[Boatanchors] [BoatAnchors] RBA power supply cable

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Ben,

The substitute cable that you made up actually looks pretty good. However, 
your statement that the original Navy-type backshell is no longer available 
is incorrect. Except that it's green instead of black, there is one in the 
photograph of your cable. The differences between what's in the well hidden 
Arkansas cable and what's in your cable, aside from color, are (a) you used 
an AN clamp and corrugated flex conduit whereas (b) the original uses an AN 
ferrule and nut and braided conduit. The backshells attached to the 
connectors in both photos are the same, allowing for minor differences between 
Amphenol and Cannon. Yours is Amphenol (two captive screws hold the split halves 
together), and the original in the photo is Cannon (a clamp nut at the front 
plus whatever is screwed onto the rear holds the split halves together). 
However, both types were used by RCA at various times.

Although making a substitute AN ferrule takes a bit of work, turning an AN 
clamp into an AN nut is trivial. All that it takes is a lathe and three to 
five minutes for the first one.

I would have also suggested that BX being smooth would be a better visual 
match to braid than the corrugated.  And as Dave reminded us, hot water 
heater hoses, except for the coupling nuts and when new being bright and shiny, 
are dead ringers for the original.


Robert Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480