Fw: Re: [HomeBrew] audio jacks (RCA type)

Tue, 7 Jan 2003 10:23:07 -0600

To add to Jim's excellent comments ....even Collins uses the 
RCA phone jacks for RF input/output. They DO have a ceramic 
insert vs whatever cheaper material most RCA jacks use. I 
typically remove the jack (Heathkit and Collins) and install 
a panel mount BNC connector to overcome the "accidental 
disconnect problem" (the cat unplugged mine once). The 
spacing paths on the BNC are greater than those of the RCA, 
there is no chassis modification required (you can go back 
when you sell the rig to a purist), and 50ohm BNC connectors 
are 50ohm ....really good, 50ohm connectors.

73  Kees K5BCQ

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected], [email protected]
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 04:36:27 EST
Subject: Re: [HomeBrew] audio jacks (RCA type)
Message-ID: <[email protected]>

** HOMEBREW REFLECTOR - Please do NOT cross-post messages to multiple
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In a message dated 1/6/03 9:03:41 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
[email protected] writes:

> It's good to keep in mind though, that the lowly RCA plug is a BETTER
choice
>  (impedance bump-wise) than the PL-259 ("VHF" connector) is. While
they're
>  not the most rugged, they do work fine up to, and including HF.
>  
All true - in fact, they work well up to at least 2 meters (my Heath
HW-2036 
uses one for the output!)

In fact, Heath used RCA jacks for their 100 watt class HF rigs 
(SB-100/101/102, HW-100/101) and others. Never heard of one failing from
100 
watts of RF!  But it seemed kinda odd that you'd pay $370 for an SB-101
kit 
back in the late '60s and the RF out was a phono jack...

Disadvantage of the phono is that you can't use big coax (RG-8 etc.) 
directly. 

Advantage of the phono is cheapness and the ease of installation of coax.

Also (and this is a biggie if it ever happened to you!) if somebody or 
something gets tangled in the coax, they won't pull the rig off the 
table......Sounds minor until somebody drives over the coax on Field Day
and 
it catches the bumper...

73 de Jim, N2EY
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