[HCARC] Crimped vs Soldered Coax Connectors??

Wed Sep 24 13:06:52 EDT 2014

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
>
> --

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