Hi Paul,
I have been doing the same thing for over 40 years when installing a
reducer. It is the only way to get a solid mechanical and electrical
connection.
Trying to solder the braid thru the holes does not get but a few strands
soldered and then the cable can rotate in the connector and eventually
breaks the soldered strands.
Soldering all the strands on the end of the reducer as you describe keeps
the cable from being able to rotate in the connector.
The trick is of course to have the adaptor tined first so that you can
solder quickly.
I used to pick up cables at hamfests and about 99% of them had bad
connections. If you can twist the cable in the connector, the connector is
not installed properly.
73
Gary K4FMX
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> Paul Christensen
> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2016 6:21 AM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] PL259 Connectors Part 2
>
> Part 2 of W9EHQ's video shows his method of installing PL-259 connectors
> onto smaller cables that require a reducer (e.g., UG-175). For the last
> several years, I've been using a similar technique developed by K6MHE:
>
> http://www.w5fc.org/files/how-to/PL259.PDF
>
> Apart from installation simplicity, K6MHE's procedure allows for 100% QC
> inspection prior to inserting the reducer into the PL-259 body. This
> is
> similar to what W9EHQ shows, except the braid is trimmed such that it's
> flared only to the top reducer surface, making it very easy to rotate
> the
> PL-259 body onto the reducer without friction.
>
> The method approved by Amphenol and shown in the ARRL Handbook for a
> half-century leaves little room for inspecting the work - in fact, we're
> blindly hoping for a good friction fit of the braid between the reducer
> and
> the body. It's a sloppy installation procedure that leaves a
> mechanically
> unsecure connection -- even when "done right."
>
> Not everyone agrees with the use of the K6MHE method:
>
> http://hamwaves.com/connectors/doc/m.plug.reducer.rg-58.rg-59.pdf
>
> I do think the above concern is overblown. We have complete control
> over
> the heating and soldering of the braid on the reducer. When silver-
> plated
> reducers are used (or using pre-tinned nickel reducers), very little
> heat
> time is required when soldering the braid onto the reducer. When I'm
> assembling PL-259 connectors with reducers, I place the cable vertically
> in
> a vise. The reducer is slipped over the cable and drops onto the top of
> the
> vise jaws. The cable can then be adjusted in the vise to precisely
> place
> the reducer at the braid level. This leaves both hands free to make an
> accurate braid connection. At the conclusion, the body screws onto the
> reducer without binding.
>
> Paul, W9AC
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> Roger
> (K8RI) on TT
> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2016 12:22 AM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] PL259 Connectors Part 2
>
> When soldering PL259s, I cut the jacket the required distance back. I
> then
> slid the jacket to be removed forward, but not completely off the braid.
> This kept the braid flat against the dielectric. Once that braid was
> tinned
> with minimal solder I slid the jacket off. I trimmed the braid back a
> little from the end of the dielectric, or about to the end of where it
> was
> tinned if I did it right. Minimal tinning means you don't need to file
> the
> solder down and being tight to the dielectric keeps the impedance
> correct to
> that point. It also minimizes heat damage to the dielectric. If all
> went
> well to this point, the connector should screw over the jacket. with
> just
> enough braid exposed in the holes that it can be soldered to the
> connector.
> I prefer a small, but relatively hot tip to make the solder joint
> quickly.
>
> I have not seen a foam dielectric that was not easily damaged by too
> much
> heat. CNT-240, RG-8X, LMR 400 & 600, BuryFlex. 9913F, etc.
> The trick is to get the barrel hot enough to melt the solder around the
> hole, but not hot enough all over to damage the dielectric.
>
> With only one working hand I can no longer do this, but I had gone to
> crimp
> connectors prior to losing the use of my left hand. It is getting back
> to
> where I can hold the solder between my thumb and forefinger with my left
> hand, if I can rest the hand on something solid.
