[VHFcontesting] PL 259 crimp connectors for RG 400

Tue Jun 7 19:53:54 EDT 2016

Thanks Chet.   At this point (and with some help from the vendor)  I've more or less concluded that the RG400 centre conductor is expanding a small amount when I strip the cable.   I've got a new batch of generic connectors that appear to have ample extra material for enlarging the hole in the centre pin, or  if that doesn't work I'll trim some strands from the centre conductor.   Once I've finished my current project (which needs to be done this week) I'll re think this process a bit.

Thanks all for the suggestions, they are appreciated.

73
Mark S
VE7AFZ

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 7, 2016, at 4:32 PM, Chet S <chetsubaccount at snet.net> wrote:
> 
> Mark, 
> 
> In a pinch, I have cut off 1 or 2 strands of the center conductor to get the
> LMR-400 into the center pin. 
> 
> Better, attached below is some info about this from a recent thread on the
> Yankee Clipper Contest Club forum that you may find of use. 
> 
> 73,
> Chet N8RA
> _______________________________________
> 
> 
> A standard clamp N connector will fit LMR400 but you have to put the center
> pin in a lathe and bore it out slightly. HOWEVER - LMR style cables don't
> have a very thick braid shield like RG8/RG213 so the possibility of a
> spinning connector is very possible. These cable rely on the inner foil
> shield along with the braid to get the job done and thus a crimp connector
> is the way to go. ALWAYS solder the center pin on these cables. I've run 1kW
> at 1296 through LMR with crimp connectors without any issues.
> 
> Contact Joel at the RF Connection for a stripping tool and a crimper, he
> sells one that does RG58/RG8X and RG8/LMR all in one and it's pretty
> reasonable. You can also get heat shrink tubing from him that has heat
> activated sealant on the inside that will keep water out of the crimp area. 
> 
> 
> Terry Price
> W8ZN - ex K8ISK/WD8ISK
> 1.8 MHZ - 47 GHz - FM18dv
> Member of the K8GP Contest Group
> FM19bb
> 
> I only use the Genuine PL259: Amphenol 83-1SP. $4.55 from DX Engineering,
> about the same at Mouser. They work fine on LMR400 without having to put
> them on a lathe. Silver-plated body which takes solder well, nickel shell.
> 
> Clamp-type N connectors for LMR400 and 9913 are available and different from
> the standard ones. I bought some at Deerfield last weekend. Amphenol part
> number is 172113H243, about $10 at Mouser. DXE does not seem to carry them
> 
> Mark, 
> 
> In a pinch, I have cut off 1 or 2 strands of the center conductor to get the
> LMR-400 into the center pin. 
> 
> Better, attached below is some info about this from a recent thread on the
> Yankee Clipper Contest Club forum that you may find of use. 
> 
> 73,
> Chet N8RA
> _______________________________________
> 
> 
> A standard clamp N connector will fit LMR400 but you have to put the center
> pin in a lathe and bore it out slightly. HOWEVER - LMR style cables don't
> have a very thick braid shield like RG8/RG213 so the possibility of a
> spinning connector is very possible. These cable rely on the inner foil
> shield along with the braid to get the job done and thus a crimp connector
> is the way to go. ALWAYS solder the center pin on these cables. I've run 1kW
> at 1296 through LMR with crimp connectors without any issues.
> 
> Contact Joel at the RF Connection for a stripping tool and a crimper, he
> sells one that does RG58/RG8X and RG8/LMR all in one and it's pretty
> reasonable. You can also get heat shrink tubing from him that has heat
> activated sealant on the inside that will keep water out of the crimp area. 
> 
> 
> Terry Price
> W8ZN - ex K8ISK/WD8ISK
> 1.8 MHZ - 47 GHz - FM18dv
> Member of the K8GP Contest Group
> FM19bb
> 
> I only use the Genuine PL259: Amphenol 83-1SP. $4.55 from DX Engineering,
> about the same at Mouser. They work fine on LMR400 without having to put
> them on a lathe. Silver-plated body which takes solder well, nickel shell.
> 
> Clamp-type N connectors for LMR400 and 9913 are available and different from
> the standard ones. I bought some at Deerfield last weekend. Amphenol part
> number is 172113H243, about $10 at Mouser. DXE does not seem to carry them
> yet. Let me work on that...
> 
> I do not use crimp-type connectors. I guess they are OK indoors, but I find
> soldering PL259s to be relaxing.
> 
> Never never never buy cheap connectors. You'll be sorry one day.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Doug K1DG
> 
> 
> Amen, amen, and AMEN!  
> 
> More than ten years ago, after having experiencing MANY failures of cheap
> imitations, I reverted to genuine Amphenol connectors.  I have yet to see a
> genuine Amphenol PL-259 fail.  The additional cost of genuine Amphenol
> connectors is repaid MANY times over by the avoidance of station downtime
> and time spent troubleshooting and repairing bad connections.
> 
> Three more things to know about PL-259s:
> 
> 1. Solder them by means of an iron having a massive copper tip, from which
> sufficient heat can flow to bring the connector and the shield-braid of the
> coax up to solder-flowing temperature quickly, without the tip cooling down.
