[TowerTalk] PL-259 RF Coaxical Connectors

[Rob Atkinson]

> I do not use solderless crimp on PL-259 connectors.  PL-259 connectors were
> designed to be soldered!

Starting a few years ago I experienced an intermittent and sudden loss
of signal into one or two of my receivers.  Sometimes I'd be tuned to
a vacant frequency and have band noise and hiss in the background.
Then it would suddenly vanish.  A few times I thought a strong
unmodulated carrier had come on frequency but it turned out to be a
sudden drop in RF level of 10 or 20 dB.  I could pot up the RF gain
and get signal back and I began by suspecting some sort of bad relay
connection somewhere or a loose screw on a rear panel.  Because it was
intermittent, it was tough to find and the problem plagued me off and
on.  You all have been there before:  One day I just happened to <fill
in the blank> and eureka -- in my case it was a jumper at a coax
switch I happened to nudge and strong band noise returned.  Well
hello, what's this?

It turned out to be a jumper made with crimp connectors.  You can love
them all you want but here's what happens--after a few years the crimp
- braid contact wears out.  It ceases to make good low resistance
continuity for the extremely weak RF currents flowing.  Maybe it's
mechanical failure; maybe it's chemical -- whatever it is, _braid_
does not hold up in a crimp long term.  Compression connectors with
Heliax or other hard line with a solid compressible copper shield are
a different story.  But in my opinion, any coaxial line using braid
for the outer conductor must be soldered to its connector.

73
Rob
K5UJ