>
> I still much prefer the crimp type and as industry has gone to crimp, I
> have
> trouble understanding why so many hams continue to use the solder type.
>
> A good, properly adjusted stripper and crimp connectors produce
> consistent
> and strong connections much quicker than soldering and require far less
> skill. Yes, there is a learning curve, but it's neither steep nor long.
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>
> . i On 5/11/2016 Wednesday 10:23 PM, Bob K6UJ wrote:
> > Tim,
> >
> > I tried this method and and after a couple of tries I think I have
> > mastered it.
> > Please bear with me, hihi.
> > I trimmed the braid slightly over 1/8" away from the end of the
> > connector shell and then fanned out
> > and folded the braid back over the end of the shell. Then soldered
> > the braid to the end of the
> > connector shell. The soldering only takes up 1/8" at the end of the
> > connector. My first attempts
> > had the soldering to the braid too far up on the connector and I
> > couldn't unscrew the connector barrel enough.
> > That's why I am now using the 1/8" trim.
> > The pictures of the last steps showing the soldering of the braid to
> > the shell could be clearer. :-)
> > I use shrink tubing and slide it over the soldered joint just enough
> > to insure I can unscrew the connector barrel
> > and it looks great. I like this process, no over heating the
> > dielectric as you said, no question about a good
> > soldered connection to the shell, and super strong.
> > I have a hunch that others that may have tried it didn't like the look
> > of the finished result. Yes the soldered
> > joint to the shell is there for god and everyone to see :-) but if the
> > shield strands are trimmed equally before
> > soldering and then the connector and coax junction is either taped or
> > shrink tube is used (one of which is a good
> > idea to do) then it is a great PL-259 connection and looks pretty too
> > hihi.
> >
> > 73,
> > Bob
> > K6UJ
> >
> >
> >
> > On 5/11/16 6:27 PM, Tim Duffy wrote:
> >> Hello Jim:
> >>
> >> As you reported - W3LPL and K3LR (and many others) are using this
> method
> >> with the Amphenol 83-1SP of soldering the shield on the back of the
> >> connector. It works great.
> >>
> >> http://www.k3lr.com/engineering/pl259/
> >>
> >>
> >> No melted dielectric and very visible great soldered connection of
> the
> >> shield. No failures here at the K3LR multi multi station in over 30
> >> years -
> >> and the contest station success efforts - show good results.
> >>
> >> Hope to see you in Dayton
> >>
> >> 73
> >> Tim K3LR
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf
> >> Of Jim
> >> Brown
> >> Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 8:05 PM
> >> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> >> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] PL259 Connectors Part 2
> >>
> >> On Tue,5/10/2016 4:48 PM, Kevin Stover wrote:
> >>> I tried to pull one off a waste piece of coax. Connector clamped in
> my
> >>> bench vise and two guys pulling on the coax.
> >>> Didn't budge. Try that with the soldered connector.
> >> A properly installed soldered Amphenol 83-1SP makes a pretty strong
> >> connection to the coax. "Properly installed" includes stripping just
> >> enough braid so that it shows through the solder holes and so that
> the
> >> coax jacket screws into the connector shell, soldering the braid at
> each
> >> hole so that it flows well, and doing a good soldering job on the
> center
> >> conductor. Many times, I've had to yank pretty hard on the RG11
> attached
> >> to high dipoles to guide them away from tree limbs, etc. So far, I've
> >> never had one pull apart.
> >>
> >> K3LR has developed a method of soldering the braid to the OUTSIDE of
> the
> >> connector shell and covering it with heat shrink. That's probably
> even
> >> stronger! I've done that with a few connectors, but wasn't thrilled
> >> with the result. QST published it a few years ago, and I think it's
> >> somewhere on the internet.
> >>
> >> 73, Jim K9YC
> >> _______________________________________________
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> TowerTalk mailing list
> >> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> TowerTalk mailing list
> >> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TowerTalk mailing list
> > TowerTalk@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
> --
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|