[Mobile-Portable] Power Poles (was: UHF/VHF antennas in roof of newer pickuptrucks)

[K0DAN]

David:

Roger, roger OM! PowerPoles: I love 'em! I hate 'em!

There's a number of better solutions (binding posts, wire nuts, fuse 
blocks). Motorola uses a connector on most of their dash-mount mobiles, , 
not sure what it's called, but it handles a lot of current, and will NOT 
come loose without a lot of effort. I don't even think it's proprietary to 
MOTO, but they use a ton of them and they are nearly a standard in their own 
right.

Here is a sample photo, probably everyone has seen these before:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Adapter-Power-Connector-Buttcock-Line-Cable-Cord-For-Motorola-GM3188-GM3688-/121242091323?pt=US_Radio_Comm_Coaxial_Cables_Connectors&hash=item1c3a977f3b
BTW, I have no interest in the auction, etc., just trying to find a sample 
photo of this much-more-reliable connector.

It would be nice to see a Rig-Runner-type product but which had binding 
posts and connectors such as the example above. Also, the better product 
should do away with the cute LED's and fuses which cause 1+VDC drop from 
power bus input to output, but that's another story! Don't get me wrong, I 
have used, owned, and enjoyed several Rig-Runners, but there has always been 
some short-coming mechanically or electrically, and the concept is ready for 
some improvements. Maybe something newer/better exists but I have not seen 
it. Seems like it's time for the crimp connector , soldering gun, and 
electrical tape to homebrew one's own power distribution cables.

May your resistance be low, and your voltage high....etc., etc.

73

dan
k0dan

-----Original Message----- 
From: qrv at kd4e.com
Sent: January 18, 2014 14:10
To: Mobile-Portable Reflector
Subject: Re: [Mobile-Portable] UHF/VHF antennas in roof of newer 
pickuptrucks

Dan,

Ditto your experience.

I wasted a lot of time chasing problems elsewhere that I
later discovered had originated with the PP's.

I have returned to binding posts and bare wire - more
secure & can be done anywhere with nothing more than a knife to
strip the wire.

How often does anyone move gear around or share power
sources in such a big hurry anyhow?

Complicating the simple, adding unnecessary potential
points of failure, is not high on the list of emergency/disaster
preparedness strategies.

David KD4E

> If you can see some knock-out plugs in the firewall you are in good
> shape. Those audio fuse block are a lot better connector than what
> we're faced with. I will probably start a flame war here, but I
> really regret converting all my stuff over to Anderson PowerPoles.
> Clever idea for standardization, but crappy implementation. I can't
> tell you how many times I've either lost power due to a connector
> coming loose, or in a few cases having poor performance because of
> excess resistance at the connector block. I am in the process of
> getting rid of Rig Runners, etc., and going back to more secure
> connectors. I still use PowerPoles where I have to, but always with a
> pigtail/adaptor to a different connector, and always with some cable
> ties to hold them together!
>
> 73 dan k0dan



-- 

David (NOT Dave) Colburn, KD4E - Nevils, Georgia USA

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