[Elecraft] Proper installation of PL 259's

[W0WFH Bill]

As far as water proof... no connector not PL 259 crimp or solder are water proof without
doing a good tape job or using some of the spray on rubber sealant.  


Water proofing connector is an art in it own.  3M make some shrink tape that works good, but now a lot of people are using this spray on rubber sealant as advertise on TV.  So far
it looks to be holding up good an can be removed easy once it setup, it also remain flex able,  

If you think water proofing a PL 259 is hard at average ham heights of 30 to 80 feet try waterproofing a N connector on the end of 7/8 " helix at 300 ft plus feet in the air. 


Good Luck all


Bill,W0WFH  




On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 5:04 AM, W0WFH Bill <w0wfh at yahoo.com> wrote:
 
Having been a Motorola field tech. and shop manager for over 35 years.  I have installed
thousands of PL 250's.  Motorola back in the mid 1980's start suggesting installers use
crimp on connectors because of too many redoes on mobile installations.  Most of the
service problems on new installations was bad solder connections of PL 259s.  


So Motorola developed a nice crimp on PL 259 an a special crimping tool to go with
the connectors.  Being an old school tech.  I had some reservations as too how they would
hold up in ruff service installations.  Well they held up very well an are still being used today.

So, if you want good crimp on PL259s go to your local Motorola Service Shop an buy some
connector. 


Bill, W0WFH