"Andiroo" wrote in message
ps.com...
All

Is it possible to check the quality of a coax connection to a PL259
plug without taking the plug apart - i.e. simply by using a
multimeter?

Many thanks

Andy

In a newly installed connector, the most common fault, by far, is a short
from the center conductor to shield. Also, make sure that the opening in the
center pin is completely filled with solder. For small coax, I usually stuff
short pieces of heavier wire in there before soldering. You need a fairly
large iron to solder the shield. I found a ~200 W soldering gun works OK.

Tam/WB2TT

Tam/WB2TT wrote:

Andiroo wrote:
All

Is it possible to check the quality of a coax connection to a PL259
plug without taking the plug apart - i.e. simply by using a
multimeter?

Many thanks

Andy

In a newly installed connector, the most common fault, by far, is a short
from the center conductor to shield. Also, make sure that the opening in
the
center pin is completely filled with solder. For small coax, I usually
stuff
short pieces of heavier wire in there before soldering. You need a fairly
large iron to solder the shield. I found a ~200 W soldering gun works OK.

Tam/WB2TT

There are many ways to install the 83-1SP/PL-259 plugs. The instructions
given on the Amphenol website
(http://www.amphenolrf.com/products/a...ctions/274.pdf) will show
the basics. In addition to what Tam says (use LOTS of soldering iron/gun
heat, and get in/out fast), I found a way to solder the plugs that have
nickel plating on the connector body.

Nickel doesn't like to solder worth a darn, and it will take lots of heat to
burn through it. By the time you do, the cable dielectric (and possibly the
insulator on the cheaper plugs) will turn to mush. It's worse with foamed
polyethylene vs solid polyethylene coaxial cable. Before assembling the
plug onto the cable, remove the plating on the inside circumference of the
plug. A small round file, X-acto knife, or 1/8" drill bit will do the
trick. My soldering "weapon of choice" is a Weller #8200 100/140W unit.

If using RG-58, you have the option of using an Amphenol "field crimp plug",
PN 83-58-FCP which requires no soldering, no special installation (crimping)
tools, and works VERY well. Larsen supplies them in their permanent
mounting kits. I intalled lots of them at a previous gig. One day, I did a
test of how well they hang onto the cable. I installed one on a scrap piece
of cable, hooked the connector into a vise, and pulled on the cable until
something gave. The cable broke. They're $2.92 each (in QTY = 10 to 24)
from Digi-Key.

Bryan WA7PRC

Bryan wrote:
There are many ways to install the 83-1SP/PL-259 plugs. The
instructions given on the Amphenol website
(http://www.amphenolrf.com/products/a...ctions/274.pdf) will
show the basics. In addition to what Tam says (use LOTS of soldering
iron/gun heat, and get in/out fast), I found a way to solder the plugs
that have nickel plating on the connector body.

Nickel doesn't like to solder worth a darn, and it will take lots of
heat to burn through it. By the time you do, the cable dielectric (and
possibly the insulator on the cheaper plugs) will turn to mush. It's
worse with foamed polyethylene vs solid polyethylene coaxial cable.
Before assembling the plug onto the cable, remove the plating on the
inside circumference of the plug. A small round file, X-acto knife, or
1/8" drill bit will do the trick.

An even better way is to file *across* the holes, cutting the brass body
down to two thin feather edges which are easier to solder.

My soldering "weapon of choice" is a Weller #8200 100/140W unit.

For anyone who doesn't already have a large iron, I'd recommend buying
an inexpensive hot air gun instead.

If you use the hot air gun to pre-heat the connector body, your existing
25W iron can handle the soldering part.

Another use for the hot air gun is with heat-shrink tubing, so it's $20
well spent. The only risk is that someone may ask you to strip paint
with it.


--

73 from Ian GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

Ian White GM3SEK wrote:
Bryan wrote:
There are many ways to install the 83-1SP/PL-259 plugs. The
instructions given on the Amphenol website
(http://www.amphenolrf.com/products/a...ctions/274.pdf) will
show the basics. In addition to what Tam says (use LOTS of soldering
iron/gun heat, and get in/out fast), I found a way to solder the plugs
that have nickel plating on the connector body.

Nickel doesn't like to solder worth a darn, and it will take lots of
heat to burn through it. By the time you do, the cable dielectric (and
possibly the insulator on the cheaper plugs) will turn to mush. It's
worse with foamed polyethylene vs solid polyethylene coaxial cable.
Before assembling the plug onto the cable, remove the plating on the
inside circumference of the plug. A small round file, X-acto knife, or
1/8" drill bit will do the trick.

An even better way is to file *across* the holes, cutting the brass body
down to two thin feather edges which are easier to solder.

Even better is to do both. Removing the plating inside the hole will
promote the flow of solder across the junction of connector body to shield,
which is what we want.

My soldering "weapon of choice" is a Weller #8200 100/140W unit.

For anyone who doesn't already have a large iron, I'd recommend buying
an inexpensive hot air gun instead.

If you use the hot air gun to pre-heat the connector body, your existing
25W iron can handle the soldering part.

Preheating the connector is a technique I've used, when I didn't have a
large iron handy.

Another use for the hot air gun is with heat-shrink tubing, so it's $20
well spent. The only risk is that someone may ask you to strip paint
with it.
--

73 from Ian GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

Bryan WA7PRC

Bryan wrote:
An even better way is to file *across* the holes, cutting the brass body
down to two thin feather edges which are easier to solder.

Even better is to do both. Removing the plating inside the hole will
promote the flow of solder across the junction of connector body to
shield, which is what we want.

Sorry, I cannot have explained that clearly enough.

If you do what I suggested, there is no point in removing the plating
from the inside wall of the hole first, because you're going to file all
of that metal away.

Keep filing until the inside wall is completely gone, and the hole is
surrounded by a sharp edge that tapers to zero. At that point, stop
filing - it's ready for soldering.


--

73 from Ian GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek