>I understand what you mean, exactly.
>
> The "fanning" you describe is what happens when the conductor gets
> squashed
> during the course of cutting it. This happens if you use diagonal
> cutters,
I have a problem understanding why would that cause a problem. Yes, it
squashes the cable a bit at the cut, but when you strip the cable you are
cutting well back from that point. Probably removing 3/4 of an inch of
dielectric, another quarter inch of braid and jacket, and another good half
inch of jacket which leaves a half inch of exposed braid the end of which is
about an inch from where the cable was cut.
I normally use a "stripper", but even using a box cutter for the stripping
I've had no problems like this.
Even with the box cutter I first cut the cable with cutters of one sort or
another including linemans pliers.
Using the "box cutter" I then cut all the way around and deep into the
dielectric (not quite to the center conductor), grab a pair of pliers and
twist that part off. Then I cut through the jacket and braid about a quarter
inch back and pull both the jacket and braid off. (Normally I only trim the
foil back away from the end of the dielectric, but leave most of it.) The
final cut is about a half inch back on the jacket. This one I make deep
enough to score the jacket to the point where a bit of flexing or pulling
will cause it to seperate.
Then again if you use crimp connectors you won't care if the braid bells out
or not as the back of the connector goes under it while the crimp sleeve
goes over it. Just remember to put the sleeve on first.
> end cutters, etc. It does *not* happen -- not even a tiny bit -- if you
> use
> a real cable cutting tool, which is like a pair of mating half-moon
> cutting
> surfaces that slice through the conductor and completely shear it, without
> compressing it at all. The use of the "right tool for the job" completely
> takes care of the problem with LMR-400.
>
> But you're right: If you use "dikes" (diagonal cutters) or similar, this
> will indeed happen.
Haven't had it happen yet using straight edged "cable cutters", or even
linemans pliers and I've been using LMR-400 almost since it came out.
73
Roger (K8RI)
>
> WB2WIK/6
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Perry - K4PWO [mailto:k4pwo@comcast.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 1:53 PM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] LMR400-PL259s
>
> One source of problems fitting PL-259's is that, when you cut the LMR-400,
> the soft copper clad aluminum "fans" preventing it from sliding into the
> connector. You can file the very tip to "round" the conductor or try
> forming it back to round with pliers. You will always have a little AL
> exposed at the cut end but I usually trim the center long, solder the
> center
>
> pin, and then cut the center conductor flush with the PL-259's pin.
> Quality
>
> connectors help too!
>
> 73 de Perry - K4PWO
>
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