[TowerTalk] Amphenol Connector Brands

[Michael Tope]

If you buy a few UHF connectors from a distributor like Digi-Key, nobody 
will be going to the trouble of cherry picking standout exemplars the 
way a manufacturer might sample a few parts to a potentially large buyer 
they are trying to woo. The other option is to verify the return policy 
of the supplier ahead of time, buy a large quantity, and then pick out a 
few random samples for close inspection. I they are junk, send the rest 
back for a refund.

If you want a high degree of confidence in a product then you are going 
to have to pay a premium and even that is no guarantee. Even good 
manufacturers/suppliers screw up from time to time. The lower the cost, 
the more risk you assume as a consumer.

73, Mike W4EF......................

On 1/3/2025 2:24 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On 1/3/2025 4:22 AM, Rob Atkinson wrote:
>> If I were looking to buy a large number of UHF connectors, I'd buy a
>> single one to check it out first before buying a large number. I'd
>> buy two or three and try soldering them if solder is going to be used.
>
> Yes, but -- for 30 years, I've been a member the Standards Committee 
> of the Audio Engineering Society, and principal author of most 
> published Standards on EMC. I'm still Vice-Chair of the EMC Working 
> Group, and have been a member of the WG on connectors for 30 years. As 
> long as 25 years ago, I was hearing from engineers of major mfrs of 
> connectors and microphones about their problems with counterfeit 
> products, and defects in their manufacture that caused problems for 
> users. With connectors, it was everything from control of dimensions 
> to contact material to dielectric. With mics, it's all about how they 
> sound. The mfrs on those committees were from companies like Shure, 
> AKG, Sennheiser, Neumann, Switchcraft, Neutrik, and Belden. Amphenol 
> was no longer selling audio connectors by the time I became active; 
> Switchcraft and Neutrik were and still are the major, first rate players.
>
> Thirty years ago, I was reading about counterfeit aircraft parts!
>
> Far from these issues with technical products, I'm finding counterfeit 
> kitchen utensils and other household items.
>
> About 20 years ago, a colleague, also a member of the Standards 
> Committee and a fine engineer, was buying knock-off Chinese mics and 
> reselling them to churches. He had a well-equipped lab to measure 
> them. They would send him samples that were wonderful, but the 
> quantity orders arrived, they were junk -- measured performance was 
> random.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
>
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