From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Thu Sep 4 12:06:56 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2014 11:06:56 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] August 2014 Minutes Message-ID: HILL COUNTRY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB Meeting Minutes 7 August 2014 MEETING COMMENCEMENT The meeting was called to order by Vice President Bob Ritchie (K5YB) who led us in the Pledge Of Allegiance. There were 24 people in attendance with 2 guests Gordon Green, and Lawrence Gullie MEMBER AND GUEST RECOGNITION Vice President Ritchie explained the 50/50 and gave out tickets to the following people for having helped during the past month: Barb and Pete Schuyler (N9NM, N9OF respectively) for providing goodies for the break and to Mort McKenzie (WB2GEU) for sugar free goodies and to Robert Russell (KF5AIE) for his having passed his Extra Exam. MINUTES AND TREASURERS REPORT The minutes were posted and approved. The Treasurers report was read and approved OLD BUSINESS Repeater Committee: Chuck Brainard and Harvey Vordenbaum (K5HV) have been working on the repeater. NEW BUSINESS Bill Tynan (W3XO) reported on the Central States VHF Meeting in Austin. He said it was a good meeting with a surprisingly large turnout of 100 attendees. John Huecksteadt (AC4CA) reported on Austin Summerfest and said they had a good sale and that one of the presentations was about Antennas for Restricted Lots. Harvey Vordenbaum (K5HV) indicated Hollis Walker?s estate has donated a large amount of radio gear to the club. Some of which is excess to our needs and which will be sold at the next couple of meetings. List provided by separate email over the reflector. OLD BUSINESS Texas QSO Party is 27/28 September. Gary Johnson (N5BAA) will open the club station for anyone wishing to participate, especially recently licensed Techs. Remaining years presentions: Sept ? Flex radio October ? Solar Power by Bandera Electric Coop Remember election of new officers in November. This is your chance to pay others back for service they have provided to you and/or pay in advance for service you may receive in the future. Not only the above, but you can have a greater influence on the direction the club goes when you are a club officer. BREAK FOR REFRESHMENTS FROM Barb, Pete, and Mort. The presentation was by Caurtis Eastwood (AD5UZ) on using spreadsheets to help calcualte lengths of elements when building antennas. Very Interesting, especially for the math challenged. 50/50 was won by ??? Submitted: Gary Johnson N5BAA HCARC Secretary 2013/14 From rowen at owencomps.com Fri Sep 5 20:15:06 2014 From: rowen at owencomps.com (Ray Owen) Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 19:15:06 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Null Modem Cable Message-ID: <540A520A.9000504@owencomps.com> Does anyone have an old 9 pin female to female NULL modem cable? I'm trying to hook this FT-847 to my shackbox. Thanks in advance. -- Ray Owen Owen Computer Solutions http://www.owencomps.com 830.998.0914 KF5VNC --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com From SUNTYCH at SBCGLOBAL.NET Sat Sep 13 16:29:57 2014 From: SUNTYCH at SBCGLOBAL.NET (SUNTYCH) Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 15:29:57 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] VERY testing Message-ID: I would like to register for the testing for upgrade to extra. I understand that the testing will be on 9/26 at 2pm.? Thank you Jerry Suntych ?KF5EYD Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S? 5, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone From SUNTYCH at SBCGLOBAL.NET Sat Sep 13 16:33:26 2014 From: SUNTYCH at SBCGLOBAL.NET (SUNTYCH) Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 15:33:26 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] (no subject) Message-ID: Sorry that should be VE testing auto correct stinks sometimes Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S? 5, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone From vbiersch at gmail.com Sat Sep 13 22:18:41 2014 From: vbiersch at gmail.com (Virgil Bierschwale) Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 21:18:41 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] radio check from Harper Message-ID: <007901cfcfc2$38fc2f10$aaf48d30$@gmail.com> I'm located in the Longhorn Ranch subdivision about 2 miles north of the harper school on a small hill. Bought a ICOM V-80 2 meter hand held from dxengineering yesterday. Was surprised to find out that I can receive the 5HR repeater with no problem Once I get it programmed, I will be sending in my membership to the club. Having a problem with it right now shutting down, but I'm beginning to suspect it is because the battery is not fully charged. I am curious what other repeaters are in the area. Thanks, Virgil Bierschwale N5IVV Covering the Paradise Triangle www.ParadiseTriangle.com From tower2 at stx.rr.com Sun Sep 14 08:42:52 2014 From: tower2 at stx.rr.com (Harvey N. Vordenbaum) Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 07:42:52 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] radio check from Harper In-Reply-To: <007901cfcfc2$38fc2f10$aaf48d30$@gmail.com> References: <007901cfcfc2$38fc2f10$aaf48d30$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <000301cfd019$66c1a400$3444ec00$@rr.com> I'm glad you've gotten "radio-active" now. You found us, N5HR, which also has Echolink, so you could check in via phone line or even via cell-phone. Try for our Monday night Hill Country FM Net at 7:00 local time. A few others are the Boerne 146.64 T88.5, 145.19 T88.5, Anhalt (towards Bergheim) 145.13 T131.8, Seguin 146.76 T141.3, Pipe Creek 147.28 T156.7, and the 147.14 T179.9 (formerly Canyon Lake) has been reinstalled somewhere south of me. Unfortunately the FBG 146.76 has gone away along with Henley, 146.92. Unfortunately also, there a lot of "paper repeaters" in the listings. I haven't done a survey to see what all I can get lately. Good luck and have fun. K5HV -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Virgil Bierschwale Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2014 9:19 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: [HCARC] radio check from Harper I'm located in the Longhorn Ranch subdivision about 2 miles north of the harper school on a small hill. Bought a ICOM V-80 2 meter hand held from dxengineering yesterday. Was surprised to find out that I can receive the 5HR repeater with no problem Once I get it programmed, I will be sending in my membership to the club. Having a problem with it right now shutting down, but I'm beginning to suspect it is because the battery is not fully charged. I am curious what other repeaters are in the area. Thanks, Virgil Bierschwale N5IVV Covering the Paradise Triangle www.ParadiseTriangle.com ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Thu Sep 18 10:50:27 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 09:50:27 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Ham Radio Message Passing Help From Mexico Message-ID: In the aftermath of hurricane Odile which crushed Cabo San Lucas the following was received as an email from Lee at USARMY MARS. We may want to turn our beams that way for a week or so: Any STX members in contact with hams in Mexico? Can you assist Deanna? - Lee From: PRICE, DEANNA L CTR USAF AFMC AFLCMC/HNCYP Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 11:07 AM To: FULTON, DONALD G CTR USAF AFMC AFLCMC/HNCCI Subject: Question Importance: High Hi Don, Bill Hancock was telling me that you are really great with the HAM Radio capability. I was wondering if you have any communications with people on the ground in Mexico that was devastated by the recent Hurricane? I'm asking because my nephew Jeremy Davis and his new bride Natalie Davis were staying at the Fiesta Americana Grande Hotel in Cabo San Lucas which took a direct hit from the hurricane and the hotel was destroyed. We have not heard from them since Monday morning and are getting concerned due to all the crime that is taking place from the fall out of the hurricane. During the conversation on Monday they indicated that the hotel told them that they would be out of food and water on Tuesday. Not sure if there is a way for you to reach out to anyone in the Mexico area via your radio, we just need to make sure they are safe! I have reached out to the State Department, Red Cross, Mexican Red Cross, and the Protection Civil (local group) and gotten no where. The Mexican Redcross basically said that are more concerned with the locals and those who lost their homes etc... instead of the rich tourist. Any information or group that you could refer me to would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Deanna V/r, Mrs. Deanna Price, Security+ Booz|Allen|Hamilton Cyber & Cryptologic Systems Division (CCSD) Cyber Warfare Systems Branch/IA Section AFMC AFLCMC/HNCYP San Antonio, Texas, USA 210-925-9172 comm, DSN 945 deanna.price.1.ctr at us.af.mil Gary J N5BAA From hcarc at mailman.qth.net Sat Sep 20 13:03:36 2014 From: hcarc at mailman.qth.net (Don Murray via HCARC) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 13:03:36 -0400 Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW Message-ID: <7939f.7034a826.414f0d68@aol.com> _Click here: Special Manufacturer Offers, Rebates, Coupons, and Discounts_ (http://www.hamradio.com/news_announcements.cfm) From k5xa at godfather-ridge.com Sat Sep 20 15:40:50 2014 From: k5xa at godfather-ridge.com (John K5XA) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 14:40:50 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW In-Reply-To: <7939f.7034a826.414f0d68@aol.com> References: <7939f.7034a826.414f0d68@aol.com> Message-ID: <13FC58CD3D1A48DD8E5118EF3FA50C39@JGJNCS2007> Bye-bye Texas Towers! -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Murray via HCARC Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 12:04 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW _Click here: Special Manufacturer Offers, Rebates, Coupons, and Discounts_ (http://www.hamradio.com/news_announcements.cfm) ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From robertson at ctesc.net Sat Sep 20 16:17:56 2014 From: robertson at ctesc.net (Dennis Robertson) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 15:17:56 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW In-Reply-To: <13FC58CD3D1A48DD8E5118EF3FA50C39@JGJNCS2007> References: <7939f.7034a826.414f0d68@aol.com> <13FC58CD3D1A48DD8E5118EF3FA50C39@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: Time will tell. I buy from HRO in San Diego so I don't have to pay the sales tax. Dennis W5FBG Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 20, 2014, at 2:40 PM, "John K5XA" wrote: > > Bye-bye Texas Towers! > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Murray > via HCARC > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 12:04 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW > > _Click here: Special Manufacturer Offers, Rebates, Coupons, and Discounts_ > (http://www.hamradio.com/news_announcements.cfm) > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From sgriffin1 at stx.rr.com Sat Sep 20 17:09:30 2014 From: sgriffin1 at stx.rr.com (=?utf-8?B?c2dyaWZmaW4xQHN0eC5yci5jb20=?=) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 21:09:30 GMT Subject: [HCARC] HRO Message-ID: <000f4242.2d06d17a637c2260@stx.rr.com> I know this it's just a dream but it would be great that a major amateur radio store to come into the Kerrville area. I am sure they do a lot of mail order over the phone and Internet. Steve WD5ENH Happy Connecting. Sent from my Sprint Phone. From tower2 at stx.rr.com Sat Sep 20 17:12:19 2014 From: tower2 at stx.rr.com (Harvey N. Vordenbaum) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 16:12:19 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW In-Reply-To: References: <7939f.7034a826.414f0d68@aol.com> <13FC58CD3D1A48DD8E5118EF3FA50C39@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: <001401cfd517$90b85f80$b2291e80$@rr.com> This will probably make all of their locations Texas taxable.......... Hv -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dennis Robertson Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 3:18 PM To: John K5XA Cc: Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW Time will tell. I buy from HRO in San Diego so I don't have to pay the sales tax. Dennis W5FBG Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 20, 2014, at 2:40 PM, "John K5XA" wrote: > > Bye-bye Texas Towers! > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don > Murray via HCARC > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 12:04 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW > > _Click here: Special Manufacturer Offers, Rebates, Coupons, and > Discounts_ > (http://www.hamradio.com/news_announcements.cfm) > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From hcarc at mailman.qth.net Sat Sep 20 17:14:21 2014 From: hcarc at mailman.qth.net (Don Murray via HCARC) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 17:14:21 -0400 Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW Message-ID: <7dc4d.2d3938d3.414f482d@aol.com> That is correct Harvey... Time to deal with AES or Ham City... Don W4WJ In a message dated 9/20/2014 4:11:54 P.M. Central Daylight Time, tower2 at stx.rr.com writes: This will probably make all of their locations Texas taxable.......... Hv -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dennis Robertson Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 3:18 PM To: John K5XA Cc: Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW Time will tell. I buy from HRO in San Diego so I don't have to pay the sales tax. Dennis W5FBG Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 20, 2014, at 2:40 PM, "John K5XA" wrote: > > Bye-bye Texas Towers! > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don > Murray via HCARC > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 12:04 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW > > _Click here: Special Manufacturer Offers, Rebates, Coupons, and > Discounts_ > (http://www.hamradio.com/news_announcements.cfm) > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Sat Sep 20 19:07:40 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 18:07:40 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW In-Reply-To: <7dc4d.2d3938d3.414f482d@aol.com> References: <7dc4d.2d3938d3.414f482d@aol.com> Message-ID: Yeah, sales tax on even a relatively expensive item such as an amplifier in the $2500.00 range (6.25% or $156.25 -- 6.25% since you won't get charged the local sales tax rate - just the state rate) just about prices them out of the market and surely covers the shipping from AES or Ham City. I assume they understand their own business model. I would not want to be the small guys i.e. Main Trading Company (MTC) over in Paris, TX. They just moved to a larger facility and everything. Could be hard times coming. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Don Murray via HCARC Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 4:14 PM To: tower2 at stx.rr.com ; robertson at ctesc.net ; k5xa at godfather-ridge.com Cc: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW That is correct Harvey... Time to deal with AES or Ham City... Don W4WJ In a message dated 9/20/2014 4:11:54 P.M. Central Daylight Time, tower2 at stx.rr.com writes: This will probably make all of their locations Texas taxable.......... Hv -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dennis Robertson Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 3:18 PM To: John K5XA Cc: Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW Time will tell. I buy from HRO in San Diego so I don't have to pay the sales tax. Dennis W5FBG Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 20, 2014, at 2:40 PM, "John K5XA" wrote: > > Bye-bye Texas Towers! > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don > Murray via HCARC > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 12:04 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW > > _Click here: Special Manufacturer Offers, Rebates, Coupons, and > Discounts_ > (http://www.hamradio.com/news_announcements.cfm) > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8248 - Release Date: 09/20/14 From vbiersch at gmail.com Sat Sep 20 19:12:29 2014 From: vbiersch at gmail.com (Virgil Bierschwale) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 18:12:29 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW In-Reply-To: References: <7dc4d.2d3938d3.414f482d@aol.com> Message-ID: <7A0D8116-7634-4295-BA49-7AB306619F63@gmail.com> I wonder how many of you that gripe about sales tax complain about roads, trash, etc in your community? Virgil N5IVV Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 20, 2014, at 6:07 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > > Yeah, sales tax on even a relatively expensive item such as an amplifier in the $2500.00 range (6.25% or $156.25 -- 6.25% since you won't get charged the local sales tax rate - just the state rate) just about prices them out of the market and surely covers the shipping from AES or Ham City. I assume they understand their own business model. I would not want to be the small guys i.e. Main Trading Company (MTC) over in Paris, TX. They just moved to a larger facility and everything. Could be hard times coming. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- From: Don Murray via HCARC > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 4:14 PM > To: tower2 at stx.rr.com ; robertson at ctesc.net ; k5xa at godfather-ridge.com > Cc: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW > > That is correct Harvey... > > Time to deal with AES or Ham City... > > > Don > W4WJ > > > > In a message dated 9/20/2014 4:11:54 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > tower2 at stx.rr.com writes: > > This will probably make all of their locations Texas taxable.......... > Hv > > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dennis > Robertson > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 3:18 PM > To: John K5XA > Cc: > Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW > > Time will tell. I buy from HRO in San Diego so I don't have to pay the > sales tax. > > Dennis > W5FBG > > Sent from my iPhone > >>> On Sep 20, 2014, at 2:40 PM, "John K5XA" >> wrote: >> >> Bye-bye Texas Towers! >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don >> Murray via HCARC >> Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 12:04 PM >> To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net >> Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW >> >> _Click here: Special Manufacturer Offers, Rebates, Coupons, and >> Discounts_ >> (http://www.hamradio.com/news_announcements.cfm) >> ______________________________________________________________ >> HCARC mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email >> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> HCARC mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email >> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8248 - Release Date: 09/20/14 > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From tower2 at stx.rr.com Sat Sep 20 19:39:16 2014 From: tower2 at stx.rr.com (Harvey N. Vordenbaum) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 18:39:16 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] HRO In-Reply-To: <000f4242.2d06d17a637c2260@stx.rr.com> References: <000f4242.2d06d17a637c2260@stx.rr.com> Message-ID: <001801cfd52c$17e86fe0$47b94fa0$@rr.com> Dream on........... Hv -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of sgriffin1 at stx.rr.com Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 4:10 PM To: Hcarc Subject: [HCARC] HRO I know this it's just a dream but it would be great that a major amateur radio store to come into the Kerrville area. I am sure they do a lot of mail order over the phone and Internet. Steve WD5ENH Happy Connecting. Sent from my Sprint Phone. ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Sat Sep 20 20:14:23 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 19:14:23 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] HRO In-Reply-To: <001801cfd52c$17e86fe0$47b94fa0$@rr.com> References: <000f4242.2d06d17a637c2260@stx.rr.com> <001801cfd52c$17e86fe0$47b94fa0$@rr.com> Message-ID: <43D3768BB8894020A62EA3B26102F1E8@GaryPC> Or even in San Antonio for that matter. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Harvey N. Vordenbaum Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 6:39 PM To: sgriffin1 at stx.rr.com ; 'Hcarc' Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO Dream on........... Hv -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of sgriffin1 at stx.rr.com Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 4:10 PM To: Hcarc Subject: [HCARC] HRO I know this it's just a dream but it would be great that a major amateur radio store to come into the Kerrville area. I am sure they do a lot of mail order over the phone and Internet. Steve WD5ENH Happy Connecting. Sent from my Sprint Phone. ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8248 - Release Date: 09/20/14 From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Mon Sep 22 16:46:39 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 15:46:39 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member Message-ID: <1E1717F28FD544FAA97D54A76FF9B2B6@GaryPC> Well with a certain amount of angst and frustration over conflicting manuals from DX Engineering and the manufacturer of Hustler 5BTV antennas (New-Tronics) we (Tony Moore, Gordon Green, and myself) were with a couple of hours of intensive antenna radial theory and practical instruction by Dale Gaudier, able to get Gordon Greens Hustler 5BTV vertical up and with SWR?s of between 1:1 and about 2.1:1 across the complete bands of 10,12,15,17,20, and 40 meters and tunable SWR?s across much of the voice section of 80 meters. Our first attempts at elevating the antenna (per the manual ? they recommend roof top mounting (fogetabout it)) with tuned elevated radials met with disaster ? SWR?s 8-10:1 across most all bands. Seems that both manuals conflict about tuning the traps on 10/15/20 with DX Engineering saying Yes you have to and New-tronics manual saying ?Don?t touch the traps or you void the warranty?. BTW, we ended up ground mounting the antenna with tuned radials ? four per band, except for 12 and 17 which didn?t need any at all ? I guess they were happy with all the other ones that were close to their length (10/15/20). 