[TowerTalk] Recycling old PL-259 connectors.

[Grant Hopper]

On top of all the other good points, recycling reusable connectors instead
of throwing them away reduces consumption and waste.  It encourages repair
and reuse skills, and it insures the ability to do so when in a situation
where a new one simply isn't available.  One might chose not to reuse it
because of convenience, but that choice is about convenience, not cost.

Reducing it to a "cost" argument is a non-sequitur.  If it were all about
what the cheapest approach was, we wouldn't recycle anything, and yet
recycling is a good idea in many cases completely unrelated to cost of
goods.

73,
Grant
KB7WSD

On Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 2:41 PM Leslie Hooe <hooeld at gmail.com> wrote:

> I've never gotten paid minimum wage for my hobbies, so the $7.25 point is
> mute.
>
>  I recycle connectors because I can.
>
> Les
> K7LES
>
> On Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 4:28 PM Paul N1BUG FN55mf <paul at n1bug.com> wrote:
>
> > 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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