I agree Clive, there is no reason to switch from high quality UHF connectors such as Amphenol 83-1SP silver plated connectors on 6 meters or below. They have much better center pin contact pressure than N connectors and are much less susceptible to installation errors by either amateur or professional installers.
Older generation N connectors with floating center pins are highly problematic because its difficult to install the center pin with proper depth and axial alignment. If the pin is installed so its just a few ten thousandths of an inch too long, or the axial alignment isn't almost perfect, the male connector will permanently damage the mating female connector. If ithe pin is installed just a few ten thousands of an inch too short the connection will be very unreliable. If for some reason N connectors must be used, use only the modern generation of N connectors with captivated center pins. I have hundreds of Amphenol 83-1SP PL-259 connectors in my station and withour exception they have all been 100% trouble free for more than thirty years. K3LR has had exactly the same experience with hundreds of 83-1SP silver plated connectors in his station. N connectors on HF? No thank you. 73 Frank W3LPL ----- Original Message ----- From: "Clive GM3POI" <cl...@gm3poi.com> To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Thursday, December 6, 2018 3:42:35 PM Subject: Re: Topband: Rather use N-type (was Re: The answer to PL-259 soldering/reliability problems) For anyone that doubts the loss of a good 259. Google K2RIW on the subject who knows a thing or two about UHF and did some numbers on the subject. I have used for a good long time the Silver plated Teflon with a gold pin from the RF connection. I usually end up buying 50 at a time. 73 Clive GM3POI -----Original Message----- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of N2TK, Tony Sent: 06 December 2018 15:31 To: 'GEORGE WALLNER'; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Rather use N-type (was Re: The answer to PL-259 soldering/reliability problems) I have been using PL-259 connectors forever. I have switched to crimp connectors when I need to make up a new cable. No sense replacing the soldered connectors if they are working fine. ThePL-259 is a low loss, easy to assemble connector for up to at least 6M (nothing higher in frequency here) that makes good contact and are easy to seal with rescue tape followed by Scotch 33+. Some of my PL-259's have been in use outside for 40 years and still look good and work well. I hope manufacturer's don't change. 73, N2TK, Tony -----Original Message----- From: Topband <topband-boun...@contesting.com> On Behalf Of GEORGE WALLNER Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2018 9:13 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Rather use N-type (was Re: The answer to PL-259 soldering/reliability problems) Greg, I completely agree. For all my outdoors applications I use N connectors. Unfortunately, amateur radio gear (even seriously expensive gear) is still built with SO-239 connectors which perpetuate the use PL-259 male connectors. As a result, my station and my DXpedition gear contain both, necessitating the use of adaptors. How do we convince manufacturers to change? 73, George AA7JV/C6AGU On Thu, 06 Dec 2018 17:00:53 +1300 Greg-zl3ix <zl...@inet.net.nz> wrote: > > > I continue to be mystified by the fact that the amateur radio > community insists on using PL259 connectors. N-type are much more > reliable (used by professional communicators), low cost, can be > crimped easily and quickly and have a well-defined impedance right up > into GHz frequencies. > > Back in 2005 I started having contact problems with the connector on > my SteppIR 3-element. There was a thin layer of oxide that built up > around the centre pin of the PL259. I had had similar problems with > other connectors around my shack. I decided to change my entire > station, including the SteppIR, to N-type, and have never looked back. > > > 73, Greg, ZL3IX > > On 06.12.2018 13:29, Steve Ireland wrote: > G'day >> >> About five years I discovered this fool-proof and brilliant > way to solder PL-259s invented by Bill Maxon N4AR who taught this to > Tim K3LR. Tim uses this method throughout his contest station and did > a great job of documenting it - see > http://www.k3lr.com/engineering/pl259/ > [1] and it has totally changed my angry and worried attitude towards > soldering PL-259s. >> >> The key component is Amphenol 83-1SP connectors. > The connector body is silver and the shell is nickel and you can buy > them from Mouser or DX Engineering. >> >> Vy 73 >> >> Steve, VK6VZ >> > --- >> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus > software. >> https://www.avast.com/antivirus [2] >> _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband [3] - Topband > Reflector > > > Links: > ------ > [1] > http://www.k3lr.com/engineering/pl259/ > [2] > https://www.avast.com/antivirus > [3] http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
