> Also, because I am used to carefully soldering coax connectors, I wonder
> about the integrity of the no-solder connectors. Is there anything to be
> concerned about?
I can't speak to the specific connectors you are talking about, but, in
general, no-solder connectors from a major manufacturer (i.e. Amphenol,
AMP, TM, Huber+Suhner, etc.) designed to work with a particular type of
cable are likely to be quite good. However, this means following the mfr
instructions scrupulously, especially with respect to cable trimming and
prep, torques, etc. It also requires being aware of what the mfr is claiming
for performance. (that is, the mfr may not have specified the connector to
perform like you need and expect it to). Look and see if the mfr is
claiming that the connector/cable combination is suitable for things like
"shipboard applications" or if it is claimed to meet IP67 environmental
requirements.
For instance, crimp on SMA connectors for semirigid coax are generally more
reliable than soldered: gas tight connection, no brittle solder to crack
under thermal cycling and/or vibration, etc. The one big objection to
crimped connectors (as opposed to solder) is that they are hard to inspect
to determine if the connection has been made (short of X-ray inspection).
The other problem with crimped connectors in general is that to get the
"correct" crimp requires specialized tooling, which, as you've found, can be
pretty pricey.
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See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
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