12 and 17 meters are added to the antenna by attaching two 1/4 wave wires on standoffs parallel to the antenna. YUP, the traps had to be tuned and so did the radials, but the trusty RigExpert Tuner finally won the day. It?s very nice to be able to scan 5 bands at once so you can see what fussing with 10m did to all those above it, etc for each band going towards 80 meters. Now in the next couple of weeks we have 2 more of the same to erect, but my guess is it will be easier the next two times. Hint: DX Engineerings Tip over mount proved to be invaluable. Mounting the antenna on a roof top per New-Tronics instructions would be next to impossible, unless you are very young and could manage about 30-40 trips up and down the roof on a ladder. For those of us in the high 50?s to mid 60?s in age - FOGETABOUT IT!!! Again a special thanks to Dale Gaudier for his in depth antenna knowledge and his unique ability to simplify it so we could understand what he was telling us. Last hint ? If the antenna just won?t tune at all check it for shorts!! We had one of the very thin wires from one of the 12 or 17 meter wires that was just touching where the feed point the feed point is mounted on the antenna base. SWR was crazy until Gordon just happened to find it. He moved the wire and the antenna cooperated nicely. Gary J N5BAA From bucket at janeandjohn.org Mon Sep 22 16:59:59 2014 From: bucket at janeandjohn.org (John Canfield) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 15:59:59 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member In-Reply-To: <1E1717F28FD544FAA97D54A76FF9B2B6@GaryPC> References: <1E1717F28FD544FAA97D54A76FF9B2B6@GaryPC> Message-ID: <54208DCF.5060807@janeandjohn.org> Maybe the 5BTV is more particular and cantankerous than the 4BTV. Years ago I had a roof-mounted 4BTV with radials and I certainly don't remember any tuning issues with it. Glad you got it going! John WB5THT On 9/22/2014 3:46 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Well with a certain amount of angst and frustration over conflicting manuals from DX Engineering and the manufacturer of Hustler 5BTV antennas (New-Tronics) we (Tony Moore, Gordon Green, and myself) were with a couple of hours of intensive antenna radial theory and practical instruction by Dale Gaudier, able to get Gordon Greens Hustler 5BTV vertical up and with SWR?s of between 1:1 and about 2.1:1 across the complete bands of 10,12,15,17,20, and 40 meters and tunable SWR?s across much of the voice section of 80 meters. Our first attempts at elevating the antenna (per the manual ? they recommend roof top mounting (fogetabout it)) with tuned elevated radials met with disaster ? SWR?s 8-10:1 across most all bands. Seems that both manuals conflict about tuning the traps on 10/15/20 with DX Engineering saying Yes you have to and New-tronics manual saying ?Don?t touch the traps or you void the warranty?. BTW, we ended up ground mounting the antenna with tuned radials ? four per band, except for 12 and 17 which didn?t need any at all ? I guess they were happy with all the other ones that were close to their length (10/15/20). 12 and 17 meters are added to the antenna by attaching two 1/4 wave wires on standoffs parallel to the antenna. From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Mon Sep 22 17:08:32 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:08:32 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Message-ID: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> OPINIONS DESIRED: Assumption: Access to a good crimper for Pl-259?s and N Connectors is available. Fact: The military seems to have stopped soldering in favor of crimping all of their connectors. The Air Force in particular finds crimped connectors more durable in planes do to their better ability to withstand vibration, although it might be that they can train airmen better to crimp than to solder. Fact: Many of us just are not good solderers. I will admit this. Fact: It takes a more powerful soldering gun to generate enough heat to solder a Pl-259 or N connector, especially outdoors in the breeze or winter. Maybe a Fact: If you screw up a crimp, part of the connector might be reusable ? just replace the crimp sleeve. Question: Is it worth transitioning over from PL-259?s to easier to maintain N connectors, or in the case of New Hams, just starting out with N connectors?? Question: Is it worth the club or an individual, owning a crimper for club member use for RG-8 (and like diameter LMR-400, Rg-213, etc), 8X, 58, and N connectors?? One crimper with several different Dies will handle almost all Coax up through LMR-400, with the possibility for getting a die for LMR-600 if anyone was so inclined ? although I can?t see why use LMR-600 unless you were using higher UHF/VHF freqs. OPINIONS PLEASE!!! Gary J N5BAA From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Mon Sep 22 17:16:36 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:16:36 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member In-Reply-To: <54208DCF.5060807@janeandjohn.org> References: <1E1717F28FD544FAA97D54A76FF9B2B6@GaryPC> <54208DCF.5060807@janeandjohn.org> Message-ID: <133F9D1CE3F4439888AF5CB89E2D872F@GaryPC> No John - 5BTV is not more cantankerous - it's a 4BTV with an added 80 meter resonator at the top. What is more "cantankerous" is when New-Tronics used to sell the antennas direct they pre-tuned the antenna pretty well before they shipped it to you. Now that they sell via DX Engineering, they have skipped the tuning at the factory (cost of labor) and they just put it together and send it to DX Engineering. Added to the problem is two conflicting manuals included with the antenna - one from the manufacturer saying "Don't move the traps under penalty of voiding your warranty". You might guess whose instructions we originally followed and it wasn't DX Engineerings!!! Voiding warranty's certainly gets my attention. I did ask DX Engineering why they didn't get with New-Tronics and come up with agreeing manuals and they started giving me the Lawyer excuse. Go Figure in todays world. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John Canfield Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 3:59 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member Maybe the 5BTV is more particular and cantankerous than the 4BTV. Years ago I had a roof-mounted 4BTV with radials and I certainly don't remember any tuning issues with it. Glad you got it going! John WB5THT On 9/22/2014 3:46 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Well with a certain amount of angst and frustration over conflicting > manuals from DX Engineering and the manufacturer of Hustler 5BTV antennas > (New-Tronics) we (Tony Moore, Gordon Green, and myself) were with a couple > of hours of intensive antenna radial theory and practical instruction by > Dale Gaudier, able to get Gordon Greens Hustler 5BTV vertical up and with > SWR?s of between 1:1 and about 2.1:1 across the complete bands of > 10,12,15,17,20, and 40 meters and tunable SWR?s across much of the voice > section of 80 meters. Our first attempts at elevating the antenna (per > the manual ? they recommend roof top mounting (fogetabout it)) with tuned > elevated radials met with disaster ? SWR?s 8-10:1 across most all bands. > Seems that both manuals conflict about tuning the traps on 10/15/20 with > DX Engineering saying Yes you have to and New-tronics manual saying ?Don?t > touch the traps or you void the warranty?. BTW, we ended up ground > mounting the antenna with tuned radials ? four per band, except for 12 and > 17 which didn?t need any at all ? I guess they were happy with all the > other ones that were close to their length (10/15/20). 12 and 17 meters > are added to the antenna by attaching two 1/4 wave wires on standoffs > parallel to the antenna. ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8256 - Release Date: 09/22/14 From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Mon Sep 22 17:19:19 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:19:19 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Spotting Networks Message-ID: <185652F94AA1415EBD49AC843DFDF871@GaryPC> Which spotting networks do people use?? I understand it is like saying which logging program do youuse, but it would be nice to know the variables out there. Gary J N5BAA From kd5wdq at gmail.com Mon Sep 22 17:19:15 2014 From: kd5wdq at gmail.com (kd5wdq .) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:19:15 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> References: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> Message-ID: In general to all questions -- YES. I dont even do UHF's anymore, I CRIMP "N's" and use an adapter to convert over to the UHF's. I'll go as far as changing out the UHF's on an antenna tuner over to "N's". Crimp tool set is about 100 bones that does everything upto LMR-400. LMR-600 is another tool. (I HATE the UHF's - IMO, the worst RF connector ever made!!!) --eddie (AF5SA) On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 4:08 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > OPINIONS DESIRED: > > Assumption: Access to a good crimper for Pl-259?s and N Connectors is > available. > > Fact: The military seems to have stopped soldering in favor of crimping > all of their connectors. The Air Force in particular finds crimped > connectors more durable in planes do to their better ability to withstand > vibration, although it might be that they can train airmen better to crimp > than to solder. > > Fact: Many of us just are not good solderers. I will admit this. > > Fact: It takes a more powerful soldering gun to generate enough heat to > solder a Pl-259 or N connector, especially outdoors in the breeze or winter. > > Maybe a Fact: If you screw up a crimp, part of the connector might be > reusable ? just replace the crimp sleeve. > > Question: Is it worth transitioning over from PL-259?s to easier to > maintain N connectors, or in the case of New Hams, just starting out with N > connectors?? > > Question: Is it worth the club or an individual, owning a crimper for > club member use for RG-8 (and like diameter LMR-400, Rg-213, etc), 8X, 58, > and N connectors?? One crimper with several different Dies will handle > almost all Coax up through LMR-400, with the possibility for getting a die > for LMR-600 if anyone was so inclined ? although I can?t see why use > LMR-600 unless you were using higher UHF/VHF freqs. > > OPINIONS PLEASE!!! > > Gary J > N5BAA > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From bucket at janeandjohn.org Mon Sep 22 17:32:48 2014 From: bucket at janeandjohn.org (John Canfield) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:32:48 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member In-Reply-To: <133F9D1CE3F4439888AF5CB89E2D872F@GaryPC> References: <1E1717F28FD544FAA97D54A76FF9B2B6@GaryPC> <54208DCF.5060807@janeandjohn.org> <133F9D1CE3F4439888AF5CB89E2D872F@GaryPC> Message-ID: <54209580.5030406@janeandjohn.org> Ah, that explains it! A process change for the worse. On 9/22/2014 4:16 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > No John - 5BTV is not more cantankerous - it's a 4BTV with an added 80 > meter resonator at the top. What is more "cantankerous" is when > New-Tronics used to sell the antennas direct they pre-tuned the > antenna pretty well before they shipped it to you. Now that they sell > via DX Engineering, they have skipped the tuning at the factory (cost > of labor) and they just put it together and send it to DX Engineering. From bucket at janeandjohn.org Mon Sep 22 17:43:01 2014 From: bucket at janeandjohn.org (John Canfield) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:43:01 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> References: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> Message-ID: <542097E5.5080905@janeandjohn.org> I helped a friend troubleshoot a poor performing CB radio installation (actually he watched me) and finally I traced the problem to the PL259 connector at the antenna end. It was a crimp connector done by a CB shop and the center connector at the crimp edge flaked off a shard of metal and would intermittently short out to ground. Crimps - not for this guy. John WB5THT On 9/22/2014 4:08 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > OPINIONS DESIRED: > > Assumption: Access to a good crimper for Pl-259?s and N Connectors is available. > > Fact: The military seems to have stopped soldering in favor of crimping all of their connectors. The Air Force in particular finds crimped connectors more durable in planes do to their better ability to withstand vibration, although it might be that they can train airmen better to crimp than to solder. From w5grg at w5grg.net Mon Sep 22 18:18:22 2014 From: w5grg at w5grg.net (GRG) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 17:18:22 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] HCARC Digest, Vol 41, Issue 4 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5420A02E.2010408@w5grg.net> Texas buyers still owe USE TAX on items purchased out of state even if they don't owe sales tax. If HRO moves to DFW all of their sales will be taxable no matter where shipped from. As Virgil points out the sales tax money is what pays to keep the state running maybe you would rather have a state income tax. All sales in Texas are subject to sales tax unless you have a resale certificate on file from a buyer, signed and with their Texas tax number and a list if items covered by the cert. Just having a number is not enough, I learned the hard way, from the comptrollers office. I had to pay $7000 and the state auditor went to my customer and collected another time for the same amount. Hamfest season is coming up I am sure I will have to deal with many hams who think used items should not be taxed, but they are wrong. George Griesbach, W5GRG, AFA6GG \ On 9/22/2014 4:08 PM, hcarc-request at mailman.qth.net wrote: > Send HCARC mailing list submissions to > hcarc at mailman.qth.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > hcarc-request at mailman.qth.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > hcarc-owner at mailman.qth.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of HCARC digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: HRO coming to DFW (Virgil Bierschwale) > 2. Re: HRO (Harvey N. Vordenbaum) > 3. Re: HRO (Gary J - N5BAA) > 4. Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member > (Gary J - N5BAA) > 5. Re: Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club > Member (John Canfield) > 6. Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? (Gary J - N5BAA) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 18:12:29 -0500 > From: Virgil Bierschwale > To: Gary J - N5BAA > Cc: "hcarc at mailman.qth.net" > Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW > Message-ID: <7A0D8116-7634-4295-BA49-7AB306619F63 at gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > I wonder how many of you that gripe about sales tax complain about roads, trash, etc in your community? > > Virgil > N5IVV > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Sep 20, 2014, at 6:07 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: >> >> Yeah, sales tax on even a relatively expensive item such as an amplifier in the $2500.00 range (6.25% or $156.25 -- 6.25% since you won't get charged the local sales tax rate - just the state rate) just about prices them out of the market and surely covers the shipping from AES or Ham City. I assume they understand their own business model. I would not want to be the small guys i.e. Main Trading Company (MTC) over in Paris, TX. They just moved to a larger facility and everything. Could be hard times coming. >> >> Gary J >> N5BAA >> >> -----Original Message----- From: Don Murray via HCARC >> Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 4:14 PM >> To: tower2 at stx.rr.com ; robertson at ctesc.net ; k5xa at godfather-ridge.com >> Cc: hcarc at mailman.qth.net >> Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW >> >> That is correct Harvey... >> >> Time to deal with AES or Ham City... >> >> >> Don >> W4WJ >> >> >> >> In a message dated 9/20/2014 4:11:54 P.M. Central Daylight Time, >> tower2 at stx.rr.com writes: >> >> This will probably make all of their locations Texas taxable.......... >> Hv >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dennis >> Robertson >> Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 3:18 PM >> To: John K5XA >> Cc: >> Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW >> >> Time will tell. I buy from HRO in San Diego so I don't have to pay the >> sales tax. >> >> Dennis >> W5FBG >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>>> On Sep 20, 2014, at 2:40 PM, "John K5XA" >>> wrote: >>> >>> Bye-bye Texas Towers! >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don >>> Murray via HCARC >>> Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 12:04 PM >>> To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net >>> Subject: [HCARC] HRO coming to DFW >>> >>> _Click here: Special Manufacturer Offers, Rebates, Coupons, and >>> Discounts_ >>> (http://www.hamradio.com/news_announcements.cfm) >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> HCARC mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email >>> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> HCARC mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email >>> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> ______________________________________________________________ >> HCARC mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> HCARC mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> HCARC mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> >> >> ----- >> No virus found in this message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8248 - Release Date: 09/20/14 >> ______________________________________________________________ >> HCARC mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 18:39:16 -0500 > From: "Harvey N. Vordenbaum" > To: , "'Hcarc'" > Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO > Message-ID: <001801cfd52c$17e86fe0$47b94fa0$@rr.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Dream on........... > Hv > > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of > sgriffin1 at stx.rr.com > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 4:10 PM > To: Hcarc > Subject: [HCARC] HRO > > I know this it's just a dream but it would be great that a major amateur > radio store to come into the Kerrville area. I am sure they do a lot of mail > order over the phone and Internet. > Steve > WD5ENH > > > Happy Connecting. Sent from my Sprint Phone. > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 19:14:23 -0500 > From: "Gary J - N5BAA" > To: "Harvey N. Vordenbaum" , > , "'Hcarc'" > Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO > Message-ID: <43D3768BB8894020A62EA3B26102F1E8 at GaryPC> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; > reply-type=original > > Or even in San Antonio for that matter. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- > From: Harvey N. Vordenbaum > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 6:39 PM > To: sgriffin1 at stx.rr.com ; 'Hcarc' > Subject: Re: [HCARC] HRO > > Dream on........... > Hv > > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of > sgriffin1 at stx.rr.com > Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 4:10 PM > To: Hcarc > Subject: [HCARC] HRO > > I know this it's just a dream but it would be great that a major amateur > radio store to come into the Kerrville area. I am sure they do a lot of mail > order over the phone and Internet. > Steve > WD5ENH > > > Happy Connecting. Sent from my Sprint Phone. > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8248 - Release Date: 09/20/14 > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 15:46:39 -0500 > From: "Gary J - N5BAA" > To: > Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club > Member > Message-ID: <1E1717F28FD544FAA97D54A76FF9B2B6 at GaryPC> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Well with a certain amount of angst and frustration over conflicting manuals from DX Engineering and the manufacturer of Hustler 5BTV antennas (New-Tronics) we (Tony Moore, Gordon Green, and myself) were with a couple of hours of intensive antenna radial theory and practical instruction by Dale Gaudier, able to get Gordon Greens Hustler 5BTV vertical up and with SWR?s of between 1:1 and about 2.1:1 across the complete bands of 10,12,15,17,20, and 40 meters and tunable SWR?s across much of the voice section of 80 meters. Our first attempts at elevating the antenna (per the manual ? they recommend roof top mounting (fogetabout it)) with tuned elevated radials met with disaster ? SWR?s 8-10:1 across most all bands. Seems that both manuals conflict about tuning the traps on 10/15/20 with DX Engineering saying Yes you have to and New-tronics manual saying ?Don?t touch the traps or you void the warranty?. BTW, we ended up ground mounting the antenna with tuned radials ? four per > band, except for 12 and 17 which didn?t need any at all ? I guess they were happy with all the other ones that were close to their length (10/15/20). 12 and 17 meters are added to the antenna by attaching two 1/4 wave wires on standoffs parallel to the antenna. > > YUP, the traps had to be tuned and so did the radials, but the trusty RigExpert Tuner finally won the day. It?s very nice to be able to scan 5 bands at once so you can see what fussing with 10m did to all those above it, etc for each band going towards 80 meters. > > Now in the next couple of weeks we have 2 more of the same to erect, but my guess is it will be easier the next two times. Hint: DX Engineerings Tip over mount proved to be invaluable. Mounting the antenna on a roof top per New-Tronics instructions would be next to impossible, unless you are very young and could manage about 30-40 trips up and down the roof on a ladder. For those of us in the high 50?s to mid 60?s in age - FOGETABOUT IT!!! > > Again a special thanks to Dale Gaudier for his in depth antenna knowledge and his unique ability to simplify it so we could understand what he was telling us. > > Last hint ? If the antenna just won?t tune at all check it for shorts!! We had one of the very thin wires from one of the 12 or 17 meter wires that was just touching where the feed point the feed point is mounted on the antenna base. SWR was crazy until Gordon just happened to find it. He moved the wire and the antenna cooperated nicely. