I agree with Rick,
If an N connector is not designed to fix the relationship of the center pin
(soldered to the center conductor) to the body it should not be used
outdoors or on long runs of unburied coax exposed to full seasonal
temperatures.
I learned that the hard way on unfixed pin N connectors terminating 230
foot runs of LDF4-50A at my tower. Of course it happened on the 40 meter
line on a particularly cold Saturday night in the CW SS . Had to
repair/resolder on the tower by flashlight in 25 degree weather. The next
summer after removing the up-tower flexible coax it wouldn’t reconnect
completely. The pin was now out too far.
These days I am terminating my LDF4-50A with Andrew L44P UHF male
connectors, or dressing the cable and soldering it directly into the
terminating circuit.
The male pin in a UHF connector has enough overlap with the female receptor
that a certain amount of temperature induced movement will no longer break
the connection.
73, Guy K2AV
On Thu, Dec 6, 2018 at 10:48 PM Richard (Rick) Karlquist <
richard@karlquist.com> wrote:
> I used to have many coax cables with factory installed type N
> connectors. Virtually all of them have sooner or later
> suffered from the center conductor pins either retracting or
> extending outward over time. Once the pin moves far enough
> either in or out, the connector will no longer mate. I have
> been able to temporarily rehabilitate some cables with the
> retraction failure by pulling on the center pin with vise
> grips. If they overextend, there is no way AFAIK to fix
> them besides replacing the connectors. Evidentally,
> none of these cables used connectors with a captivated
> center conductor. I have seen this in coiled up coax,
> coax hanging from a tower, and coax just laying on
> the ground. Coax used/stored only indoors seems to be
> immune from this problem.
>
> I would be interested in hearing from other people who have
> observed this problem. Am I somehow doing something wrong
> to cause this?
>
> Rick N6RK
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