Steve Thompson wrote:
>
>I bought a Metcal SP200 for a particularly difficult job, and the client
>recommended it. It is amazing. It's smaller and lighter than a regular
>Weller, but you can solder 1/16 sheet brass with it. The heat is generated
>right in the tip by dissipating 470kHz rf. The only thing I have which
>outperforms it is the old wooden handled 1" wide beast. 259 connectors would
>be a steal. The first one went to a subcontractor for the intended job, but
>I missed it so much I bought another one yesterday.
>
>There is one snag - over here they are about $400 plus tax :-(
>
Ouch!
There is also an Australian low-voltage iron that generates the heat by
pressing a small pill of solid carbon right against the back of the
copper bit. That's pretty effective too, especially for its size.
Does anyone Down Under know if those are still available?
However, if PL-259s are your only reason for buying such a large iron,
you might like to know that there are PL-259s available that provide a
very solid "pressure sleeve" connection to the outer with NO soldering.
You only have to solder the inner. Click on www.farnell.com/uk/ and then
search for stock codes 724804 (RG213) and 724816 (RG58). M/A-COM make
something similar in the USA, I believe.
These improved connectors are significantly more expensive that regular
PL-259s... but not if you can save on buying a new monster soldering
iron.
73 from Ian G3SEK Editor, 'The VHF/UHF DX Book'
'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.com/g3sek
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