[Mobile-Portable] Tin vs Gold Contacts?

[AD5PE]

Not necessarily.  It depends on the environment and how often you plan to
connect/disconnect.

In your shack, on a power cord of a rig that is always connected to the
power supply, tin with no NoOx is probably fine for years.  In the rotor
control cable connections at the top of your tower, NoOx would be "minimum",
gold would be better - it's subject to weather.  In a high vibration marine
(salt water) environment, gold would be essential for long term reliability.
But in a "go kit" for ARES, where the equipment may be taken apart and
stored, set up and used, then taken apart again numerous times a year, gold
would be a total waste, because you'd just wear it off - and then it
wouldn't be there when you needed it, so you'd be worse off.  Remember, gold
is very soft - so use it for high reliability required, but low "cycle"
applications in harsh environments.  In non-critical gear it's probably not
worth it.  In high cycle gear it's not worth it.  And in some cases, tin
with NoOx may be more cost effective in the long run - depending on how easy
it is to replace it "in the field".  IE, I pay a lot more for connectors at
the TOP of the tower than in the go kit.  In the kit, everything is power
poles because I can easily carry a dozen sets and one tool, and replace any
of them in seconds.  If the "go bad", who cares.  I WANT them to be quick
disconnect, and I WANT them to be cheap - to the point of being disposable.
When I have a hard to reach/maintain critical connection, THEN I go for
something higher tech, but what that is depends on the application.

73,
Jay 

-----Original Message-----
From: mobile-portable-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:mobile-portable-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of kd4e
Sent: Saturday, June 13, 2009 18:07
To: Mobile-Portable Reflector
Subject: Re: [Mobile-Portable] Tin vs Gold Contacts?

But if I treat them with NoOx or the like the tin should be OK?

> Low signal has little to do with it. Gold is a tarnish free finish. 
> Tin is less resistant to corrosion/oxidation, but is still serviceable 
> in less harsh  environments. Both will wear off with multiple 
> insertions. The specs will tell  you how many. When I used to buy 
> connectors at my work QTH, I almost always got  gold contacts because of
reliability concerns.
>  
> Joe N1KHB
>  
>  
>  
>  
> In a message dated 6/12/2009 2:05:43 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, 
> doc at kd4e.com writes:
> 
> In a  Mate-N-Lok or Molex will there be a meaningful difference in 
> contact  quality between tin nd gold contacts?
> 
> There is a huge price  difference.
> 
> I am thinking it is only meaningful for low-signal  apps.
> 

-- 

Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
FS/Swap/Wanted: http://kd4e.com/swapn.html Free OS :
http://www.PuppyLinux.com
Personal: http://kd4e.com
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