[Elecraft] K3S RJ-45 Pin Alignment

[Michael Blake]

Just to be more accurate the term RJ45 defines the wiring of a 4 pair twisted cable (like a CAT3, CAT4, CAT5, CAT6) to an 8 position, 8 contact modular plug.  The plug and jack are described by the number of available contact positions and the number of contacts installed in those positions.

The most common failure point, in my experience, was the crimped connection at the male plug.  Broken wire, bad crimp, wrong plug (there are different plugs for flat or round cable and then by stranded or solid conductors.  There are even universal plugs that are supposed to work for either stranded or solid conductors but they are not quite as reliable as the correct stranded or solid wire connector.

I wish the radio manufacturers had not used the incorrect term “RJ45” to describe the 8 position modular plug and jack.  Correctly used they are very reliable and VERY cheap.

Michael Blake - K9JRI