[ICOM] What is wrong with SMA?

[D C *Mac* Macdonald]

The old Icom IC-202, 215, 502(?), and 402 series
of draggie-talkies used a screw-in duck that was
very reliable.  Unfortunately, there  ARE  times
where you  NEED  an external antenna.  I have
to use one here at work to be able to just hear
signals due to the all the steel in the walls and
that  IS  with an IC-W32!!!

Mac, K2GKK
Oklahoma City



----Original Message Follows----
From: Alex <extraham at earthlink.net>
Reply-To: ICOM Reflector <icom at mailman.qth.net>
To: ICOM Reflector <icom at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ICOM] What is wrong with SMA?
Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 14:28:41 -0500 (GMT-05:00)

SMA's are not designed for as many insertions (connects and disconnects) as 
other connectors are. The problem is that hams (ab)use an HT in so many 
different ways, that you need a connector that is more reliable in an 
environment where many antenna (dis)connects take place.

Besides, if an HT is properly designed for what it is meant to do, you 
wouldn't need any connector at all but a simple threaded hole to screw the 
duck in. Any antenna with more gain than a duck should overload the RX of an 
HT (The IC-W32A does that.). The only few reasons you would want to 
disconnect the antenna from an HT is for storage or service.

73,
--Alex KR1ST
http://www.kr1st.com