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 15:59:59 -0500 > From: John Canfield > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To > Club Member > Message-ID: <54208DCF.5060807 at janeandjohn.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed > > Maybe the 5BTV is more particular and cantankerous than the 4BTV. Years > ago I had a roof-mounted 4BTV with radials and I certainly don't > remember any tuning issues with it. Glad you got it going! > > John > WB5THT > > On 9/22/2014 3:46 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: >> Well with a certain amount of angst and frustration over conflicting manuals from DX Engineering and the manufacturer of Hustler 5BTV antennas (New-Tronics) we (Tony Moore, Gordon Green, and myself) were with a couple of hours of intensive antenna radial theory and practical instruction by Dale Gaudier, able to get Gordon Greens Hustler 5BTV vertical up and with SWR?s of between 1:1 and about 2.1:1 across the complete bands of 10,12,15,17,20, and 40 meters and tunable SWR?s across much of the voice section of 80 meters. Our first attempts at elevating the antenna (per the manual ? they recommend roof top mounting (fogetabout it)) with tuned elevated radials met with disaster ? SWR?s 8-10:1 across most all bands. Seems that both manuals conflict about tuning the traps on 10/15/20 with DX Engineering saying Yes you have to and New-tronics manual saying ?Don?t touch the traps or you void the warranty?. BTW, we ended up ground mounting the antenna with tuned radials ? four p > er band, except for 12 and 17 which didn?t need any at all ? I guess they were happy with all the other ones that were close to their length (10/15/20). 12 and 17 meters are added to the antenna by attaching two 1/4 wave wires on standoffs parallel to the antenna. > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:08:32 -0500 > From: "Gary J - N5BAA" > To: > Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > Message-ID: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4 at GaryPC> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > OPINIONS DESIRED: > > Assumption: Access to a good crimper for Pl-259?s and N Connectors is available. > > Fact: The military seems to have stopped soldering in favor of crimping all of their connectors. The Air Force in particular finds crimped connectors more durable in planes do to their better ability to withstand vibration, although it might be that they can train airmen better to crimp than to solder. > > Fact: Many of us just are not good solderers. I will admit this. > > Fact: It takes a more powerful soldering gun to generate enough heat to solder a Pl-259 or N connector, especially outdoors in the breeze or winter. > > Maybe a Fact: If you screw up a crimp, part of the connector might be reusable ? just replace the crimp sleeve. > > Question: Is it worth transitioning over from PL-259?s to easier to maintain N connectors, or in the case of New Hams, just starting out with N connectors?? > > Question: Is it worth the club or an individual, owning a crimper for club member use for RG-8 (and like diameter LMR-400, Rg-213, etc), 8X, 58, and N connectors?? One crimper with several different Dies will handle almost all Coax up through LMR-400, with the possibility for getting a die for LMR-600 if anyone was so inclined ? although I can?t see why use LMR-600 unless you were using higher UHF/VHF freqs. > > OPINIONS PLEASE!!! > > Gary J > N5BAA > > ------------------------------ > > Subject: Digest Footer > > _______________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > HCARC at mailman.qth.net > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > > > ------------------------------ > > End of HCARC Digest, Vol 41, Issue 4 > ************************************ > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8258 - Release Date: 09/22/14 From kerryk5ks at hughes.net Mon Sep 22 18:35:50 2014 From: kerryk5ks at hughes.net (Kerry Sandstrom) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 17:35:50 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Spotting Networks In-Reply-To: <185652F94AA1415EBD49AC843DFDF871@GaryPC> References: <185652F94AA1415EBD49AC843DFDF871@GaryPC> Message-ID: <5420A446.4090102@hughes.net> No, Gary, its not like asking which logging program do you use. I don't use spotting nets at all. Many old-timers still consider the use of spotting nets as unethical and unacceptable. For years the use of spotting nets was considered as multi-op whether it was for a contest or for DXCC. If you can't figure out who the station is and his frequency, you just don't deserve to work him. The result of spotting nets is virtually every semi-rare DX station has a pileup. The top of the DXCC honor roll is packed with numerous stations who have worked all the "countries" in the world. What does the DXCC Honor Roll take? Money for large antennas, big amplifiers, fancy transceivers and access to good spotting nets. Operating skill is no longer a factor. Just my opinion. Kerry On 9/22/2014 4:19 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Which spotting networks do people use?? I understand it is like saying which logging program do youuse, but it would be nice to know the variables out there. > > Gary J > N5BAA > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > From kd5wdq at gmail.com Mon Sep 22 18:42:39 2014 From: kd5wdq at gmail.com (kd5wdq .) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 17:42:39 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <542097E5.5080905@janeandjohn.org> References: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> <542097E5.5080905@janeandjohn.org> Message-ID: John, that's because ALL UHF's ARE JUNK - having a crimp style UHF will not change that fact!! In fact, UHF's are NOT constant impedance and really fall apart at > 300mhz. Best one can do is get a good UHF to N adapter and make all coax connectors out of N's. (although SMA, and TNC's are good as well, i will use those.) I got a "kit" crimp tool set, in a nice carry case. PowerWerx sells one. But any "ratchet" style crimp tool will do, like the one's from Amazon. --eddie (AF5SA) On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 4:43 PM, John Canfield wrote: > I helped a friend troubleshoot a poor performing CB radio installation > (actually he watched me) and finally I traced the problem to the PL259 > connector at the antenna end. It was a crimp connector done by a CB shop > and the center connector at the crimp edge flaked off a shard of metal and > would intermittently short out to ground. Crimps - not for this guy. > > John > WB5THT > > On 9/22/2014 4:08 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > >> OPINIONS DESIRED: >> >> Assumption: Access to a good crimper for Pl-259?s and N Connectors is >> available. >> >> Fact: The military seems to have stopped soldering in favor of crimping >> all of their connectors. The Air Force in particular finds crimped >> connectors more durable in planes do to their better ability to withstand >> vibration, although it might be that they can train airmen better to crimp >> than to solder. >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > From kd5wdq at gmail.com Mon Sep 22 19:00:20 2014 From: kd5wdq at gmail.com (kd5wdq .) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:00:20 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> <542097E5.5080905@janeandjohn.org> Message-ID: Look here: http://www.qsl.net/vk3jeg/pl259tst.html if you really like to know EXACTLY how crappy the UHF's are... there total junk from the 1930's. --eddie (AF5SA) On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 5:42 PM, kd5wdq . wrote: > John, that's because ALL UHF's ARE JUNK - having a crimp style UHF > will not change that fact!! > > In fact, UHF's are NOT constant impedance and really fall apart at > > 300mhz. > > Best one can do is get a good UHF to N adapter and make all coax connectors > out of N's. (although SMA, and TNC's are good as well, i will use those.) > > I got a "kit" crimp tool set, in a nice carry case. PowerWerx sells one. > But any "ratchet" style crimp tool will do, like the one's from Amazon. > > --eddie (AF5SA) > > On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 4:43 PM, John Canfield > wrote: > >> I helped a friend troubleshoot a poor performing CB radio installation >> (actually he watched me) and finally I traced the problem to the PL259 >> connector at the antenna end. It was a crimp connector done by a CB shop >> and the center connector at the crimp edge flaked off a shard of metal and >> would intermittently short out to ground. Crimps - not for this guy. >> >> John >> WB5THT >> >> On 9/22/2014 4:08 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: >> >>> OPINIONS DESIRED: >>> >>> Assumption: Access to a good crimper for Pl-259?s and N Connectors is >>> available. >>> >>> Fact: The military seems to have stopped soldering in favor of crimping >>> all of their connectors. The Air Force in particular finds crimped >>> connectors more durable in planes do to their better ability to withstand >>> vibration, although it might be that they can train airmen better to crimp >>> than to solder. >>> >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> HCARC mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> > > From kerryk5ks at hughes.net Mon Sep 22 19:12:02 2014 From: kerryk5ks at hughes.net (Kerry Sandstrom) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:12:02 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> References: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> Message-ID: <5420ACC2.3040001@hughes.net> Fact 1: I believe the primary factor for the military is the training required. You use a tool to strip the cable and you use a crimp tool to put the connector on. I believe that a single tool can be used for most if not all military connectors and cables. Fact 2: True, and in addition, with the demise of tin-lead solder, it has only become harder to make a good solder connection. Copper-tin solder requires higher temperatures and will not work with old-fashioned tinned wires. Fact 3: I believe it takes a good large soldering iron to properly attach PL-259 connectors. Facdt 4 (Maybe): I don't know how easy it is to find extra crimp sleeves (ferrules, I think they are called). I use a lot of type N connectors. But basically, if it is HF and the equipment I'm using uses UHF connectors, that is what I use. For small connectors, I'm partial to type TNC although I also use some type BNC and also SMA. For HF, type UHF is perfectly adequate. For VHF, type N should be used. I don't have any crimp connectors. I prefer solder connectors because I find them easier to reuse. Reuse is important because some of the connectors are extremely expensive new. Used connections are inexpensive because many of them are seldom seen so not very popular. If you use cable with aluminum foil insulation you don't have much choice, you have to use a crimp connector. Although I've been told the strength of the crimp connector - cable mechanical connection is better than the old solder connectors, my experience has been that crimp connectors are more likely to pull off. By the way, I used to have several military techs working for me in the mid-70's. They were quite adept at replacing solder connectors on our test cables. When we converted to crimp connectors, they were equally adept. Kerry Kerry On 9/22/2014 4:08 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > OPINIONS DESIRED: > > Assumption: Access to a good crimper for Pl-259?s and N Connectors is available. > > Fact: The military seems to have stopped soldering in favor of crimping all of their connectors. The Air Force in particular finds crimped connectors more durable in planes do to their better ability to withstand vibration, although it might be that they can train airmen better to crimp than to solder. > > Fact: Many of us just are not good solderers. I will admit this. > > Fact: It takes a more powerful soldering gun to generate enough heat to solder a Pl-259 or N connector, especially outdoors in the breeze or winter. > > Maybe a Fact: If you screw up a crimp, part of the connector might be reusable ? just replace the crimp sleeve. > > Question: Is it worth transitioning over from PL-259?s to easier to maintain N connectors, or in the case of New Hams, just starting out with N connectors?? > > Question: Is it worth the club or an individual, owning a crimper for club member use for RG-8 (and like diameter LMR-400, Rg-213, etc), 8X, 58, and N connectors?? One crimper with several different Dies will handle almost all Coax up through LMR-400, with the possibility for getting a die for LMR-600 if anyone was so inclined ? although I can?t see why use LMR-600 unless you were using higher UHF/VHF freqs. > > OPINIONS PLEASE!!! > > Gary J > N5BAA > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Mon Sep 22 19:15:54 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:15:54 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Spotting Networks In-Reply-To: <5420A446.4090102@hughes.net> References: <185652F94AA1415EBD49AC843DFDF871@GaryPC> <5420A446.4090102@hughes.net> Message-ID: <9A4F053362614A218EB19B0D895019E3@GaryPC> I'll bet you just love Panadaptors then Kerry. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 5:35 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Spotting Networks No, Gary, its not like asking which logging program do you use. I don't use spotting nets at all. Many old-timers still consider the use of spotting nets as unethical and unacceptable. For years the use of spotting nets was considered as multi-op whether it was for a contest or for DXCC. If you can't figure out who the station is and his frequency, you just don't deserve to work him. The result of spotting nets is virtually every semi-rare DX station has a pileup. The top of the DXCC honor roll is packed with numerous stations who have worked all the "countries" in the world. What does the DXCC Honor Roll take? Money for large antennas, big amplifiers, fancy transceivers and access to good spotting nets. Operating skill is no longer a factor. Just my opinion. Kerry On 9/22/2014 4:19 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Which spotting networks do people use?? I understand it is like saying > which logging program do youuse, but it would be nice to know the > variables out there. > > Gary J > N5BAA > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8256 - Release Date: 09/22/14 From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Mon Sep 22 19:25:28 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:25:28 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member In-Reply-To: <54209580.5030406@janeandjohn.org> References: <1E1717F28FD544FAA97D54A76FF9B2B6@GaryPC> <54208DCF.5060807@janeandjohn.org><133F9D1CE3F4439888AF5CB89E2D872F@GaryPC> <54209580.5030406@janeandjohn.org> Message-ID: <6A4A656D877348C4BE2E66D03155D7DC@GaryPC> John, The process change I am sure is to save $$$ - most are. What would have been nice would have been for them to tell us in advance they have changed the process and at the same time modify their manual(s) to account for the new process. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John Canfield Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 4:32 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member Ah, that explains it! A process change for the worse. On 9/22/2014 4:16 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > No John - 5BTV is not more cantankerous - it's a 4BTV with an added 80 > meter resonator at the top. What is more "cantankerous" is when > New-Tronics used to sell the antennas direct they pre-tuned the antenna > pretty well before they shipped it to you. Now that they sell via DX > Engineering, they have skipped the tuning at the factory (cost of labor) > and they just put it together and send it to DX Engineering. ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8256 - Release Date: 09/22/14 From orion60 at austin.rr.com Mon Sep 22 19:26:41 2014 From: orion60 at austin.rr.com (Derrell K. Spencer) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 23:26:41 +0000 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Message-ID: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03> I taught aviation micro miniature (2M) circuit board repair certification in the Navy back in the late eighties. The miniature course was five weeks long and the micro was three weeks. The miniature curriculum was mostly high reliability soldering along with circuit board repair. The micro repair was very specialized with high power, stereo microscopes. The Navy's avionics have to "take a licking and keep on ticking" as John Cameron Swayze used. Our aircraft get shot off the deck and hit hard when landing. Soldering connectors is more reliable than crimping when done properly. Crimping by definition is deforming. Derrell K. Spencer ATCS(AW) USN, Ret KG5BTT In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Mon Sep 22 19:44:12 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:44:12 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <5420ACC2.3040001@hughes.net> References: <5AC3E32A3D054074B2316B7545BD34B4@GaryPC> <5420ACC2.3040001@hughes.net> Message-ID: <726A13D0048E4EBB9155824AD095914C@GaryPC> Fact 1: Same tool for everything LMR-400 and smaller, just change the crimping die to match the cable and connector being used. Fact 3: I have the biggest most beastly Weller Gun I can find and it goes up to 350 watts. Used one on Ebay costs about $60 with shipping or slightly less by a couple of bucks than a serviceable crimping tool that will do all Coax connectors between RG-58 and LMR-400. Most butane mini-torches are not nearly as expensive, but you had better know what you are doing as there is plenty of heat and in places that is not good. Fact 4: I will check on the availability of extra crimp ferrules(?)/sleeves(?). Question 2: At virtually the same cost, for new Hams starting out, a crimper may be the easiest and best way to go. Of course they will have to endure the stigma of "more elderly hams" not considering them real Ham radio operators because they don't solder or haven't perfected their soldering technique. I won't even touch the comments that are made when an "alternative method" of soldering PL-259's is discussed. As far as crimped connectors pulling loose, most Ham connectors experience only a modicum of actual pulling over their lifetime. It's not like they are subjected to a lifetimes worth of continual motion or vibration such as on an airplane/ship/vehicle, on a daily or per flight basis. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:12 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Fact 1: I believe the primary factor for the military is the training required. You use a tool to strip the cable and you use a crimp tool to put the connector on. I believe that a single tool can be used for most if not all military connectors and cables. Fact 2: True, and in addition, with the demise of tin-lead solder, it has only become harder to make a good solder connection. Copper-tin solder requires higher temperatures and will not work with old-fashioned tinned wires. Fact 3: I believe it takes a good large soldering iron to properly attach PL-259 connectors. Facdt 4 (Maybe): I don't know how easy it is to find extra crimp sleeves (ferrules, I think they are called). I use a lot of type N connectors. But basically, if it is HF and the equipment I'm using uses UHF connectors, that is what I use. For small connectors, I'm partial to type TNC although I also use some type BNC and also SMA. For HF, type UHF is perfectly adequate. For VHF, type N should be used. I don't have any crimp connectors. I prefer solder connectors because I find them easier to reuse. Reuse is important because some of the connectors are extremely expensive new. Used connections are inexpensive because many of them are seldom seen so not very popular. If you use cable with aluminum foil insulation you don't have much choice, you have to use a crimp connector. Although I've been told the strength of the crimp connector - cable mechanical connection is better than the old solder connectors, my experience has been that crimp connectors are more likely to pull off. By the way, I used to have several military techs working for me in the mid-70's. They were quite adept at replacing solder connectors on our test cables. When we converted to crimp connectors, they were equally adept. Kerry Kerry On 9/22/2014 4:08 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > OPINIONS DESIRED: > > Assumption: Access to a good crimper for Pl-259?s and N Connectors is > available. > > Fact: The military seems to have stopped soldering in favor of crimping > all of their connectors. The Air Force in particular finds crimped > connectors more durable in planes do to their better ability to withstand > vibration, although it might be that they can train airmen better to crimp > than to solder. > > Fact: Many of us just are not good solderers. I will admit this. > > Fact: It takes a more powerful soldering gun to generate enough heat to > solder a Pl-259 or N connector, especially outdoors in the breeze or > winter. > > Maybe a Fact: If you screw up a crimp, part of the connector might be > reusable ? just replace the crimp sleeve. > > Question: Is it worth transitioning over from PL-259?s to easier to > maintain N connectors, or in the case of New Hams, just starting out with > N connectors?? > > Question: Is it worth the club or an individual, owning a crimper for > club member use for RG-8 (and like diameter LMR-400, Rg-213, etc), 8X, 58, > and N connectors?? One crimper with several different Dies will handle > almost all Coax up through LMR-400, with the possibility for getting a die > for LMR-600 if anyone was so inclined ? although I can?t see why use > LMR-600 unless you were using higher UHF/VHF freqs. > > OPINIONS PLEASE!!! > > Gary J > N5BAA > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8256 - Release Date: 09/22/14 From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Mon Sep 22 19:50:21 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:50:21 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03> References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03> Message-ID: <976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> Derrell, I too am retired Navy (CDR, SC, USN-ret) and ran a number of Aviation Supply Activities in the 80's and 90's. That however, is (Heaven Forbid) 20-30 years ago and some procedures may have changed. I understand the Air Force has and I can easily check at NAS Corpus with the Supply Response Section (SRS) to see if the Navy has too. I am assuming NAS Corpus has an IMA level maintenance facility for the training aircraft. Might be interesting to find out. