[NLRS] LMR400 and N connectors

[Phil Hejtmanek]

I have literally crimped at least 5000 BNC RF connectors in the past couple of years, with a failure rate of exactly one.   The signal carried on the coax is very demanding 1.5 Gbps HD-SDI digital video, and crimps do the job, no problem.  For ones and twos, though, the cost of the typical crimp tool is not justified; likewise the custom stripper tool.  You can do the job with a sharp utility knife, if you're careful.  I've used type N crimps on RG-213 cable with great success at approx 2.0 GHz for fairly short runs (<50 feet).

Soldering connectors of any type is a pain.

73,

Phil   kf9us



----- Original Message ----
> From: David Palm <thepalmhq at gmail.com>
> To: NLRS Reflector <NLRS at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 8:48:53 AM
> Subject: [NLRS] LMR400 and N connectors
> 
> 
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> In preparation for this weekend I was able to get my newly built 222 and 432
> quagis up 8 and 10 feet in the air last night and apply some RF to them.
> Thanks to Todd, KC9BQA, for helping me test them on the air.  We were able
> to make the path on both bands, although 432 was extremely light.  I was
> shooting straight into the foliage of a large pine tree, so that may have
> made a difference.
> 
> My real question concerns N connectors.  I was scrambling to get two new
> feedlines ready yesterday afternoon and, to my dismay, the pins on some
> surplus N connectors that I had laying around are too small for the center
> conductor of the LMR400.  And I can't really just file it down a bit since
> it's copper-coated aluminum and it can't be soldered once it's been reduced
> in size.  So, am I correct that I will need to buy special Ns for the
> LMR400?
> 
> On that same note, I was planning on just going with the solder-pin style.
> But I have heard a number of people advocate strongly for the crimp-style
> connectors.  I'd rather avoid the cost of the crimping tool, but I wonder if
> anybody has some feedback on that question.
> 
> Thanks and 73,
> 
> David  W9HQ
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