[Elecraft] APP roll pins

[Charles Harpole]

APPs are bad design, bad technology, just bad.... why?

1 the crimp or solder or buy a special tool  or what ----facts as noted often here.

2. need glue often.... what!!!

3.  no strain relief.

4. no repeat use, can not be used again.

5. do not step on this plastic or u will need another set.

6. do not get caught outside the easy ordering/purchase of these dogs or u will be sticking a bare wire into

the socket when ur apps are broken.  Surprise, most of the world never hrd of these things ... and for good reason.


When, oh when, will users of this junk wake up to its obvious limits and abandon the false start they

represent?  

Charles Harpole


k4vud at hotmail.com   




> Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2008 09:15:03 -0400
> From: w3fpr at embarqmail.com
> To: n0ss at embarqmail.com
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] APP roll pins
> CC: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> Tom and all,
> 
> That is quite contrary to my experience.  The APP housings that I have 
> purchased (from both PowerWerks and West Mountain Radio) have dovetail 
> matings that need quite a bit of force to slide completely together, and 
> I lock them with a drop of SuperGlue.  I never had one come apart, and 
> that includes the 3 of them that are in constant use on the workbench.  
> The ones in the hamshack are more permanent - they are seldom changed.  
> I have roll pins and use them only sometimes.  If I use the roll pins, I 
> lock the pins in place with a drop of Superglue.
> 
> BTW - I just saw evidence that using the 'good' West Mountain crimper is 
> not the entire answer.  The crimps this gentleman had made with that 
> tool had distorted the connector barrel and tongue severely such that 
> good contact was not made.  When we discussed the problem, I found that 
> he was using the tool improperly.  So even the proper tool can produce a 
> bad job if you do not know what a good crimped connection looks like.  
> Unfortunately, West Mountain Radio does not provide any instructions 
> with the tool.
> 
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
> 
> Tom Hammond wrote:
> > I must admit that I have had less than stellar results with the roll pins
> > myself... having a number fall out over time. Fortunately none fell into
> > 'sensitive' electronic areas... they just fall out...
> >
> > I didn't have have all that good luck with Super Glues either... not sure
> > why, but the several times I tried them did not end well, with the 
> > connectors
> > STILL coming apart.
> >
> > I think I like the idea of filling the 'roll pin hole' with hot glue. 
> > That
> > seems like a much more viable method.
> >
> > I currently use a short length of #12 solid copper wire, stuck thru 
> > the hole
> > and then bent (on both ends) around at least two sides of each of the APP
> > connector shells. This method allows for a slight amount of movement 
> > between
> > the shells, but it does keep them together and in a manner which 
> > allows for
> > complete disassembly if necessary at a later time. It's not terribly 
> > 'pretty',
> > but it does work.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Tom Hammond   N0SS
> >
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