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Derrell K. Spencer Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:26 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? I taught aviation micro miniature (2M) circuit board repair certification in the Navy back in the late eighties. The miniature course was five weeks long and the micro was three weeks. The miniature curriculum was mostly high reliability soldering along with circuit board repair. The micro repair was very specialized with high power, stereo microscopes. The Navy's avionics have to "take a licking and keep on ticking" as John Cameron Swayze used. Our aircraft get shot off the deck and hit hard when landing. Soldering connectors is more reliable than crimping when done properly. Crimping by definition is deforming. Derrell K. Spencer ATCS(AW) USN, Ret KG5BTT In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 From vbiersch at gmail.com Mon Sep 22 21:20:12 2014 From: vbiersch at gmail.com (Virgil Bierschwale) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 20:20:12 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03> <976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> Message-ID: <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> Navy radioman here 76 - 82 We soldered everything, and if it was in the weather, we taped it, and copper coated it Never had a bad connection that way -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J - N5BAA Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:50 PM To: Derrell K. Spencer; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Derrell, I too am retired Navy (CDR, SC, USN-ret) and ran a number of Aviation Supply Activities in the 80's and 90's. That however, is (Heaven Forbid) 20-30 years ago and some procedures may have changed. I understand the Air Force has and I can easily check at NAS Corpus with the Supply Response Section (SRS) to see if the Navy has too. I am assuming NAS Corpus has an IMA level maintenance facility for the training aircraft. Might be interesting to find out. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Derrell K. Spencer Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:26 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? I taught aviation micro miniature (2M) circuit board repair certification in the Navy back in the late eighties. The miniature course was five weeks long and the micro was three weeks. The miniature curriculum was mostly high reliability soldering along with circuit board repair. The micro repair was very specialized with high power, stereo microscopes. The Navy's avionics have to "take a licking and keep on ticking" as John Cameron Swayze used. Our aircraft get shot off the deck and hit hard when landing. Soldering connectors is more reliable than crimping when done properly. Crimping by definition is deforming. Derrell K. Spencer ATCS(AW) USN, Ret KG5BTT In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 From tower2 at stx.rr.com Tue Sep 23 08:05:57 2014 From: tower2 at stx.rr.com (Harvey N. Vordenbaum) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 07:05:57 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member In-Reply-To: <133F9D1CE3F4439888AF5CB89E2D872F@GaryPC> References: <1E1717F28FD544FAA97D54A76FF9B2B6@GaryPC> <54208DCF.5060807@janeandjohn.org> <133F9D1CE3F4439888AF5CB89E2D872F@GaryPC> Message-ID: <000701cfd726$bc6a5cd0$353f1670$@rr.com> I had a 5BTV 35 years ago. The only adjustment I recall was for the 80 M whip on top to set the part of 80/75 M I wanted to operate. I started out with it at ground level which worked fairly well although surrounded by trees. Then I thought raising it up would make it better and put it on a mast about 10 ft. high, and with radials for each band. It didn't resonate in any band at all. Then I mounted it on the roof and it was fine. In the next house location I put it at ground level with radials and it was fine also. Of course it was no comparison to the beam and tower I put up later. Prime propagation time there in 1982. Worldwide propagation on 10 M at night sometimes. hv -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J - N5BAA Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 4:17 PM To: john at janeandjohn.org; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member No John - 5BTV is not more cantankerous - it's a 4BTV with an added 80 meter resonator at the top. What is more "cantankerous" is when New-Tronics used to sell the antennas direct they pre-tuned the antenna pretty well before they shipped it to you. Now that they sell via DX Engineering, they have skipped the tuning at the factory (cost of labor) and they just put it together and send it to DX Engineering. Added to the problem is two conflicting manuals included with the antenna - one from the manufacturer saying "Don't move the traps under penalty of voiding your warranty". You might guess whose instructions we originally followed and it wasn't DX Engineerings!!! Voiding warranty's certainly gets my attention. I did ask DX Engineering why they didn't get with New-Tronics and come up with agreeing manuals and they started giving me the Lawyer excuse. Go Figure in todays world. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John Canfield Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 3:59 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Successful Antenna Raising And Special Thanks To Club Member Maybe the 5BTV is more particular and cantankerous than the 4BTV. Years ago I had a roof-mounted 4BTV with radials and I certainly don't remember any tuning issues with it. Glad you got it going! John WB5THT On 9/22/2014 3:46 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Well with a certain amount of angst and frustration over conflicting > manuals from DX Engineering and the manufacturer of Hustler 5BTV > antennas > (New-Tronics) we (Tony Moore, Gordon Green, and myself) were with a > couple of hours of intensive antenna radial theory and practical > instruction by Dale Gaudier, able to get Gordon Greens Hustler 5BTV > vertical up and with SWR?s of between 1:1 and about 2.1:1 across the > complete bands of 10,12,15,17,20, and 40 meters and tunable SWR?s > across much of the voice section of 80 meters. Our first attempts at > elevating the antenna (per the manual ? they recommend roof top > mounting (fogetabout it)) with tuned elevated radials met with disaster ? SWR?s 8-10:1 across most all bands. > Seems that both manuals conflict about tuning the traps on 10/15/20 > with DX Engineering saying Yes you have to and New-tronics manual > saying ?Don?t touch the traps or you void the warranty?. BTW, we > ended up ground mounting the antenna with tuned radials ? four per > band, except for 12 and > 17 which didn?t need any at all ? I guess they were happy with all the > other ones that were close to their length (10/15/20). 12 and 17 > meters are added to the antenna by attaching two 1/4 wave wires on > standoffs parallel to the antenna. ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8256 - Release Date: 09/22/14 ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From k5xa at godfather-ridge.com Tue Sep 23 15:04:53 2014 From: k5xa at godfather-ridge.com (John K5XA) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 14:04:53 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> I solder all my connectors, and use UHF PL-259, but only Amphenol 83-1SP. A long, long time ago when I first got started, I was using cheapie hamfest connectors. It didn't take long to see the error in my ways, especially when it involved connectors on the tower. Do yourself a big favor and spend the extra bucks. K5XA John Guida -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Virgil Bierschwale Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 8:20 PM To: 'Gary J - N5BAA'; 'Derrell K. Spencer'; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Navy radioman here 76 - 82 We soldered everything, and if it was in the weather, we taped it, and copper coated it Never had a bad connection that way -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J - N5BAA Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:50 PM To: Derrell K. Spencer; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Derrell, I too am retired Navy (CDR, SC, USN-ret) and ran a number of Aviation Supply Activities in the 80's and 90's. That however, is (Heaven Forbid) 20-30 years ago and some procedures may have changed. I understand the Air Force has and I can easily check at NAS Corpus with the Supply Response Section (SRS) to see if the Navy has too. I am assuming NAS Corpus has an IMA level maintenance facility for the training aircraft. Might be interesting to find out. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Derrell K. Spencer Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:26 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? I taught aviation micro miniature (2M) circuit board repair certification in the Navy back in the late eighties. The miniature course was five weeks long and the micro was three weeks. The miniature curriculum was mostly high reliability soldering along with circuit board repair. The micro repair was very specialized with high power, stereo microscopes. The Navy's avionics have to "take a licking and keep on ticking" as John Cameron Swayze used. Our aircraft get shot off the deck and hit hard when landing. Soldering connectors is more reliable than crimping when done properly. Crimping by definition is deforming. Derrell K. Spencer ATCS(AW) USN, Ret KG5BTT In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From bucket at janeandjohn.org Tue Sep 23 16:56:34 2014 From: bucket at janeandjohn.org (John Canfield) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 15:56:34 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: <5421DE82.5000706@janeandjohn.org> Roger that. Cheap connectors are no bargain - been through that years ago with Rat Shack stuff. Their PL259s (or whatever) were pure off-shore junk and you would need to sand/file/tin the heck out of them to get solder to stick. I prefer Amphenol connectors but lately I've been using DX Engineering PL259s and have had good luck with them. John WB5THT On 9/23/2014 2:04 PM, John K5XA wrote: > I solder all my connectors, and use UHF PL-259, but only Amphenol 83-1SP. > > A long, long time ago when I first got started, I was using cheapie hamfest > connectors. It didn't take long to see the error in my ways, especially when > it involved connectors on the tower. > > Do yourself a big favor and spend the extra bucks. > > K5XA John Guida > > From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Tue Sep 23 19:59:50 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 18:59:50 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: But John - guys like Kerry and Eddie the Weather guy, and I am sure more will tell you/me that Amphenol or not, PL-259's are a far inferior coupler to an N connector. Not only are they not waterproof, they are 37 ohm vs 50 ohm for the N connector (why put a 32 ohm connector - really a number of them into a 50 ohm coax run that we have worked so hard to ensure stays 50 ohms). Much of what I am trying to get at here is for the new Ham (you know the Techs and new Generals - come on Tony Moore pass that Gen test on Sat,!!!) why shouldn't they start out using N connectors?? They have to invest in something and many will tell you the N connector is a better initial investment. What I am hoping to do here is run a dialog on what is best vs what I/we have always done. I used to have a sign on my desk in the Navy that answered for Junior Officers and even worse Junior Officers with their Chief Petty Officers in tow that said "Just because we have always done something a certain way, doesn't mean we haven't been doing it wrong all along - BE FLEXIBLE, LEARN!!". I am just trying to learn - to be flexible - I am still so new that I have junior enlisted vs Commander Department Head level knowledge. Might also be interesting to see what the Texas Army MARS guys are doing with their equipment. And furthermore, the Reflector has been too darn quiet for far too long - lately it's beginning to be sound like 2 meters or 70 cm in Kerrville. We need some controversy - stir things up a bit - that's my motto!! Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 2:04 PM To: 'Virgil Bierschwale' ; 'Gary J - N5BAA' ; 'Derrell K. Spencer' ; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: RE: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? I solder all my connectors, and use UHF PL-259, but only Amphenol 83-1SP. A long, long time ago when I first got started, I was using cheapie hamfest connectors. It didn't take long to see the error in my ways, especially when it involved connectors on the tower. Do yourself a big favor and spend the extra bucks. K5XA John Guida -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Virgil Bierschwale Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 8:20 PM To: 'Gary J - N5BAA'; 'Derrell K. Spencer'; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Navy radioman here 76 - 82 We soldered everything, and if it was in the weather, we taped it, and copper coated it Never had a bad connection that way -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J - N5BAA Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:50 PM To: Derrell K. Spencer; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Derrell, I too am retired Navy (CDR, SC, USN-ret) and ran a number of Aviation Supply Activities in the 80's and 90's. That however, is (Heaven Forbid) 20-30 years ago and some procedures may have changed. I understand the Air Force has and I can easily check at NAS Corpus with the Supply Response Section (SRS) to see if the Navy has too. I am assuming NAS Corpus has an IMA level maintenance facility for the training aircraft. Might be interesting to find out. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Derrell K. Spencer Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:26 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? I taught aviation micro miniature (2M) circuit board repair certification in the Navy back in the late eighties. The miniature course was five weeks long and the micro was three weeks. The miniature curriculum was mostly high reliability soldering along with circuit board repair. The micro repair was very specialized with high power, stereo microscopes. The Navy's avionics have to "take a licking and keep on ticking" as John Cameron Swayze used. Our aircraft get shot off the deck and hit hard when landing. Soldering connectors is more reliable than crimping when done properly. Crimping by definition is deforming. Derrell K. Spencer ATCS(AW) USN, Ret KG5BTT In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8263 - Release Date: 09/23/14 From vbiersch at gmail.com Tue Sep 23 20:08:57 2014 From: vbiersch at gmail.com (Virgil Bierschwale) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 19:08:57 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03> <976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: Smallest denominator You can run hundred n connectors and you will still need a 259 to connect to radio Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 23, 2014, at 6:59 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > > But John - guys like Kerry and Eddie the Weather guy, and I am sure more will tell you/me that Amphenol or not, PL-259's are a far inferior coupler to an N connector. Not only are they not waterproof, they are 37 ohm vs 50 ohm for the N connector (why put a 32 ohm connector - really a number of them into a 50 ohm coax run that we have worked so hard to ensure stays 50 ohms). Much of what I am trying to get at here is for the new Ham (you know the Techs and new Generals - come on Tony Moore pass that Gen test on Sat,!!!) why shouldn't they start out using N connectors?? They have to invest in something and many will tell you the N connector is a better initial investment. What I am hoping to do here is run a dialog on what is best vs what I/we have always done. I used to have a sign on my desk in the Navy that answered for Junior Officers and even worse Junior Officers with their Chief Petty Officers in tow that said "Just because we have always done something a certain way, doesn't mean we haven't been doing it wrong all along - BE FLEXIBLE, LEARN!!". I am just trying to learn - to be flexible - I am still so new that I have junior enlisted vs Commander Department Head level knowledge. > > Might also be interesting to see what the Texas Army MARS guys are doing with their equipment. > > And furthermore, the Reflector has been too darn quiet for far too long - lately it's beginning to be sound like 2 meters or 70 cm in Kerrville. We need some controversy - stir things up a bit - that's my motto!! > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 2:04 PM > To: 'Virgil Bierschwale' ; 'Gary J - N5BAA' ; 'Derrell K. Spencer' ; hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: RE: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > I solder all my connectors, and use UHF PL-259, but only Amphenol 83-1SP. > > A long, long time ago when I first got started, I was using cheapie hamfest > connectors. It didn't take long to see the error in my ways, especially when > it involved connectors on the tower. > > Do yourself a big favor and spend the extra bucks. > > K5XA John Guida > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Virgil > Bierschwale > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 8:20 PM > To: 'Gary J - N5BAA'; 'Derrell K. Spencer'; hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Navy radioman here 76 - 82 > We soldered everything, and if it was in the weather, we taped it, and > copper coated it > > Never had a bad connection that way > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J - > N5BAA > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:50 PM > To: Derrell K. Spencer; hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Derrell, > > I too am retired Navy (CDR, SC, USN-ret) and ran a number of Aviation Supply > Activities in the 80's and 90's. That however, is (Heaven Forbid) 20-30 > years ago and some procedures may have changed. I understand the Air Force > has and I can easily check at NAS Corpus with the Supply Response Section > (SRS) to see if the Navy has too. I am assuming NAS Corpus has an IMA level > maintenance facility for the training aircraft. Might be interesting to > find out. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- > From: Derrell K. Spencer > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:26 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > I taught aviation micro miniature (2M) circuit board repair certification in > the Navy back in the late eighties. The miniature course was five weeks long > and the micro was three weeks. The miniature curriculum was mostly high > reliability soldering along with circuit board repair. The micro repair was > very specialized with high power, stereo microscopes. The Navy's avionics > have to "take a licking and keep on ticking" as John Cameron Swayze used. > Our aircraft get shot off the deck and hit hard when landing. Soldering > connectors is more reliable than crimping when done properly. Crimping by > definition is deforming. > > > Derrell K. Spencer ATCS(AW) USN, Ret > KG5BTT > In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8263 - Release Date: 09/23/14 From bucket at janeandjohn.org Tue Sep 23 20:11:40 2014 From: bucket at janeandjohn.org (John Canfield) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 19:11:40 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: <54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> For HF use, the PL259 loss is inconsequential unless you are QRP. UHF - yup, use N connectors. John WB5THT On 9/23/2014 6:59 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > But John - guys like Kerry and Eddie the Weather guy, and I am sure > more will tell you/me that Amphenol or not, PL-259's are a far > inferior coupler to an N connector. From kerryk5ks at hughes.net Tue Sep 23 21:32:31 2014 From: kerryk5ks at hughes.net (Kerry Sandstrom) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 20:32:31 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: <54221F2F.6050002@hughes.net> Gary, If you look at my e-mail on the subject, I said I use a lot of type N connectors. I went on to say that if it is for HF and the equipment I'm using uses UHF connectors, then I use UHF connectors. For VHF and up I have replaced the UHF SO-239 sockets with type N sockets. My Collins 32V-3 uses a type N socket for HF so the T/R relay and filter I use with it has type N connectors. R-390/R-390A's use twin-ax connectors and type C connectors. Hammarlund Super Pro SP-600's use a different type of Twin-ax connector. 