> > I'd like that information also. I know that some of the
> "more technically
> > proficient" hams out there who do RF design / installation
> for a living
> > use
> > crimp only connectors, and swear by them. Are there other
> vendors out
> > there
> > that people have used which are comparable to the major players?
> >
> > Don, KD9PT
> I use Paladin. Seems to be a popular brand.
>
> Chuck
> WB2EDV
I think Chuck was suggesting Paladin as a good brand of *tools* (which I
agree with), not connectors which is what I think you were asking about.
For me, the best bang for the buck is quite often RF Industries connectors.
While they do make some lower-grade connectors, their silver-plated teflon
connectors are very good (BNC, TNC, N, UHF). We always sweep-test cables on
the network analyzer before delivery/installation, and the RFI connectors
perform well. The machining and plating is well above average. If you buy
from a good distributor (we use Tessco a lot), pricing is very competitive.
For example, a silver-teflon type N male for RG400/RG142B is about $3.25 my
price. The same for RG214 is $4.
Huber+Suhner connectors are extremely well made. I can't think of any other
manufacturer, except for maybe Delta, that has such nice machining and
plating as H+S. When you mate two H+S or Delta connectors together, they
tighten smooth as silk. The H+S Sucoplate finish is very nice, doesn't
tarnish like silver, yet has very good IMD performance. Expect to pay 2x to
5x for H+S or Delta connectors as compared to RF Industries though.
For mid-grade connectors, some of the Amphenol crimp connectors are OK.
Amphenol makes two grades of connectors. Their standard line that they've
made forever just goes by "Amphenol". Their lower-tier line is "Amphenol
RFX" (part numbers usually have a -RFX suffix).
Kings connectors are very good, but are above-average in terms of cost.
Times-Microwave connectors for LMR series are OK, but I don't like the EZ
series.
Brands I generally avoid include Cambridge and AIM (both now owned by
Emerson).
90% of the un-branded RF connectors (and adapters) you'll find on eBay or at
hamfests is crap, sorry to be blunt. If you're going to bargain hunt on
eBay or hamfests, look for name brands, don't buy the no-name generics, a
lot of which seems to come from China (not that everything that comes from
China is bad mind you). If you want to take the time to wade through
hamfests and eBay, it's not unusual to be able to find quality name-brand
connectors at good prices. For me, time is the one resource I've never had
enough of, and it's the one resource you can't make more of, so spending an
hour or two walking a hamfest just to save a dollar on a connector isn't a
bargain to me, except for maybe at Dayton when I'm "on vacation" and
bargain-hunting is an activity done for pleasure rather than out of
necessity. But if you have the time to look, I'm sure you'll find some
bargains out there...
--- Jeff WN3A
