-200-Non-marring-Plastic-Touch-Pliers/dp/B000ALF5EK/ref=sr_1_14?crid=1ZPOTLW1291U3&dchild=1&keywords=nylon+jaw+pliers&qid=1602812142&sprefix=nylon+jaw%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-14
> >
> > nice tool from Japan
> >
> > Grant KZ1W
> >
> >
> > On 10/15/2020 16:49, Ron Gorski wrote:
> >> It's a good idea to get in the habit of using two pair of gas pliers
> >> to cinch the connectors tight once the locking nubs are seated properly.
> >> Ron N9AU
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Artek
> >> Manuals
> >> Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2020 6:32 PM
> >> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> >> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Follow up on Coaxial Seal Removal
> >>
> >> Thanks Chuck
> >>
> >> Had not seen that one ..interesting will do some more research
> >>
> >> The other lesson I have learned recently is to take great care that
> >> with� the little locking bumps inside the PL259 males that one must
> >> take some care in making sure they fit into the matching V's of the
> >> female connector. They with get on the top of the V rather than down
> >> in the V and you think they are tight and then two months of
> >> temperature cycling you have an intermittent. PL259 L, T and Barrels
> >> are more prone to not seat properly than the standard PL259 on the
> >> end of a coax. I had one of these get so hot when running full legal
> >> limit on 6M that it would get hot enough to burn you !!
> >>
> >>
> >> Dave
> >> NR1DX
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 10/15/2020 12:39 PM, Chuck Gooden wrote:
> >>> Dave,
> >>>
> >>> When you wrap the connectors again, do not use COAX Seal
> >>>
> >>> Have you seen this video?� https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcHiHCw0lsY
> >>>
> >>> I used a procedure similar to this when I was in the Navy on the HF
> >>> and UHF coax connectors.� I used a couple of tie wraps to hold the end
> >>> of the tape down.� The Scotch 2228 is not sticky but it sticks to
> >>> itself.� You need to stretch it some as you wrap in around the
> >>> connector and cable.� It comes off easy by taking a razor blade and
> >>> slicing it and peeling it off.
> >>>
> >>> Chuck K9LC
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On 10/15/2020 7:27 AM, Artek Manuals wrote:
> >>>> A couple of weeks ago I asked for some ideas on how to remove soft
> >>>> black water sealant for connectors I commonly know as Coaxiseal.
> >>>>
> >>>> Several good answers� and thanks to all who replied.
> >>>>
> >>>> The "Best" results IMO were
> >>>>
> >>>> 1) "Wait till it gets cold and peel it right off" . I was skeptical
> >>>> in Florida that it would ever get that cold but turns out that even
> >>>> at 68 degrees which It was the morning I climbed the tower last week
> >>>> that the stuff becomes significantly less "gooey" and I was able to
> >>>> peel 90% of it off fairly quickly so I can imagine for most of you
> >>>> farther north that this will work well
> >>>>
> >>>> 2) For the final 10% left from the myriad of suggestions I got that
> >>>> the stuff will succumb to just about any solvent. For doing the final
> >>>> shiny cleanup I found mineral spirits works very well as one of the
> >>>> least toxic of the many suggestions. Also much to my surprise
> >>>> isopropyl alcohol , while not quite a fast acting as the mineral
> >>>> spirits did a very good job of cleaning the final residue of type-N
> >>>> and PL259 connectors
> >>>>
> >>>> 3) For the future,� the suggestion of wrapping the connectors with
> >>>> tape first before applying the sealing junk was a real duhh moment
> >>>> which I now use going forward.. I go well down on the coax, fold the
> >>>> tape over at the end and I have an easy removal "tab" for� the next
> >>>> time.
> >>>>
> >>>> Tnxs again
> >>>> Dave
> >>>> NR1DX
> >> --
> >> Dave Manuals at ArtekManuals.com www.ArtekManuals.com
> >>
> >>
> > _______________________________________________
> >
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> --
> Dave Manuals at ArtekManuals.com www.ArtekManuals.com
>
>
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-- 
- 73 -
- Joe W6JWP
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