75A-3's use a terminal strip. For HF at different times companies have used a bunch of unusual connectors at HF. I've replaced the UHF sockets on my VHF/UHF converters with type N or BNC. I've added SO-239 sockets to some of my older receivers. UHF connectors aren't great but they do work. They are a lot better than the RCA phono plugs that Heathkit and others used on a lot of their rigs! Weatherproof is definitely better, however, a lot of coax cable is not good enough. Much of it is not weatherproof. In those cases the connector doesn't matter. By the way, where did the 37 Ohm connector impedance come from? I'm sure the impedance for UHF connectors isn't constant and I'm sure that when used with a reducer for RG-58, RG-59 and the so-called RG-8 mini the impedances are different in every case. At HF and amateur power levels it just doesn't matter. Incidently, there are different N and BNC connectors for 50 and 75 Ohm cables and they are not compatible with each other. Not only that, if you try to mate a 50 Ohm connector to a 75 Ohm connector you will damage the connectors. They have different MIL numbers so even with the better connectors, all are not created equal. I agree with John, K5XA, there are a lot of trashy connectors out there. Hamfests are not the only place they show up. and UHF isn't the only problem. Amphenol makes a series of N connectors for computer interconnects, the old "thick net". They are cheap but not as rugged as RF connectors like 83-ISP. I actually look for old used PL-259's whichn i find are more reliable than a lot of the new ones. I've seen some that are cast vs. machined. I don't know what metal they use but soldering is definitely a challenge. Bottom line, UHF series connectors have their place. They are useful at HF. Be careful which ones you buy. I find Teflon insulation on PL-259's not useful. Kerry On 9/23/2014 6:59 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > But John - guys like Kerry and Eddie the Weather guy, and I am sure > more will tell you/me that Amphenol or not, PL-259's are a far > inferior coupler to an N connector. Not only are they not waterproof, > they are 37 ohm vs 50 ohm for the N connector (why put a 32 ohm > connector - really a number of them into a 50 ohm coax run that we > have worked so hard to ensure stays 50 ohms). Much of what I am trying > to get at here is for the new Ham (you know the Techs and new Generals > - come on Tony Moore pass that Gen test on Sat,!!!) why shouldn't they > start out using N connectors?? They have to invest in something and > many will tell you the N connector is a better initial investment. > What I am hoping to do here is run a dialog on what is best vs what > I/we have always done. I used to have a sign on my desk in the Navy > that answered for Junior Officers and even worse Junior Officers with > their Chief Petty Officers in tow that said "Just because we have > always done something a certain way, doesn't mean we haven't been > doing it wrong all along - BE FLEXIBLE, LEARN!!". I am just trying to > learn - to be flexible - I am still so new that I have junior enlisted > vs Commander Department Head level knowledge. > > Might also be interesting to see what the Texas Army MARS guys are > doing with their equipment. > > And furthermore, the Reflector has been too darn quiet for far too > long - lately it's beginning to be sound like 2 meters or 70 cm in > Kerrville. We need some controversy - stir things up a bit - that's > my motto!! > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 2:04 PM > To: 'Virgil Bierschwale' ; 'Gary J - N5BAA' ; 'Derrell K. Spencer' ; > hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: RE: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > I solder all my connectors, and use UHF PL-259, but only Amphenol 83-1SP. > > A long, long time ago when I first got started, I was using cheapie > hamfest > connectors. It didn't take long to see the error in my ways, > especially when > it involved connectors on the tower. > > Do yourself a big favor and spend the extra bucks. > > K5XA John Guida > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Virgil > Bierschwale > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 8:20 PM > To: 'Gary J - N5BAA'; 'Derrell K. Spencer'; hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Navy radioman here 76 - 82 > We soldered everything, and if it was in the weather, we taped it, and > copper coated it > > Never had a bad connection that way > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J - > N5BAA > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:50 PM > To: Derrell K. Spencer; hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Derrell, > > I too am retired Navy (CDR, SC, USN-ret) and ran a number of Aviation > Supply > Activities in the 80's and 90's. That however, is (Heaven Forbid) 20-30 > years ago and some procedures may have changed. I understand the Air > Force > has and I can easily check at NAS Corpus with the Supply Response Section > (SRS) to see if the Navy has too. I am assuming NAS Corpus has an IMA > level > maintenance facility for the training aircraft. Might be interesting to > find out. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- > From: Derrell K. Spencer > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:26 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > I taught aviation micro miniature (2M) circuit board repair > certification in > the Navy back in the late eighties. The miniature course was five > weeks long > and the micro was three weeks. The miniature curriculum was mostly high > reliability soldering along with circuit board repair. The micro > repair was > very specialized with high power, stereo microscopes. The Navy's > avionics > have to "take a licking and keep on ticking" as John Cameron Swayze used. > Our aircraft get shot off the deck and hit hard when landing. Soldering > connectors is more reliable than crimping when done properly. Crimping by > definition is deforming. > > > Derrell K. Spencer ATCS(AW) USN, Ret > KG5BTT > In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8263 - Release Date: 09/23/14 > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > From kd5wdq at gmail.com Tue Sep 23 21:33:19 2014 From: kd5wdq at gmail.com (kd5wdq .) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 20:33:19 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03> <976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> <54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> Message-ID: ThankYou Gary, Its like putting _lipstick_ on a pig - it's STILL A PIG! Crimp or solder, who cares! IT'S A PIG! UHF to N adapters are cheap, adapt that UHF to something that works. Again, it's the best one can do, given the equipment we have. One also has to ask, how many NEW people have the soldering skills to do a UHF right?? Seriously?? In fact, how many OLD timers have the skills to do a UHF right? Seen lots of experienced hams say they can do it right, and it's not. Had to replace all the UHF's at the NWS for that very reason - experienced hams not able to solder. (speaking of the orig. install of coaxes at the NWS, was not around for that and ended up having to correct all coaxes, and both ends.) --eddie (AF5SA) Did anyone REALLY read that URL I sent? Want proof it's a pig, read the network analysis graphs. (don't take my word.) On Tue, Sep 23, 2014 at 7:11 PM, John Canfield wrote: > For HF use, the PL259 loss is inconsequential unless you are QRP. UHF - > yup, use N connectors. > > John > WB5THT > > On 9/23/2014 6:59 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > >> But John - guys like Kerry and Eddie the Weather guy, and I am sure more >> will tell you/me that Amphenol or not, PL-259's are a far inferior coupler >> to an N connector. >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Tue Sep 23 21:38:54 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 20:38:54 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03> <976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: <20014FA72F8649DEAF7405E6D776A3B1@GaryPC> If you can solder, or if you build your radio as in the Elecraft K3, or if you were to order one of the Flex radios, I am sure they can be specified to come with N connectors - not sure about the others, but I bet many come with either if one cared to specify. But it's not just at the radio, in the case of the tower you have a Pl-259 connected to an SO-239 at the antenna, two at the bottom of the tower going through an Alpha-Delta TT3G50 surge suppressor on the tower ground, through another at the antenna switch input and another at the other side of the switch heading to the shack, then through 2 more at another TT3G50 at the ground outside of the shack and then two at the tuner and then one to the radio. That's a lot of 37 ohm connectors. Does it make a difference?? Some say yes, some say no. To me it falls along the same vein as why put up a tower with a good beam antenna to preserve or capture all those pesky DB's (don't say it Kerry - I know you want too - personal joke between us!!) and then kill a bunch of them by using cheap coax to carry the signal to the shack, only to power up the Amp to try to get a bunch of them back. This has seemingly morphed into N vs PL-259. Question still remains as to whether crimp technology is good enough to coexist more or less equally with soldering (which in my book is supremely dependent on the solderer's skill). Crimp on PL-259's are available, but why would you crimp one of them vs an N??? I wonder how one could design a definitive test?? Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Virgil Bierschwale Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 7:08 PM To: Gary J - N5BAA Cc: John K5XA ; Derrell K. Spencer ; Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Smallest denominator You can run hundred n connectors and you will still need a 259 to connect to radio Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 23, 2014, at 6:59 PM, Gary J - N5BAA > wrote: > > But John - guys like Kerry and Eddie the Weather guy, and I am sure more > will tell you/me that Amphenol or not, PL-259's are a far inferior coupler > to an N connector. Not only are they not waterproof, they are 37 ohm vs > 50 ohm for the N connector (why put a 32 ohm connector - really a number > of them into a 50 ohm coax run that we have worked so hard to ensure stays > 50 ohms). Much of what I am trying to get at here is for the new Ham (you > know the Techs and new Generals - come on Tony Moore pass that Gen test on > Sat,!!!) why shouldn't they start out using N connectors?? They have to > invest in something and many will tell you the N connector is a better > initial investment. What I am hoping to do here is run a dialog on what > is best vs what I/we have always done. I used to have a sign on my desk > in the Navy that answered for Junior Officers and even worse Junior > Officers with their Chief Petty Officers in tow that said "Just because we > have always done something a certain way, doesn't mean we haven't been > doing it wrong all along - BE FLEXIBLE, LEARN!!". I am just trying to > learn - to be flexible - I am still so new that I have junior enlisted vs > Commander Department Head level knowledge. > > Might also be interesting to see what the Texas Army MARS guys are doing > with their equipment. > > And furthermore, the Reflector has been too darn quiet for far too long - > lately it's beginning to be sound like 2 meters or 70 cm in Kerrville. We > need some controversy - stir things up a bit - that's my motto!! > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 2:04 PM > To: 'Virgil Bierschwale' ; 'Gary J - N5BAA' ; 'Derrell K. Spencer' ; > hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: RE: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > I solder all my connectors, and use UHF PL-259, but only Amphenol 83-1SP. > > A long, long time ago when I first got started, I was using cheapie > hamfest > connectors. It didn't take long to see the error in my ways, especially > when > it involved connectors on the tower. > > Do yourself a big favor and spend the extra bucks. > > K5XA John Guida > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Virgil > Bierschwale > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 8:20 PM > To: 'Gary J - N5BAA'; 'Derrell K. Spencer'; hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Navy radioman here 76 - 82 > We soldered everything, and if it was in the weather, we taped it, and > copper coated it > > Never had a bad connection that way > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J - > N5BAA > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:50 PM > To: Derrell K. Spencer; hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Derrell, > > I too am retired Navy (CDR, SC, USN-ret) and ran a number of Aviation > Supply > Activities in the 80's and 90's. That however, is (Heaven Forbid) 20-30 > years ago and some procedures may have changed. I understand the Air > Force > has and I can easily check at NAS Corpus with the Supply Response Section > (SRS) to see if the Navy has too. I am assuming NAS Corpus has an IMA > level > maintenance facility for the training aircraft. Might be interesting to > find out. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- > From: Derrell K. Spencer > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:26 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > I taught aviation micro miniature (2M) circuit board repair certification > in > the Navy back in the late eighties. The miniature course was five weeks > long > and the micro was three weeks. The miniature curriculum was mostly high > reliability soldering along with circuit board repair. The micro repair > was > very specialized with high power, stereo microscopes. The Navy's avionics > have to "take a licking and keep on ticking" as John Cameron Swayze used. > Our aircraft get shot off the deck and hit hard when landing. Soldering > connectors is more reliable than crimping when done properly. Crimping by > definition is deforming. > > > Derrell K. Spencer ATCS(AW) USN, Ret > KG5BTT > In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: 09/22/14 > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8263 - Release Date: 09/23/14 ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8265 - Release Date: 09/23/14 From vbiersch at gmail.com Tue Sep 23 21:43:36 2014 From: vbiersch at gmail.com (Virgil Bierschwale) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 20:43:36 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <20014FA72F8649DEAF7405E6D776A3B1@GaryPC> References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03> <976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> <20014FA72F8649DEAF7405E6D776A3B1@GaryPC> Message-ID: <004f01cfd798$fc547cf0$f4fd76d0$@gmail.com> The definitive test is this. Six years I spent out to sea in conditions that would destroy any connectors. Six years we ran with soldered pl 259's that were taped and copper coated outside. Six years we did PMS tests (Preventative Maintenance Systems) using Bird Wattmeters. Not one failure. The problem is not the connector, although I will concede that those manufactured in china are cheap ???? It's like everything else we do in life. Do it right and you won't regret it. Take a shortcut, and you will regret it. -----Original Message----- From: Gary J - N5BAA [mailto:qltfnish at omniglobal.net] Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 8:39 PM To: Virgil Bierschwale Cc: John K5XA; Derrell K. Spencer; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? If you can solder, or if you build your radio as in the Elecraft K3, or if you were to order one of the Flex radios, I am sure they can be specified to come with N connectors - not sure about the others, but I bet many come with either if one cared to specify. But it's not just at the radio, in the case of the tower you have a Pl-259 connected to an SO-239 at the antenna, two at the bottom of the tower going through an Alpha-Delta TT3G50 surge suppressor on the tower ground, through another at the antenna switch input and another at the other side of the switch heading to the shack, then through 2 more at another TT3G50 at the ground outside of the shack and then two at the tuner and then one to the radio. That's a lot of 37 ohm connectors. Does it make a difference?? Some say yes, some say no. To me it falls along the same vein as why put up a tower with a good beam antenna to preserve or capture all those pesky DB's (don't say it Kerry - I know you want too - personal joke between us!!) and then kill a bunch of them by using cheap coax to carry the signal to the shack, only to power up the Amp to try to get a bunch of them back. This has seemingly morphed into N vs PL-259. Question still remains as to whether crimp technology is good enough to coexist more or less equally with soldering (which in my book is supremely dependent on the solderer's skill). Crimp on PL-259's are available, but why would you crimp one of them vs an N??? I wonder how one could design a definitive test?? Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Virgil Bierschwale Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 7:08 PM To: Gary J - N5BAA Cc: John K5XA ; Derrell K. Spencer ; Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Smallest denominator You can run hundred n connectors and you will still need a 259 to connect to radio Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 23, 2014, at 6:59 PM, Gary J - N5BAA > wrote: > > But John - guys like Kerry and Eddie the Weather guy, and I am sure > more will tell you/me that Amphenol or not, PL-259's are a far > inferior coupler to an N connector. Not only are they not waterproof, > they are 37 ohm vs > 50 ohm for the N connector (why put a 32 ohm connector - really a > number of them into a 50 ohm coax run that we have worked so hard to > ensure stays > 50 ohms). Much of what I am trying to get at here is for the new Ham > (you know the Techs and new Generals - come on Tony Moore pass that > Gen test on > Sat,!!!) why shouldn't they start out using N connectors?? They have > to invest in something and many will tell you the N connector is a > better initial investment. What I am hoping to do here is run a > dialog on what is best vs what I/we have always done. I used to have > a sign on my desk in the Navy that answered for Junior Officers and > even worse Junior Officers with their Chief Petty Officers in tow that > said "Just because we have always done something a certain way, > doesn't mean we haven't been doing it wrong all along - BE FLEXIBLE, > LEARN!!". I am just trying to learn - to be flexible - I am still so > new that I have junior enlisted vs Commander Department Head level knowledge. > > Might also be interesting to see what the Texas Army MARS guys are > doing with their equipment. > > And furthermore, the Reflector has been too darn quiet for far too > long - lately it's beginning to be sound like 2 meters or 70 cm in > Kerrville. We need some controversy - stir things up a bit - that's my motto!! > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 2:04 PM > To: 'Virgil Bierschwale' ; 'Gary J - N5BAA' ; 'Derrell K. Spencer' ; > hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: RE: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > I solder all my connectors, and use UHF PL-259, but only Amphenol 83-1SP. > > A long, long time ago when I first got started, I was using cheapie > hamfest connectors. It didn't take long to see the error in my ways, > especially when it involved connectors on the tower. > > Do yourself a big favor and spend the extra bucks. > > K5XA John Guida > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Virgil > Bierschwale > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 8:20 PM > To: 'Gary J - N5BAA'; 'Derrell K. Spencer'; hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Navy radioman here 76 - 82 > We soldered everything, and if it was in the weather, we taped it, and > copper coated it > > Never had a bad connection that way > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J > - N5BAA > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:50 PM > To: Derrell K. Spencer; hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Derrell, > > I too am retired Navy (CDR, SC, USN-ret) and ran a number of Aviation > Supply Activities in the 80's and 90's. That however, is (Heaven > Forbid) 20-30 years ago and some procedures may have changed. I > understand the Air Force has and I can easily check at NAS Corpus with > the Supply Response Section > (SRS) to see if the Navy has too. I am assuming NAS Corpus has an IMA > level maintenance facility for the training aircraft. Might be > interesting to find out. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- > From: Derrell K. Spencer > Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 6:26 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > I taught aviation micro miniature (2M) circuit board repair > certification in the Navy back in the late eighties. The miniature > course was five weeks long and the micro was three weeks. The > miniature curriculum was mostly high reliability soldering along with > circuit board repair. The micro repair was very specialized with high > power, stereo microscopes. The Navy's avionics have to "take a > licking and keep on ticking" as John Cameron Swayze used. > Our aircraft get shot off the deck and hit hard when landing. > Soldering connectors is more reliable than crimping when done > properly. Crimping by definition is deforming. > > > Derrell K. Spencer ATCS(AW) USN, Ret > KG5BTT > In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: > 09/22/14 > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8259 - Release Date: > 09/22/14 > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8263 - Release Date: > 09/23/14 ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8265 - Release Date: 09/23/14 ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8265 - Release Date: 09/23/14 From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Tue Sep 23 21:53:55 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 20:53:55 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> Message-ID: Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't mastered yet. Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: kd5wdq . Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 8:33 PM To: john at janeandjohn.org Cc: Reflector Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? ThankYou Gary, Its like putting _lipstick_ on a pig - it's STILL A PIG! Crimp or solder, who cares! IT'S A PIG! UHF to N adapters are cheap, adapt that UHF to something that works. Again, it's the best one can do, given the equipment we have. One also has to ask, how many NEW people have the soldering skills to do a UHF right?? Seriously?? In fact, how many OLD timers have the skills to do a UHF right? Seen lots of experienced hams say they can do it right, and it's not. Had to replace all the UHF's at the NWS for that very reason - experienced hams not able to solder. (speaking of the orig. install of coaxes at the NWS, was not around for that and ended up having to correct all coaxes, and both ends.) --eddie (AF5SA) Did anyone REALLY read that URL I sent? Want proof it's a pig, read the network analysis graphs. (don't take my word.) On Tue, Sep 23, 2014 at 7:11 PM, John Canfield wrote: > For HF use, the PL259 loss is inconsequential unless you are QRP. UHF - > yup, use N connectors. > > John > WB5THT > > On 9/23/2014 6:59 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > >> But John - guys like Kerry and Eddie the Weather guy, and I am sure more >> will tell you/me that Amphenol or not, PL-259's are a far inferior >> coupler >> to an N connector. >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8265 - Release Date: 09/23/14 From dale.gaudier at windstream.net Tue Sep 23 23:03:52 2014 From: dale.gaudier at windstream.net (Dale Gaudier) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 22:03:52 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> Message-ID: <012801cfd7a4$2c4e4890$84ead9b0$@gaudier@windstream.net> All: If you're interested email me and I'll send you a link to a study that compares the characteristics of UHF, N, TNC, BNC and SMA connectors at frequencies above 50 MHz. Bottom line: UHF connectors are not a good choice at UHF frequencies (+300 MHz). For HF, UHF connectors are fine - less than 0.1 dB insertion loss per connector. Note that when you read that UHF connectors have a "non-constant impedance", what is meant is that the impedance varies with frequency. So a UHF connector might have an impedance of 55 ohms at 3 MHz, 50 ohms at 15 MHz, 45 ohms at 30 MHz, and 35 ohms at 100 MHz. Again, not a big deal at HF frequencies. My 2 cents on the crimped vs. soldered issue: except for connections subject to high or constant vibration, I think either would be fine mechanically, assuming proper installation. Most home ham installations will never be subject to the types of vibrations you might encounter on a naval vessel or aircraft. I would use the fastening technique you are most comfortable with. That being said, all mine are soldered, but I do have good heat sources (big Weller soldering gun and a butane soldering iron) and lots of practice. If I had it to do over again, I might be persuaded to go the crimping route just for its ease and quickness. One last opinion: I second others who say to use Amphenol connectors. Much easier to solder than the no-name plated junk. 73, Dale - K4DG -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J - N5BAA Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 8:54 PM To: kd5wdq .; john at janeandjohn.org Cc: Reflector Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't mastered yet. Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: kd5wdq . Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 8:33 PM To: john at janeandjohn.org Cc: Reflector Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? ThankYou Gary, Its like putting _lipstick_ on a pig - it's STILL A PIG! Crimp or solder, who cares! IT'S A PIG! UHF to N adapters are cheap, adapt that UHF to something that works. Again, it's the best one can do, given the equipment we have. One also has to ask, how many NEW people have the soldering skills to do a UHF right?? Seriously?? In fact, how many OLD timers have the skills to do a UHF right? Seen lots of experienced hams say they can do it right, and it's not. Had to replace all the UHF's at the NWS for that very reason - experienced hams not able to solder. (speaking of the orig. install of coaxes at the NWS, was not around for that and ended up having to correct all coaxes, and both ends.) --eddie (AF5SA) Did anyone REALLY read that URL I sent? Want proof it's a pig, read the network analysis graphs. (don't take my word.) On Tue, Sep 23, 2014 at 7:11 PM, John Canfield wrote: > For HF use, the PL259 loss is inconsequential unless you are QRP. UHF > - yup, use N connectors. > > John > WB5THT > > On 9/23/2014 6:59 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > >> But John - guys like Kerry and Eddie the Weather guy, and I am sure >> more will tell you/me that Amphenol or not, PL-259's are a far >> inferior coupler to an N connector. >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8265 - Release Date: 09/23/14 ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From kerryk5ks at hughes.net Tue Sep 23 23:15:33 2014 From: kerryk5ks at hughes.net (Kerry Sandstrom) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 22:15:33 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> Message-ID: <54223755.5080700@hughes.net> Gary, N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if you try it. A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant impedance through out the connector. Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for radar applications. Have fun, Kerry On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the > NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, > already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of > PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as > many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant > expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am > one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't > mastered yet. > > Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear > banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N > connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to > the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge > suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -- From k5xa at godfather-ridge.com Wed Sep 24 02:42:39 2014 From: k5xa at godfather-ridge.com (John K5XA) Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 01:42:39 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <54223755.5080700@hughes.net> References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> <54223755.5080700@hughes.net> Message-ID: Just one more thing from me regarding PL-259 vs "N". Since getting my ticket in 1986 and gravitating towards HF contesting, I have had the opportunity to learn from some terrific contest operators, and also to visit and/or operate at some very "big gun" stations. I'm talking about consistent top ten stations like at K1TO, K3LR, K5RZ, K5RX, K5TR, K5RC, etc, etc, etc. There may have been, but I cannot honestly remember any of them using "N" connectors. K5XA -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Gary, N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if you try it. A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant impedance through out the connector. Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for radar applications. Have fun, Kerry On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the > NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, > already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of > PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as > many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant > expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am > one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't > mastered yet. > > Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear > banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N > connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to > the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge > suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -- ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From kd5wdq at gmail.com Wed Sep 24 09:04:20 2014 From: kd5wdq at gmail.com (kd5wdq .) Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 08:04:20 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03> <976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC> <001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com> <5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007> <54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> <54223755.5080700@hughes.net> Message-ID: OK, I give! After this I will no longer comment on this. Apparently any excuse not to look at the data from a network analyzer counts for NOTHING! Or some people refuse to believe the results, whatever. That or either some people still think that sense my father, grandfather use it, it MUST be good. Or maybe they cannot understand the data, just not sure. How many people on this thread REALLY looked at that URL (above, 2 days ago)? And then understood the data? If you did, you'd know that there are better, much better RF connectors. And the UHF sucks. How many here know what "Constant Impedance" really-really means? I GIVE UP - seriously. This has showed me some are set in there beliefs and cannot be changed even with hard data is given to them. Remember, what ever is written back, i'll NOT READ, any replies to this thread is getting dumped in the circular file before read. af5sa On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 1:42 AM, John K5XA wrote: > Just one more thing from me regarding PL-259 vs "N". > > Since getting my ticket in 1986 and gravitating towards HF contesting, I > have had the opportunity to learn from some terrific contest operators, and > also to visit and/or operate at some very "big gun" stations. I'm talking > about consistent top ten stations like at K1TO, K3LR, K5RZ, K5RX, K5TR, > K5RC, etc, etc, etc. > > There may have been, but I cannot honestly remember any of them using "N" > connectors. > > K5XA > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry > Sandstrom > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Gary, > > N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 > Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm > impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case > the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also > get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U > again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a > mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable > and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance > will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if > you try it. > > A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 > Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is > a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation > exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors > around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. > > While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, > UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The > impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters > and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should > note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at > different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a > constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or > whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant > impedance through out the connector. > > Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors > are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A > KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't > use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. > > Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm > alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam > dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. > > By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, > BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant > impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for > radar applications. > > Have fun, > > Kerry > > > On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > > Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the > > NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, > > already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of > > PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as > > many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant > > expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am > > one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't > > mastered yet. > > > > Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear > > banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N > > connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to > > the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge > > suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. > > > > Gary J > > N5BAA > > > > -- > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Wed Sep 24 10:19:52 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 09:19:52 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> <54223755.5080700@hughes.net> Message-ID: John K5XA, Since know K3LR (Tim Duffy, who learned the technique from his long time Elmer Bill Maxon, N4AR) would you be shocked at his method of soldering PL-259's?? I ask because Terry Hipskind did a training program on his method and was roundly discouraged from using it by most "Experienced Hams" in the club. The QST link to the method is in the November 2012 QST. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 1:42 AM To: 'Kerry Sandstrom' ; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Just one more thing from me regarding PL-259 vs "N". Since getting my ticket in 1986 and gravitating towards HF contesting, I have had the opportunity to learn from some terrific contest operators, and also to visit and/or operate at some very "big gun" stations. I'm talking about consistent top ten stations like at K1TO, K3LR, K5RZ, K5RX, K5TR, K5RC, etc, etc, etc. There may have been, but I cannot honestly remember any of them using "N" connectors. K5XA -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Gary, N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if you try it. A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant impedance through out the connector. Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for radar applications. Have fun, Kerry On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the > NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, > already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of > PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as > many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant > expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am > one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't > mastered yet. > > Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear > banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N > connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to > the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge > suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -- ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8265 - Release Date: 09/23/14 From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Wed Sep 24 13:06:52 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 12:06:52 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <000f4242.2b3a33c047cf6263@stx.rr.com> References: <000f4242.2b3a33c047cf6263@stx.rr.com> Message-ID: <5E14A7B3D8644EDB95D0B0EF250B49C3@GaryPC> Why would anything you say make people mad Steve?? Making people Mad or at least Think, is seemingly my job since hardly anyone posts here on the Reflector until I stir the pot. Again ? I started looking at this subject of crimp vs solder and N vs Pl-259 from the standpoint of the NEW ham licensee who doesn?t have an axe to grind, nor a box full of parts he can?t bear to not use. The new(er) Ham has to go and purchase or in the case of things like soldering guns and antenna analyzers possibly borrow, all of the things he needs to put his station together. And as newbies find out the list seems endless and the $$$ investment can be daunting. Half dozen new PL-259?s ($25-30), Coax (50-100 feet ? $50-150+), radio, power supply, tuner, soldering gun $60, solder and flux, and special tape to waterproof connectors, grounding straps, Surge suppressor for ground, antenna (even a dipole he makes ? $25-30 bucks), balun. To someone new there is always another $10 to spend. If he screws up soldering a PL-259 it?s another $5.00 or more including shipping. Would just like to be able to help them do it right the first time and get them on the air for the least possible amount with the least heartache/headache getting there. Gary J N5BAA From: sgriffin1 at stx.rr.com Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 11:03 AM To: qltfnish at omniglobal.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? I may make some people mad at me,but I have been reading the topics of crimped and soldering connectors. For me I keep my station very very simple,I have use the connectors p l 259 throughout my years of being a ham operator and I feel they have not given me any problems. And everytime I put a PL 259 connector on the coax I always solder them and yet I still have not had any problems. Sometimes I feel like we over engineer on a lot of things and this is one of the subjects here. basically I have just a very simple antenna which is a dipole. And the coax as PL 259 on each end. For me as long as I can transmit and receive that's all I'm worried about. personally I just don't want to lose any sleep on what type of connector I need to use for my antenna and radio I just want to get on the air and enjoy, isn't thats what its all about? Steve WD5ENH Happy Connecting. Sent from my Sprint Phone. ------ Original message------ From: Gary J - N5BAA Date: Wed, Sep 24, 2014 9:20 AM To: John K5XA;'Kerry Sandstrom';hcarc at mailman.qth.net; Subject:Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? John K5XA, Since know K3LR (Tim Duffy, who learned the technique from his long time Elmer Bill Maxon, N4AR) would you be shocked at his method of soldering PL-259's?? I ask because Terry Hipskind did a training program on his method and was roundly discouraged from using it by most "Experienced Hams" in the club. The QST link to the method is in the November 2012 QST. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 1:42 AM To: 'Kerry Sandstrom' ; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Just one more thing from me regarding PL-259 vs "N". Since getting my ticket in 1986 and gravitating towards HF contesting, I have had the opportunity to learn from some terrific contest operators, and also to visit and/or operate at some very "big gun" stations. I'm talking about consistent top ten stations like at K1TO, K3LR, K5RZ, K5RX, K5TR, K5RC, etc, etc, etc. There may have been, but I cannot honestly remember any of them using "N" connectors. K5XA -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Gary, N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if you try it. A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant impedance through out the connector. Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for radar applications. Have fun, Kerry On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the > NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, > already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of > PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as > many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant > expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am > one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't > mastered yet. > > Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear > banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N > connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to > the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge > suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -- ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8265 - Release Date: 09/23/14 ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8267 - Release Date: 09/24/14 From bucket at janeandjohn.org Wed Sep 24 13:46:03 2014 From: bucket at janeandjohn.org (John Canfield) Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 12:46:03 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <5E14A7B3D8644EDB95D0B0EF250B49C3@GaryPC> References: <000f4242.2b3a33c047cf6263@stx.rr.com> <5E14A7B3D8644EDB95D0B0EF250B49C3@GaryPC> Message-ID: <5423035B.1080500@janeandjohn.org> There are advantages and disadvantages of each method, here's a great discussion of the topic: http://www.rfcoaxconnectors.com/Technical_CrimpvsSolder.htm My takeaway from the article - each method works and works well if correctly done. The situation I ran into when troubleshooting an antenna issue for a friend, the center conductor of a PL259 at the antenna end wasn't properly crimped - maybe the tool wasn't working correctly and/or the die in the crimp tool was too small and/or center conductor was too large in diameter which caused a sliver of metal to flake off and intermittently short our the connector. I have a high degree of comfort soldering PL259s (and appropriate equipment), I've done hundreds over the last 40+ years and would not switch to crimp. For a newbie with no/poor soldering skills, crimp away :) John WB5THT On 9/24/2014 12:06 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Why would anything you say make people mad Steve?? Making people Mad or at least Think, is seemingly my job since hardly anyone posts here on the Reflector until I stir the pot. > > Again ? I started looking at this subject of crimp vs solder and N vs Pl-259 from the standpoint of the NEW ham licensee who doesn?t have an axe to grind, nor a box full of parts he can?t bear to not use. From k5xa at godfather-ridge.com Wed Sep 24 14:32:23 2014 From: k5xa at godfather-ridge.com (John K5XA) Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 13:32:23 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org><54223755.5080700@hughes.net> Message-ID: <0D0C29B7A2BE4D629371B99300B418B7@JGJNCS2007> In hopes that you'll waiver, and read this anyway, excuse the shit outta me! But how about - it works for me! K5XA _____ From: kd5wdq . [mailto:kd5wdq at gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 8:04 AM To: John K5XA Cc: Kerry Sandstrom; Reflector Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? OK, I give! After this I will no longer comment on this. Apparently any excuse not to look at the data from a network analyzer counts for NOTHING! Or some people refuse to believe the results, whatever. That or either some people still think that sense my father, grandfather use it, it MUST be good. Or maybe they cannot understand the data, just not sure. How many people on this thread REALLY looked at that URL (above, 2 days ago)? And then understood the data? If you did, you'd know that there are better, much better RF connectors. And the UHF sucks. How many here know what "Constant Impedance" really-really means? I GIVE UP - seriously. This has showed me some are set in there beliefs and cannot be changed even with hard data is given to them. Remember, what ever is written back, i'll NOT READ, any replies to this thread is getting dumped in the circular file before read. af5sa On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 1:42 AM, John K5XA wrote: Just one more thing from me regarding PL-259 vs "N". Since getting my ticket in 1986 and gravitating towards HF contesting, I have had the opportunity to learn from some terrific contest operators, and also to visit and/or operate at some very "big gun" stations. I'm talking about consistent top ten stations like at K1TO, K3LR, K5RZ, K5RX, K5TR, K5RC, etc, etc, etc. There may have been, but I cannot honestly remember any of them using "N" connectors. K5XA -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Gary, N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if you try it. A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant impedance through out the connector. Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for radar applications. Have fun, Kerry On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the > NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, > already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of > PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as > many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant > expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am > one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't > mastered yet. > > Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear > banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N > connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to > the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge > suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -- ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From k5xa at godfather-ridge.com Wed Sep 24 14:45:58 2014 From: k5xa at godfather-ridge.com (John K5XA) Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 13:45:58 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> <54223755.5080700@hughes.net> Message-ID: I'm very aware of Tim's method for soldering PL-259s. I sat at the airport in Dayton with him a few years ago at the end of a Hamvention, and we discussed it. It works for him, and he has his own reasons for sticking to his method - basically the integrity of the solder connection of the braid. His contest results over the long term cannot be denied. To answer your question, as long as it keeps working satisfactorily for me, I prefer the traditional soldering method (done correctly.) If I ever thought it did not work satisfactorily, I probably would try Tim's method. K5XA -----Original Message----- From: Gary J - N5BAA [mailto:qltfnish at omniglobal.net] Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 9:20 AM To: John K5XA; 'Kerry Sandstrom'; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? John K5XA, Since know K3LR (Tim Duffy, who learned the technique from his long time Elmer Bill Maxon, N4AR) would you be shocked at his method of soldering PL-259's?? I ask because Terry Hipskind did a training program on his method and was roundly discouraged from using it by most "Experienced Hams" in the club. The QST link to the method is in the November 2012 QST. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 1:42 AM To: 'Kerry Sandstrom' ; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Just one more thing from me regarding PL-259 vs "N". Since getting my ticket in 1986 and gravitating towards HF contesting, I have had the opportunity to learn from some terrific contest operators, and also to visit and/or operate at some very "big gun" stations. I'm talking about consistent top ten stations like at K1TO, K3LR, K5RZ, K5RX, K5TR, K5RC, etc, etc, etc. There may have been, but I cannot honestly remember any of them using "N" connectors. K5XA -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Gary, N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if you try it. A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant impedance through out the connector. Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for radar applications. Have fun, Kerry On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the > NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, > already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of > PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as > many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant > expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am > one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't > mastered yet. > > Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear > banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N > connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to > the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge > suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -- ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8265 - Release Date: 09/23/14 From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Wed Sep 24 16:46:33 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 15:46:33 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org> <54223755.5080700@hughes.net> Message-ID: <662E78F71AE246118DACD42013B705EC@GaryPC> Now, haven't we all learned a lot over the last few days?? Why am I the only one starting conversations on here - if it is that you are afraid people will think you don't know something then just email your question directly to me and I will be happy to be the one to post it to the Reflector. If you haven't guessed by now - I could care less what people think of my questions - I'm going to ask them anyway. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 1:45 PM To: 'Gary J - N5BAA' ; 'Kerry Sandstrom' ; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: RE: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? I'm very aware of Tim's method for soldering PL-259s. I sat at the airport in Dayton with him a few years ago at the end of a Hamvention, and we discussed it. It works for him, and he has his own reasons for sticking to his method - basically the integrity of the solder connection of the braid. His contest results over the long term cannot be denied. To answer your question, as long as it keeps working satisfactorily for me, I prefer the traditional soldering method (done correctly.) If I ever thought it did not work satisfactorily, I probably would try Tim's method. K5XA -----Original Message----- From: Gary J - N5BAA [mailto:qltfnish at omniglobal.net] Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 9:20 AM To: John K5XA; 'Kerry Sandstrom'; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? John K5XA, Since know K3LR (Tim Duffy, who learned the technique from his long time Elmer Bill Maxon, N4AR) would you be shocked at his method of soldering PL-259's?? I ask because Terry Hipskind did a training program on his method and was roundly discouraged from using it by most "Experienced Hams" in the club. The QST link to the method is in the November 2012 QST. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 1:42 AM To: 'Kerry Sandstrom' ; hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Just one more thing from me regarding PL-259 vs "N". Since getting my ticket in 1986 and gravitating towards HF contesting, I have had the opportunity to learn from some terrific contest operators, and also to visit and/or operate at some very "big gun" stations. I'm talking about consistent top ten stations like at K1TO, K3LR, K5RZ, K5RX, K5TR, K5RC, etc, etc, etc. There may have been, but I cannot honestly remember any of them using "N" connectors. K5XA -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Gary, N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if you try it. A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant impedance through out the connector. Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for radar applications. Have fun, Kerry On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the > NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, > already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of > PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as > many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant > expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am > one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't > mastered yet. > > Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear > banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N > connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to > the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge > suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -- ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8265 - Release Date: 09/23/14 ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8267 - Release Date: 09/24/14 From hcarc at mailman.qth.net Thu Sep 25 10:01:40 2014 From: hcarc at mailman.qth.net (Don Murray via HCARC) Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 10:01:40 -0400 Subject: [HCARC] Your c/s on your FB page Message-ID: <37f31.41a78a7c.41557a44@aol.com> Yes it does work!! Check my home page!! 73 Don W4WJ HAM HAPPENINGS: FACEBOOK SAYS OK TO HAM CALLS AS ALTERNATE NAME Officially licensed amateur radio operators may now use their call sign as their alternate name, or nickname, on their individual Facebook profiles. This thanks to Richard Bobbitt, NW7OR, who recently organized a petition drive on the social media site in the hope of achieving this goal. It turned out that Jeff Ferland, KB1PNB, who works at the Facebook Headquarters in Menlo Park, California found the petition on an amateur radio Facebook Group to which he belongs. After doing a bit of research Ferland wrote the necessary code, then got it reviewed and approved. To add your call Bobitt says to go to go to ?Settings?, then click on ?Edit Your Name.? In the middle of the page you will see the words ?Alternate Name.? That?s where you can add your callsign. Bobbitt says that the petition was originally the idea of Richard Allcorn, KW7PTL, without whom, this may not have happened so easily and quickly. Over 1000 hams on Facebook signed the petition within the first week or so after it was posted on the various Facebook ham radio pages. (NW7OR) From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Thu Sep 25 14:11:35 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 13:11:35 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: <0D0C29B7A2BE4D629371B99300B418B7@JGJNCS2007> References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org><54223755.5080700@hughes.net> <0D0C29B7A2BE4D629371B99300B418B7@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: OK ALL - lets settle down - it's my thread and was/is intended to be educational vs emotional. Getting to where we call each other names and get upset may just be the reason that so few ask questions here on the Reflector and all that does is hurt those that benefit from the education. As a group we have pretty much given up on the training sessions / Elmer sessions before club meetings and we are endangering the use of this forum as a learning tool too. I for one would miss the ability to ask a question. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: John K5XA Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 1:32 PM To: 'kd5wdq .' Cc: 'Reflector' Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In hopes that you'll waiver, and read this anyway, excuse the shit outta me! But how about - it works for me! K5XA _____ From: kd5wdq . [mailto:kd5wdq at gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 8:04 AM To: John K5XA Cc: Kerry Sandstrom; Reflector Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? OK, I give! After this I will no longer comment on this. Apparently any excuse not to look at the data from a network analyzer counts for NOTHING! Or some people refuse to believe the results, whatever. That or either some people still think that sense my father, grandfather use it, it MUST be good. Or maybe they cannot understand the data, just not sure. How many people on this thread REALLY looked at that URL (above, 2 days ago)? And then understood the data? If you did, you'd know that there are better, much better RF connectors. And the UHF sucks. How many here know what "Constant Impedance" really-really means? I GIVE UP - seriously. This has showed me some are set in there beliefs and cannot be changed even with hard data is given to them. Remember, what ever is written back, i'll NOT READ, any replies to this thread is getting dumped in the circular file before read. af5sa On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 1:42 AM, John K5XA wrote: Just one more thing from me regarding PL-259 vs "N". Since getting my ticket in 1986 and gravitating towards HF contesting, I have had the opportunity to learn from some terrific contest operators, and also to visit and/or operate at some very "big gun" stations. I'm talking about consistent top ten stations like at K1TO, K3LR, K5RZ, K5RX, K5TR, K5RC, etc, etc, etc. There may have been, but I cannot honestly remember any of them using "N" connectors. K5XA -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? Gary, N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if you try it. A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant impedance through out the connector. Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for radar applications. Have fun, Kerry On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: > Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the > NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, > already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of > PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as > many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant > expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am > one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't > mastered yet. > > Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear > banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N > connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to > the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge > suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -- ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8271 - Release Date: 09/25/14 From robertson at ctesc.net Thu Sep 25 16:41:17 2014 From: robertson at ctesc.net (Dennis Robertson) Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:41:17 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? In-Reply-To: References: <20140922232641.T5UKG.84375.root@dnvrco-web03><976381F9D18F422883DD307EBF42BE1D@GaryPC><001e01cfd6cc$8c14f590$a43ee0b0$@gmail.com><5C4B2AD790454F649CF8A8767F840EE9@JGJNCS2007><54220C3C.30502@janeandjohn.org><54223755.5080700@hughes.net><0D0C29B7A2BE4D629371B99300B418B7@JGJNCS2007> Message-ID: <2D4C6D3BD96D4C9E8937F74343276F88@DennisPC> Gary, Let's talk about something else. You have run this thread into the ground!!!!!! Thanks W5FBG ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary J - N5BAA" To: "John K5XA" ; "'kd5wdq .'" Cc: "'Reflector'" Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2014 1:11 PM Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > OK ALL - lets settle down - it's my thread and was/is intended to be > educational vs emotional. Getting to where we call each other names and > get upset may just be the reason that so few ask questions here on the > Reflector and all that does is hurt those that benefit from the education. > As a group we have pretty much given up on the training sessions / Elmer > sessions before club meetings and we are endangering the use of this forum > as a learning tool too. > > I for one would miss the ability to ask a question. > > Gary J > N5BAA > > -----Original Message----- > From: John K5XA > Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 1:32 PM > To: 'kd5wdq .' > Cc: 'Reflector' > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > In hopes that you'll waiver, and read this anyway, excuse the shit outta > me! > > > > But how about - it works for me! > > > > K5XA > > > > _____ > > From: kd5wdq . [mailto:kd5wdq at gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 8:04 AM > To: John K5XA > Cc: Kerry Sandstrom; Reflector > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > > > OK, I give! After this I will no longer comment on this. > > > > Apparently any excuse not to look at the data from a network > > analyzer counts for NOTHING! Or some people refuse to > > believe the results, whatever. > > > > That or either some people still think that sense my father, > > grandfather use it, it MUST be good. Or maybe they cannot > > understand the data, just not sure. > > > > How many people on this thread REALLY looked at that URL > > (above, 2 days ago)? And then understood the data? If you > > did, you'd know that there are better, much better RF connectors. > > And the UHF sucks. How many here know what "Constant > > Impedance" really-really means? > > > > I GIVE UP - seriously. This has showed me some are set in > > there beliefs and cannot be changed even with hard data > > is given to them. > > > > Remember, what ever is written back, i'll NOT READ, > > any replies to this thread is getting dumped in the circular file > > before read. > > > > af5sa > > > > On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 1:42 AM, John K5XA > wrote: > > Just one more thing from me regarding PL-259 vs "N". > > Since getting my ticket in 1986 and gravitating towards HF contesting, I > have had the opportunity to learn from some terrific contest operators, > and > also to visit and/or operate at some very "big gun" stations. I'm talking > about consistent top ten stations like at K1TO, K3LR, K5RZ, K5RX, K5TR, > K5RC, etc, etc, etc. > > There may have been, but I cannot honestly remember any of them using "N" > connectors. > > K5XA > > -----Original Message----- > From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry > Sandstrom > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:16 PM > To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors?? > > Gary, > > N connectors are not necessarily 50 Ohm. Normally N connectors are 50 > Ohm to match 50 Ohm cable. You can get N connectors which are 50 Ohm > impedance but are for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U for instance. In this case > the connector impedance doesn't match the cable impedance. You can also > get N connectors which are 75 Ohm impedance for 75 Ohm cable, RG-11/U > again for instance. 50 ohm N connectors for 75 Ohm cable have a > mechanical interface identical to the 50 Ohm connectors for 50 Ohm cable > and will mate with each other. N connectors with a 75 Ohm impedance > will not mate with 50 Ohm N connectors and will damage the connectors if > you try it. > > A 75 Ohm N Plug is UG-94A/U and yes they turn up from time to time. A 50 > Ohm N Plug is for 75 Ohm cable is UG-603A/U for RG-59/U. A UG-21B/U is > a 50 Ohm connector for 50 Ohm cable such as RG-8/U. The same situation > exists for BNC connectors and yes there are some 75 Ohm BNC connectors > around and no, they don't mate with 50 Ohm BNC connectors. > > While N and BNC and most other connectors have a specified impedance, > UHF connectors are simply listed as non-constant impedance. The > impedance depends on the ratio of inner and outer conductor diameters > and the dielectric. If you look at the design of a PL-259, you should > note that the ratio of diameters is different as is the dielectric at > different points of the connector. That is why they don't have a > constant impedance and you really can't say they are 32 or 37 Ohm or > whatever. N connectors on the other hand do maintain a constant > impedance through out the connector. > > Another factor is the voltage rating of the connectors. UHF connectors > are rated for 500 V RMS while N connectors are rated for 1000 V RMS. A > KW at 50 Ohm impedance with no SWR is about 240 V.I probably wouldn't > use UHF for legal limit or high SWR. > > Delta Electrtonics makes over 20 different type N connectors for 50 Ohm > alone for different types of cable, none of which are for foam > dielectric or aluminum foil outer conductor. > > By the way, the Radiation Lab series has a section on the design of N, > BNC and other connectors for anyone interested. Most of the constant > impedance connectors were designed during World War II primarily for > radar applications. > > Have fun, > > Kerry > > > On 9/23/2014 8:53 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote: >> Again guys - I am approaching much of this from the standpoint of the >> NEW guy, just starting out and without a large investment in time, >> already made up coax, and the proverbial "parts box" full of >> PL-259/so-239 connectors, UHF barrel connectors, etc. I work with as >> many new guys as anyone in the club. To them it's a significant >> expense on top of everything else, and if you remember I admitted I am >> one of those guys who still views proper soldering as an art I haven't >> mastered yet. >> >> Kerry - why 37 ohm for PL-259 - because that is the number I hear >> banty'd around for them. I think I am correct in 50 ohm for the N >> connector. BTW, you should be happy - you have almost converted me to >> the N whenever possible. That and all my Alpha-Delta surge >> suppressors have N connectors so it doesn't make sense to work backwards. >> >> Gary J >> N5BAA >> >> -- > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8271 - Release Date: 09/25/14 > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Thu Sep 25 21:20:40 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 20:20:40 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] REMINDER -- TEXAS QSO PARTY THIS SAT Message-ID: <854C1FC793334F8DA020179DCE077FAB@GaryPC> A reminder for all Texans ? The TEXAS QSO Party is this weekend. I will be opening the club station for anyone desiring to operate from there. Please let me know if you are interested in operating. Gary J N5BAA 830-496-0102 From hcarc at mailman.qth.net Fri Sep 26 07:07:17 2014 From: hcarc at mailman.qth.net (robert russell via HCARC) Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 11:07:17 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [HCARC] Cat's Whisker Tuning? Message-ID: <1445661283.31781.1411729637930.JavaMail.yahoo@jws10727.