[Boatanchors] question for SP-600

[James A. (Andy) Moorer]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Young" <youngbob53 at msn.com>
To: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>; <hammarlund at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 9:44 PM
Subject: [Boatanchors] question for SP-600


>I have read about twinax connectors for balanced antennas as pertaining to 
>this radio, there is one right now on ebay, an SO-264. I may be overlooking 
>something obvious but when I look at the antenna connector on top of the 
>radio all I see is a big one conductor connector that looks exactly like 
>the connector on the back of an HQ-180. I am using this with a LW right 
>now.

Most of the SP-600 radios were changed from the UG-103/U mini-twinax 
connector to the standard single-ended SO-239 RF connector sometime during 
its lifetime. About 1 in 5 that I restore have the original twinax 
connector. I always replace it with an SO-239. Keeps the customer support 
calls down.

> Is this SO-264 a connector I should buy, how do you use balanced antennas 
> with these radios? I also saw a 90 degree twinax connector for sale the 
> other day which went quickly, any info would be helpful.

Don't bother. The problem is that if you install the SO-264 female 
connector, then you have to find the even-more-rare male cable-end 
mini-twinax connector. You can wait a year for one to show up on ePay. I 
don't know anywhere you can just send off and buy one of them (does Wm. 
Perry have them, I wonder? He seems to have everything else!).

The only reason to use the twinax connector is if you have a balanced line 
going out to your antenna. If you are like the rest of us and have just a 
standard single-ended coax cable to the antenna, then leave everything as 
SO-239.

>
> Bob Young
> Millbury, Ma
>

Enjoy!

James A. (Andy) Moorer
www.jamminpower.com