> The small tips of typical soldering-station irons do not store sufficient
> heat.  The tips of typical soldering guns do not either.  It is the heat
> capacity of the tip, not the power of the resistive heater, that is
> critical.  Fast heating of the connector and braid is critical because the
> soldering must be completed before the outer plastic sheath and/or the
> inside plastic dielectric of the coax soften and melt.
> 
> 2. After screwing a PL-259 plug onto an SO-239 or equivalent socket by hand,
> use gas pliers to tighten the connection further.  Finger-tight is not tight
> enough because, in time, with thermal and perhaps also mechanical cycling,
> the connection will loosen.
> 
> 3. An outdoor connection should be over-wrapped with Scotch 33+ or 88
> electrical tape, and then over-wrapped again, with tape or sealing putty
> such as Coax-Seal or (much less expensive and preferable IMO) the stuff used
> by cell-site installers.  The first wrap of tape will enable you later to
> remove the putty without it sticking to and gumming up the connector(s).
> Some sealing putties must be over-wrapped with tape to keep solar UV from
> destroying them.  A sealed PL-259 connection will remain bright and shiny
> for decades.
> 
> 
> -Chuck W1HIS
> 
> I have tended to overdo weatherproofing of outdoor connections with multiple
> wraps of Super 88 and an outer wrap of Cold Seal tape (maker unknown, Radio
> Works sells it) that is non-adhesive and provides a weather-tight shrink
> wrap when stretched while wrapping.  I bought a couple of rolls of a similar
> non-adhesive tape at Visalia last month, "CoaxWrap", available from HRO and
> others.  I did an antenna repair job last week and used CoaxWrap as the
> INITIAL layer this time, then two wraps of Super 88 and a bit of Coax Seal
> around the interface between coax connector (all Amphenol) and feedpoint
> balun.  The nice feature of non-adhesive tape as the first layer, of course,
> is that it is much easier to remove from the coax connector (along with the
> outer 88 layers) if necessary for future repair.
> 
> www.coaxwrap.com
> 
> George W1EBI
> 
> This sounds like silicone self-fusing tape. One brand name is Rescue Tape.
> Here is the 3M version: 
> http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/NA_Communication_Technologies/Ho
> me/Products/~/Scotch-Self-Fusing-Silicone-Rubber-Electrical-Tape-70-1-in-x-3
> 0-ft?N=8694169+4294907179&rt=rud
> 
> There is a guy at Dayton who sells it.  He demos it with a 1/2" x 3" 
> piece. He says "stick out your finger", and wraps it around it tightly.  
> When it immediately cuts the circulation off in their finger, they are
> usually convinced.
> 
> What I like about it is that it comes off cleanly. I prefer it to other
> tapes.  If I am really worried about a connection, I cover the silicone tape
> with vinyl to provide some UV protection.
> 
> Tom - N1MM
> 
> Last year I took apart a number of outside connectorions after 30 years in
> service and they were all perfect, no signs of any
> moisture!   I had first wrapped the connection with 3M self-fusing tape to
> keep the connector clean, followed by Scotch 88, then
> Coax-Seal and a final layer of Scotch 88 for UV protection.    I was very
> impressed!    You ABSOLUTELY need to protect the
> self-fusing tape from UV, otherwise it'll get brittle in no time.
> 
> --- Rich K1CC
> 
> 
> 30 year old self-fusing tape is different from silicone self-fusing tape.
> The silicone (according to the 3M description) is UV resistant.  
> The linerless rubber splicing tape (what you probably used) says it is UV
> resistant as well. Of course, that doesn't mean either one will last
> 30 years in Phoenix.
> 
> http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/143045O/3mtm-scotchtm-130c-linerless-rubb
> er-splicing-tape.pdf
> 
> Tom - N1MM
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: VHFcontesting [mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf
> Of Mark Spencer
> Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2016 3:01 PM
> To: VHF Contesting <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] PL 259 crimp connectors for RG 400
> 
> Hi does anyone have any recent experience buying generic PL 259 style crimp
> connectors for RG 400 style cable and if so could they share their vendor
> contract info with me ?
> 
> My last few batches of generic connectors have had centre pins which are to
> small for the RG 400 centre conductor.   I would prefer a generic connector
> for this application vs a pricey name brand one.   I'm making up some patch
> cords for portable work and they may only last a for a few outings.   
> 
> I'm using generic RG400 cable which may also be part of the issue.   The
> cable and connectors were sourced from the same vendor.
> 
> Plan B is to simply drill out the centre pins of the connectors that I have.
> I already have the RG 400 sized ferrules.
> 
> Thanks in advance
> Mark S
> VE7AFZ
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> _______________________________________________
> VHFcontesting mailing list
> VHFcontesting at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
> 
> 