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> What an amplified?topic about connectors posted recently!? What is needed now is a good HamShack Cat.? Data are conclusive proving that folks?who pet cats have lower blood pressure.? In addition to that, they live 30% longer.? I am a certified Cat Pimp and can help you choose the perfect HamShack Cat from Freeman-Fritts? Pet Shelter here in Kerrville.? I know them all by personality?and can custom?tune the perfect cat for companionship and harmony with your equipment and mood.? Make the connection and give me a call.? Guaranteed impedance match!? KF5AIE Robert Russell From robertson at ctesc.net Fri Sep 26 09:53:13 2014 From: robertson at ctesc.net (Dennis Robertson) Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 08:53:13 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Cat's Whisker Tuning? In-Reply-To: <1445661283.31781.1411729637930.JavaMail.yahoo@jws10727.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> References: <1445661283.31781.1411729637930.JavaMail.yahoo@jws10727.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <6C308384BF8B4D429140D387DB24B905@DennisPC> Well done Robert!!!!! Cats have been part of our family for more years than I can remember. You are right about the companionship of felines. Each cat has it's own personality and usually there is one cat that is the pick of the litter so to speak, though we try to not show too much attention for fear of hurting anyones feelings. Usually there is one cat that is the favorite. The current top-cat is a Maine Coon who sleeps in at night. He likes to listen to the radio but so far has not mustered the courage to say anything. I guess he has mike fright. Wishing all 73's and a Purrfect Day. ----- Original Message ----- From: "robert russell via HCARC" To: Sent: Friday, September 26, 2014 6:07 AM Subject: [HCARC] Cat's Whisker Tuning? > What an amplified topic about connectors posted recently! What is needed > now is a good HamShack Cat. Data are conclusive proving that folks who pet > cats have lower blood pressure. In addition to that, they live 30% longer. > I am a certified Cat Pimp and can help you choose the perfect HamShack Cat > from Freeman-Fritts Pet Shelter here in Kerrville. I know them all by > personality and can custom tune the perfect cat for companionship and > harmony with your equipment and mood. Make the connection and give me a > call. Guaranteed impedance match! KF5AIE Robert Russell > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From kf5spt at sbcglobal.net Fri Sep 26 11:30:53 2014 From: kf5spt at sbcglobal.net (KF5SPT) Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 10:30:53 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Cat's Whisker Tuning? In-Reply-To: <1445661283.31781.1411729637930.JavaMail.yahoo@jws10727.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> References: <1445661283.31781.1411729637930.JavaMail.yahoo@jws10727.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <6C9713F1-D064-4542-AEA5-5CEDC14AEC49@sbcglobal.net> When I was in 4th Grade my dad and I built a Cat's Whisker Crystal Tuner. Gerry KF5SPT > On Sep 26, 2014, at 6:07 AM, robert russell via HCARC wrote: > > What an amplified topic about connectors posted recently! What is needed now is a good HamShack Cat. Data are conclusive proving that folks who pet cats have lower blood pressure. In addition to that, they live 30% longer. I am a certified Cat Pimp and can help you choose the perfect HamShack Cat from Freeman-Fritts Pet Shelter here in Kerrville. I know them all by personality and can custom tune the perfect cat for companionship and harmony with your equipment and mood. Make the connection and give me a call. Guaranteed impedance match! KF5AIE Robert Russell > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Fri Sep 26 22:52:07 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 21:52:07 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna and Mast Take Down and Delivery Message-ID: <8CF81870D8754AEA8712896A3F5A9D24@GaryPC> A heart felt thank you to Tony Moore and Gordon Green, both relatively new members of the club for their assistance in taking down the Cushcraft R-7 antenna Harvey V. emailed about last week. It was an easy disassembly of the mast from the makeshift tower (8 inch diameter treated Fence post 16 feet long) with a rudimentary tilting mechanism which wasn?t activated due to a fence on one side and a new outdoor pavilion on the other. Mrs Burton was glad to have it down and we managed to leave her with a filled in hole with grass planted over the top. In several weeks she won?t ever know the antenna mast was there. The antenna was then delivered later today to it?s new Owner and QTH ? Alan Cone and the ?Tower? delivered to another Tech Class Operator named Kevin Holtan (Kevin is the guy who works as a lead silversmith for James Avery and who is wanting to manufacture a limited line of sterling silver Ham Keys ? get in line folks and start buying up odd sterling silver spoons and forks to provide the silver for your Ham Key). With Alan living in River Hills and having recently acquired a stealth 40 ft crank up mast, the R-7 is the perfect complement, allowing stealth since the antenna requires no radial system, thus allowing it to be retracted down behind his QTH, out of sight, and away from the prying eyes of the neighborhood Deed Enforcement Crew. Of course if we all do our part of getting to our Congressional and Senate Critters, we will with the help of the ARRL get the law passed that makes it illegal for Homeowners associations to totally restrict outdoor antennas. They will be able to say the antennas can?t be offensive (no 180 foot towers with big arrays), but will have to allow discreet antennas like verticals which can be partially hidden. Alan?s new antenna will surely meet those requirements. You can help by calling or emailing your representative and encourage them to join the sponsorship of the bill in the House of Reps in support of ARRL?s efforts on behalf of many many Ham Operators. The Bill referenced above is HR-4969. Here is a quote from ARRL: ?The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014, introduced in the US House of Representatives with bipartisan support in late June, calls on the FCC to apply the "reasonable accommodation" three-part test of the PRB-1 federal pre-emption policy to private land-use restrictions regarding antennas. The limited PRB-1 pre-emption currently applies only to state and municipal land-use ordinances. The FCC has indicated its reluctance to provide the same legal protections from private land-use agreements -- often called covenants, conditions, and restrictions or CC&Rs -- without direction from Congress.? Lets get Congress to give this direction to the FCC. Gary J N5BAA From tower2 at stx.rr.com Sat Sep 27 07:47:30 2014 From: tower2 at stx.rr.com (Harvey N. Vordenbaum) Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 06:47:30 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna and Mast Take Down and Delivery In-Reply-To: <8CF81870D8754AEA8712896A3F5A9D24@GaryPC> References: <8CF81870D8754AEA8712896A3F5A9D24@GaryPC> Message-ID: <000c01cfda48$d2260040$767200c0$@rr.com> That's great! I'm glad you were able to handle it with no mishaps. 73, Harvey -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary J - N5BAA Sent: Friday, September 26, 2014 9:52 PM To: hcarc at mailman.qth.net Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna and Mast Take Down and Delivery A heart felt thank you to Tony Moore and Gordon Green, both relatively new members of the club for their assistance in taking down the Cushcraft R-7 antenna Harvey V. emailed about last week. It was an easy disassembly of the mast from the makeshift tower (8 inch diameter treated Fence post 16 feet long) with a rudimentary tilting mechanism which wasn?t activated due to a fence on one side and a new outdoor pavilion on the other. Mrs Burton was glad to have it down and we managed to leave her with a filled in hole with grass planted over the top. In several weeks she won?t ever know the antenna mast was there. The antenna was then delivered later today to it?s new Owner and QTH ? Alan Cone and the ?Tower? delivered to another Tech Class Operator named Kevin Holtan (Kevin is the guy who works as a lead silversmith for James Avery and who is wanting to manufacture a limited line of sterling silver Ham Keys ? get in line folks and start buying up odd sterling silver spoons and forks to provide the silver for your Ham Key). With Alan living in River Hills and having recently acquired a stealth 40 ft crank up mast, the R-7 is the perfect complement, allowing stealth since the antenna requires no radial system, thus allowing it to be retracted down behind his QTH, out of sight, and away from the prying eyes of the neighborhood Deed Enforcement Crew. Of course if we all do our part of getting to our Congressional and Senate Critters, we will with the help of the ARRL get the law passed that makes it illegal for Homeowners associations to totally restrict outdoor antennas. They will be able to say the antennas can?t be offensive (no 180 foot towers with big arrays), but will have to allow discreet antennas like verticals which can be partially hidden. Alan?s new antenna will surely meet those requirements. You can help by calling or emailing your representative and encourage them to join the sponsorship of the bill in the House of Reps in support of ARRL?s efforts on behalf of many many Ham Operators. The Bill referenced above is HR-4969. Here is a quote from ARRL: ?The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014, introduced in the US House of Representatives with bipartisan support in late June, calls on the FCC to apply the "reasonable accommodation" three-part test of the PRB-1 federal pre-emption policy to private land-use restrictions regarding antennas. The limited PRB-1 pre-emption currently applies only to state and municipal land-use ordinances. The FCC has indicated its reluctance to provide the same legal protections from private land-use agreements -- often called covenants, conditions, and restrictions or CC&Rs -- without direction from Congress.? Lets get Congress to give this direction to the FCC. Gary J N5BAA ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Sun Sep 28 11:05:27 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 10:05:27 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna and Mast Take Down and Delivery In-Reply-To: <73F6E7709F6041F89D94780EC6DC94D8@DennisPC> References: <8CF81870D8754AEA8712896A3F5A9D24@GaryPC> <73F6E7709F6041F89D94780EC6DC94D8@DennisPC> Message-ID: Thanks Dennis, Someone has to use the Reflector for something - Hi Hi!! It is such a great asset that goes so unused. It would be so great to see people post at least "lessons learned" whenever they take on or complete a project whether or not the project was successful. Negative results are as instructive as positive ones - both are learning experiences. Gary J N5BAA -----Original Message----- From: Dennis Robertson Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2014 9:45 AM To: Gary J - N5BAA Subject: Re: [HCARC] Successful Antenna and Mast Take Down and Delivery Good report Gary..... Dennis W5FBG ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary J - N5BAA" To: Sent: Friday, September 26, 2014 9:52 PM Subject: [HCARC] Successful Antenna and Mast Take Down and Delivery >A heart felt thank you to Tony Moore and Gordon Green, both relatively new >members of the club for their assistance in taking down the Cushcraft R-7 >antenna Harvey V. emailed about last week. It was an easy disassembly of >the mast from the makeshift tower (8 inch diameter treated Fence post 16 >feet long) with a rudimentary tilting mechanism which wasn?t activated due >to a fence on one side and a new outdoor pavilion on the other. Mrs Burton >was glad to have it down and we managed to leave her with a filled in hole >with grass planted over the top. In several weeks she won?t ever know the >antenna mast was there. > > The antenna was then delivered later today to it?s new Owner and QTH ? > Alan Cone and the ?Tower? delivered to another Tech Class Operator named > Kevin Holtan (Kevin is the guy who works as a lead silversmith for James > Avery and who is wanting to manufacture a limited line of sterling silver > Ham Keys ? get in line folks and start buying up odd sterling silver > spoons and forks to provide the silver for your Ham Key). With Alan > living in River Hills and having recently acquired a stealth 40 ft crank > up mast, the R-7 is the perfect complement, allowing stealth since the > antenna requires no radial system, thus allowing it to be retracted down > behind his QTH, out of sight, and away from the prying eyes of the > neighborhood Deed Enforcement Crew. Of course if we all do our part of > getting to our Congressional and Senate Critters, we will with the help of > the ARRL get the law passed that makes it illegal for Homeowners > associations to totally restrict outdoor antennas. They will be able to > say the antennas can?t be offensive (no 180 foot towers with big arrays), > but will have to allow discreet antennas like verticals which can be > partially hidden. Alan?s new antenna will surely meet those requirements. > You can help by calling or emailing your representative and encourage them > to join the sponsorship of the bill in the House of Reps in support of > ARRL?s efforts on behalf of many many Ham Operators. > > The Bill referenced above is HR-4969. Here is a quote from ARRL: > > ?The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014, introduced in the US House of > Representatives with bipartisan support in late June, calls on the FCC to > apply the "reasonable accommodation" three-part test of the PRB-1 federal > pre-emption policy to private land-use restrictions regarding antennas. > The limited PRB-1 pre-emption currently applies only to state and > municipal land-use ordinances. The FCC has indicated its reluctance to > provide the same legal protections from private land-use agreements -- > often called covenants, conditions, and restrictions or CC&Rs -- without > direction from Congress.? > > Lets get Congress to give this direction to the FCC. > > > Gary J > N5BAA > ______________________________________________________________ > HCARC mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8288 - Release Date: 09/28/14 From qltfnish at omniglobal.net Sun Sep 28 11:15:45 2014 From: qltfnish at omniglobal.net (Gary J - N5BAA) Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 10:15:45 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Successful VE Test Message-ID: Congrats to all of the people who tested yesterday and passed their Tech, General and Extra tests. The club has several new extras, and at least one new General (Tony Moore). Look out airwaves now that Tony has his upgraded license. The only non-successful candidates were a couple of Boy Scouts from Dale?s class who missed passing by the barest of margins. My bet is with a little bit more study, they pass next time. These young guys are doubly important as they are the true future of Ham Radio. Without them Father Time will surely win the battle against Ham Radio operators. We opened the station for the Texas QSO party and made some good contacts once we shifted radios from the Kenwood HF radio to the Icom 746 which was recently donated. One of two things is wrong with the Kenwood ? either something is wrong or both Dale Gaudier and myself don?t know enough about the Kenwood to make it work properly. Let?s pray for Dale and Gary?s ignorance to be the cause, but we fear it is not. For every 100 stations the Icom could hear, the Kenwood could hear one. Gary J N5BAA From kerryk5ks at hughes.net Sun Sep 28 20:14:38 2014 From: kerryk5ks at hughes.net (Kerry Sandstrom) Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 19:14:38 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Texas QSO Party at K5KS Message-ID: <5428A46E.7080306@hughes.net> The Texas QSO Party was a lot of fun again this year. I was on 40 and 80 m CW as usual trying to work mostly Texas counties. I worked 128 Texas counties including 19 that I had not worked before. I worked 207 stations on 40 and 43 more on 80. Forty was very good all weekend with very little QRN and not much QRM except from the RATT Contest after dark. Eighty was also good just before and after sunset. Later after dark 80 had a lot of QRN. The 250 stations I worked included our very own K9OF (Pete) and AC4CA (John). I never heard any stations on 80 or40 CW from Kerr County (or Kimble, Kendall, Medina, Real, Mason, etc). If you want to put a rare Texas county on, at least for CW, you don't have to go far. Every Texas QSO Party is a little different. This year there was a lot of mobile activity in the North Central part of Texas and also quite a bit of activity from East Texas. Some years it seems everyone is out in the Panhandle/South Plains and far West Texas. Over a few years you have a good chance to work all over the state. I hope that a lot of you had a chance to get on for the Texas QSO Party. 73, Kerry, K5KS From billandmattie at windstream.net Mon Sep 29 00:10:36 2014 From: billandmattie at windstream.net (Bill Tynan) Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 23:10:36 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Texas QSO Party at K5KS In-Reply-To: <5428A46E.7080306@hughes.net> References: <5428A46E.7080306@hughes.net> Message-ID: Good work Kerry, but I thought that you didn't like contests. They are fun sometimes and great for improving operating skills. Just my opinion. 73, Bill, W3XO/5 -----Original Message----- From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry Sandstrom Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2014 7:15 PM To: HCARC Reflector Subject: [HCARC] Texas QSO Party at K5KS The Texas QSO Party was a lot of fun again this year. I was on 40 and 80 m CW as usual trying to work mostly Texas counties. I worked 128 Texas counties including 19 that I had not worked before. I worked 207 stations on 40 and 43 more on 80. Forty was very good all weekend with very little QRN and not much QRM except from the RATT Contest after dark. Eighty was also good just before and after sunset. Later after dark 80 had a lot of QRN. The 250 stations I worked included our very own K9OF (Pete) and AC4CA (John). I never heard any stations on 80 or40 CW from Kerr County (or Kimble, Kendall, Medina, Real, Mason, etc). If you want to put a rare Texas county on, at least for CW, you don't have to go far. Every Texas QSO Party is a little different. This year there was a lot of mobile activity in the North Central part of Texas and also quite a bit of activity from East Texas. Some years it seems everyone is out in the Panhandle/South Plains and far West Texas. Over a few years you have a good chance to work all over the state. I hope that a lot of you had a chance to get on for the Texas QSO Party. 73, Kerry, K5KS ______________________________________________________________ HCARC mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hcarc Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:HCARC at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4765 / Virus Database: 4025/8290 - Release Date: 09/28/14 From kerryk5ks at hughes.net Mon Sep 29 11:02:56 2014 From: kerryk5ks at hughes.net (Kerry Sandstrom) Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 10:02:56 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] Texas QSO Party at K5KS In-Reply-To: References: <5428A46E.7080306@hughes.net> Message-ID: <542974A0.5080508@hughes.net> Bill, Thanks for the e-mail. l'm not a big fan of contests in general but the state QSO Parties are a lot of fun. There aren't that many that operate CW so it is a bit more casual than some of the big contests. It doesn't require much of a rig, I use an old OMNI-D at 70 W and a vertical. It is kind of like the VHF contests in the 60's. You work many of the same guys year after year and also work them in between the contests so they are really friends not just another contest contact. I've been pretty active on the Texas QSO Party since 2000 when I was in NM. I'm still working some of the same guys now that I worked from NM back then. It is also nice to run into some of our club members like Pete, N9OF and John, AC4CA. Also, there is a lot of mobile activity from the less populated Texas counties. With the mobiles, there isn't quite so much of the automated high end stations that you find on the big contests. Also you can't look them up on a computer so you actually have to copy what is sent! I've travelled extensively in far west Texas and the Panhandle/South Plains so when I work the mobiles in the counties out there it brings back old memories of when I was out there. Another subject, I got the 6939's from Kent. Thank you for your assistance. I'm working on my tripler/amplifier and should be on soon. I'll let you know when I'm ready to give it a try. 73, Kerry On 9/28/2014 11:10 PM, Bill Tynan wrote: > Good work Kerry, but I thought that you didn't like contests. > > They are fun sometimes and great for improving operating skills. > > Just my opinion. > > 73, > > Bill, W3XO/5 > > From w5lew at reagan.com Mon Sep 29 13:57:33 2014 From: w5lew at reagan.com (Lew King) Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 11:57:33 -0600 Subject: [HCARC] brass strap/ Icom mike Message-ID: <008c01cfdc0e$d93bedf0$8bb3c9d0$@com> I'm looking for a 1" or 1.5" brass strap about 24" long to ground my screwdriver ant on the back of my RV. Anyone got one I can buy from you? Also am looking for an Icom SM-8 mike if you know where I can find one. It's good to be back in town. I'm your roving RV member-at-large. Spent Winter in MS (cold and wet) and Summer in Eagle Nest, NM (low humidity but kinda wet - had above normal rain). Enjoyed reading the reflector and keeping up somewhat. I'm back indefinitely, at the moment. I'm also now a certified RV Inspector (can do a "home inspection" type inspection on RV's for sale.see www.rvinspection.com for more info) and will be doing biz in the SA/Kerrville area. Be glad to tell you more about it, if interested. More inspectors are also needed - pick up some extra cash if you're an RVer. Thanks, guys. 73, Lew W5LEW Currently camping at Kerrville KOA From galeheise at windstream.net Mon Sep 29 16:39:48 2014 From: galeheise at windstream.net (galeheise at windstream.net) Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 15:39:48 -0500 Subject: [HCARC] FT-101 For Sale Message-ID: To all - I have an old Yaesu FT-101 w/ desk mic ? Not full power output ? Probably needs a driver tube or more work ? $200. 14 day money back guarantee/ no questions asked. Please email me of line if you have an interest. Gale KM4DR