"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Great group; really appreciate the help.

Do receiving only.

Have been going around a bit in trying to configure several radios and
antennas, including HF receivers and Scanners, with multiple antennas. If
I use "good" quality multi-position switches to do it, the $ are getting
up a bit.

Since I don't really switch all that often, two or three times a day
perhaps, I was wondering about just forgetting the switches and just make
a simple plug panel using, I imagine, BNC connectors and coax.

So, what kind of life might I expect with BNC's, plugging and unplugging
them ?
They certainly weren't designed with multiple in and outs in mind, but
they are kind of
well built, and I imagine they would take a fair amount of usage this way;
perhaps ?

Anyone have any experience with this kind of an application ?
What would degrade first in them; the center pin ?

Any better coax connectors for this kind of patch panel usage in your
opinions ?

Thanks again,
Bob


That's exactly what BNCs were designed for; plugging and unplugging.
Take a look at all the test equipment using BNCs.
The big advantage of BNC over others is the ease on
connecting/disconnecting; they are extensively used in commercial and
military patch panels. Surplus patch panels are often a good source of
excellent connectors.

They are weatherproof, assuming you use good quality ones and not
el-cheapos; and install them correctly. I have used BNCs outside where they
have been in use through more than 20 Canadian winters and when I checked
them each spring and fall were perfectly clean inside - although the outside
showed definite signs of weathering.

The only failures I have ever observed in a properly installed BNC has been
the failure of the fingers in female receptacles on cheap connectors used in
some consumer devices - especially scanners. I usually take a close look at
any BNC on any non-professional device I purchase and if it looks suspect -
a good sign is only two fingers in the receptacle - I replace it because the
odds are it will eventually fail.
Any BNC connector which doesn't have a name and/or number on it is probably
not a good idea!

The only precaution I would take is if you have to leave a BNC - or for that
matter any connector - disconnected for any length of time outside is to
protect it from the elements. If you don't have a proper protector (they can
be hard to find) then put a piece of plastic bag over it and seal it with a
ty-wrap. I have just such a spare cable sitting out in the weather for the
last 4 years and with two layers of plastic bag material the outer layer was
starting to deteriorate after 3 years so I replaced both layers this spring.


Hope this helps.
Dave VE3HLU