robert casey wrote:

Extra credit if they can do it without melting the
dielectric insulation of the coax. More points if they
can get the solder to actually flow onto the connector body
where the shield solder holes are located (helps if you
use a small file to remove the plating first).
And more points if they remember to put the shell on the
cable in the correct direction before doing any soldering ;-)


I used to tin the braid then use a small tubing cutter to trim the
shield to the right length. I used a drill to remove the plating from
the holes and file all the chrome off between the holes. I tinned the
center conductor and put a drop of liquid RMA flux on the center
conductor and the braid before I put the coax into the plug, then
soldered all four holes and the center pin. I didn't melt the
dielectric, and you couldn't pull the coax out of the plug. I also used
my Sprague TO-6 to put a couple hundred volts across the cable to make
sure there were no loose strands waiting to short out. I had Hams and
CBers tell me my cables were too expensive but they kept coming back to
buy more to replace other bad cables, and they started sending other
people to me, as well.

I had someone bring me a cable he bought somewhere else. He said it
was "Kind of lossy" No wonder. It was a dead short at one end. He
didn't want two new plugs so i walked out the door to my truck and
raised the hood. I touched the center pin of one plug and the sleeve of
the other plug across the battery. Smoke and flames came out of one
plug. A true "Quick & Dirty" test that never fails to find the shorted
plug.

--
Former professional electron wrangler.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida