[TowerTalk] Recycling old PL-259 connectors.

[Paul N1BUG FN55mf]

Well said, Jim.

I guess the times when all were encouraged to enjoy ham radio to the
fullest regardless of their income are now mostly gone. What a shame.

I have recycled at least 100 PL-259s over the last 45 years, most of
them properly installed by me. After some practice it takes about five
minutes and three cents worth of electricity and/or a few cents worth of
propane.

I'm glad so many people can afford to buy new stuff all the time, but I
will continue to encourage everyone to enjoy radio.

My method is similar to what others have described. I cut off the coax
an inch or so behind the connector, strip away a bit of the outer layers
to expose a short bit of the center conductor, heat the center pin and
pull out the center conductor. I then heat the connector body with a
torch or a 475 watt soldering iron and pull out the rest of the coax.
Reheating the connector and giving is sharp tap on a piece of plate
metal removes remaining solder from the body. Any remaining bits of
outer jacket and solder in the threads can usually be removed with an
angled pick. Most of the time it goes pretty smoothly.

Paul N1BUG




On 7/16/2024 5:09 PM, Jim W7RY wrote:
> Because we had to.
>
> Apparently you never grew up poor, or had a paper route or mowed lawns
> to buy your ham equipment.
>
> I'm sorry you never had to experience this. It makes one more wise about
> money.
>
> 73, Jim W7RY
>
>
>
> On 7/16/2024 4:05 PM, charlie at thegallos.com wrote:
>> As someone else said about all this,*WHY? *  Even at the worst, most
>> expensive, they are $11.50.  The minimum wage is $7.25, so what, 90
>> minutes
>> of work.  I net you spend more in time and electricity to recycle the
>> connector.
>>
>> This reminds me about the joke about how copper wire was invented, two
>> hams
>> fighting over a penny
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: TowerTalk<towertalk-bounces at contesting.com>  On Behalf Of Arthur
>> Bernstein via TowerTalk
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2024 4:53 PM
>> To:towertalk at contesting.com
>> Subject: [TowerTalk] Recycling old PL-259 connectors.
>>
>> This may sound caveman style, but I used to just cut of the connector
>> with a
>> little bit of coax remaining. I'd unsolder the center pin and shake it
>> out
>> then suspend the connector over a gas stove burner then with a pair of
>> pliers pull out the coax stub. If necessary clean out any melted
>> dielectric., heat again and shake out any remaining solder. Been doing
>> this
>> for 60 years.ArtN2KA
>>
>> Arthur Bernstein
>> n2ka at verizon.net
>> _______________________________________________
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>