[UK-CONTEST] PL259 Connector loss

[Ian White GM3SEK]

G3YYD wrote:

>>I've never soldered the shield though.  I fold the shield back around the
>>outer and then screw it into the body of the plug for a good and solid
>>mechanical connection.  It's a very tight fit, a good pair of pliers are
>>essential to being able to do this.  I've never noticed any PL259s getting
>>warm so I suppose it must work.
>>
>>Or am I doing something badly wrong by putting them on this way?
>>
>>73
>>Keith, G6NHU.

>
>I used to do that but found that they leak RF after awhile. The braid to
>connector resistance increases as the copper oxides build up between the
>two. It depends how important RF leakage is to your set up. Being a SO2R
>station it is very important to me to minimise leakage.
>
>73 David
>

I'd agree with that. Broken/intermittent braid connections on old-style 
PL259s are probably THE biggest single cause of mysterious "RF in the 
shack" and other interference problems. Almost nobody does them 
properly... and even if you do, they can still let you down.

"It's just a piece of coax and a couple of connectors. What could 
possibly go wrong?"



-- 

73 from Ian GM3SEK
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek