[Elecraft] Re: What's wrong with Serial

[Bob Nielsen]

IMHO the D connector is the best choice for reliability, short of the  
Bendix circular type used on aircraft equipment, etc. (much too large  
and expensive).  The worst connector I have seen on ham gear was the  
one used for the microphone on the Yaesu FT-730.  I tried to repair a  
mike cable with a broken wire but applying a (small) soldering iron  
to one of the pins caused the insulator to soften and the pins  
moved.  The radio has been in my junk box ever since.

Bob, N7XY

On Jun 21, 2006, at 9:49 AM, Jack Brindle wrote:

> Mini-Dins are simply not reliable. The connectors break all-too  
> easily, mostly due to the pins bending if the connectors are not  
> aligned just right. We intentionally moved away from them at Apple  
> because of this problem.
>
> There really isn't a good connector solution at present. If you  
> look at what is available in a semi-rugged form factor, we are  
> limited to D-shells, DINs (not mini-Dins), RJs, and not much else.  
> The RJs are not shielded, so we end up duplicating connectors out  
> of necessity. I think Wayne made a good choice with the connector,  
> and it is up to us to realize that it is not standard RS-232 and  
> just deal with it. Of course, few, if any, other ham rigs have  
> "standard" RS-232 connectors on their rear apron...
>
> On Jun 20, 2006, at 8:32 PM, Bill Coleman wrote:
>
>>
>> On Jun 20, 2006, at 1:03 AM, wayne burdick wrote:
>>
>>> Correct. Then the principle designer, N6KR, wrote:
>>>
>>>     We didn't have room for two connectors.
>>
>> Surely two Mini-DIN 6s or 8s would have fit. Of course, few people  
>> would have cables to fit a Mini-DIN 8 unless they had some unused  
>> Mac serial cables, or they might try to plug a mouse into a Mini- 
>> DIN 6....
>>
>> Pre-fab cables work well with Mini-DINs. Trying to make cables for  
>> these connectors is a nightmare. Worse than the 8-pin mic  
>> connectors transceivers use these days....
>>
>>
>> Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
>> Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
>>             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901
>
> - Jack Brindle, W6FB
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