[ARC5] "Cable" for Those Big "PL-" Connectors.

[David Stinson]

Finding the multi-conductor cable with the black
rubber coating for the big "PL-" (or Navy equiv.) style
connectors is tough.  If you do have some old stuff
around the insulation and cover is usually questionable.
So individual wires in some kind of tubing 
seems a better idea.

I was in Home Depot awhile back and, in the plumbing
area, saw some black vinyl hose you can purchase by
the foot.  It came in two sizes and one was the right size 
to fit the backshells of many of these plugs.  
Mike Hanz had kindly put me on to using braid-armored 
plumbing hose to simulate 1930s Army Air Corps 
installations, so the idea of haunting the plumbing isle 
wasn't original with me, but getting vinyl to adhere 
to the connectors was a challenge.
I used the vinyl tubing for the 287 display cables 
at HamCom, but the attempt then ("Shoe Goo" and 
metal inserts into the vinyl to provide a grip for it)
was unsuccessful.  The tubing is just "friction fit;" 
adequate for display if you don't move the set around.  
Since that time I've come up with something 
that works much better.

Here's a photo:
http://home.netcom.com/~arc5/DU1Conn/IMG_0902.JPG

I first clean and roughen the inside of the connector backshell
barrel and the end of the vinyl pipe with some sandpaper.
Next, I coat both surfaces with some black "GC Liquid Tape"
http://www.hmcelectronics.com/product/GC-Electronics/10-1762
and fit the two parts together, rotate them to assure a good coat
and wipe away the excess.  I pulled them apart and allowed
the Liquid Tape to dry for several hours.  I then gave the tubing 
end another coat of Liquid Tape, inserted it into the connector
and wiped away the excess (don't forget the excess on the inside).
Allowed to dry over night.

The result was a fairly good bond, easily adequate for our 
purposes.  I wouldn't try to tow a car with it; I'm sure I could
pull it apart with some effort, but it holds together just fine
for what we're doing.  Now to re-do all my 287 cables :-P

GL OM ES 73 DE Dave AB5S