The little holes in PL259
 

What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying braid in a PL259
if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a low-power jobbie?

Perchance the solution lies in using a junior hacksaw to make a slot between
two of the holes
so the big iron can get in there?

This is for an outdoors connection, so I want to ensure that it is sound.

The little holes in PL259
 

In rec.radio.amateur.antenna gareth wrote:
What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying braid in a PL259
if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a low-power jobbie?

Buy or borrow tools appropriate to the task.


--
Jim Pennino

The little holes in PL259
 

"gareth" wrote in
:

What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying
braid in a PL259 if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a
low-power jobbie?

Perchance the solution lies in using a junior hacksaw to
make a slot between two of the holes
so the big iron can get in there?

This is for an outdoors connection, so I want to ensure
that it is sound.




Use a butane torch instead.

The little holes in PL259
 

On 10/14/2015 1:42 PM, gareth wrote:
What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying braid in a PL259
if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a low-power jobbie?

Perchance the solution lies in using a junior hacksaw to make a slot between
two of the holes
so the big iron can get in there?

This is for an outdoors connection, so I want to ensure that it is sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPlcT9SXNPs

also this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYrv0z63ov8

--

Rick

The little holes in PL259
 

gareth wrote:
What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying braid in a PL259
if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a low-power jobbie?

Perchance the solution lies in using a junior hacksaw to make a slot between
two of the holes
so the big iron can get in there?

This is for an outdoors connection, so I want to ensure that it is sound.


I use a Weller pencil iron. I tin the braid on
the coax before inserting it into the fitting. You can
use the big iron to tin the areas around those little
holes before you do anything. It doesn't hurt to
sand the area around them first. When the braid is tinned,
and the fitting is tinned, it doesn't take much of an
iron to get the solder flowing through the little hole
and onto the braid.

Irv VE6BP

The little holes in PL259
 

"gareth" wrote:
What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying braid in a PL259
if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a low-power jobbie?

Perchance the solution lies in using a junior hacksaw to make a slot between
two of the holes
so the big iron can get in there?

This is for an outdoors connection, so I want to ensure that it is sound.

Gareth Alun Evans G4SDW, four decade plus radio amateur, lifelong pursuer
of "technical excellence", and "polymath".

Jesus wept.

--
STC // M0TEY // twitter.com/ukradioamateur

The little holes in PL259
 

wrote in message
...
In rec.radio.amateur.antenna gareth wrote:
What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying braid in a
PL259
if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a low-power jobbie?

Buy or borrow tools appropriate to the task.


That is the way to do it. Get a big soldering iron that will really put the
heat to it. I have used a Weller soldering gun in the past, but now use a
100 watt iron. I bought a used one at a hamfest. I think you can get some
at the Hobby Lobby store if in the US. They sell them to people that make
things out of leaded glass sort of like the old church windows.

Switch to the silver type connectors as they solder beter. If still using
the plated brass ones, take a file and cut the plating back to the brass
where you want to solder. Putting a little liquid flux on sometimes helps,
especially if the braid is all copper and not tinned.

I just about quit soldering connectors. Bought a crimp tool and crimping
them on now. You can get a crimping tool for around $ 20 and the connectors
are aboout the same or less in cost.

The little holes in PL259
 

Ralph Mowery wrote:

wrote in message
...
In rec.radio.amateur.antenna gareth wrote:
What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying braid in a
PL259
if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a low-power jobbie?

Buy or borrow tools appropriate to the task.


That is the way to do it. Get a big soldering iron that will really put the
heat to it. I have used a Weller soldering gun in the past, but now use a
100 watt iron. I bought a used one at a hamfest. I think you can get some
at the Hobby Lobby store if in the US. They sell them to people that make
things out of leaded glass sort of like the old church windows.


An old Solon, ex BT, iron is ideal, I think they are about 50W but the key
thing is they have a decent sized bit. That means a good thermal mass to
get the plug up to temp. quickly.

In the UK, fitting a Coax plug is part of the Intermediate licence and I
teach the following method, especially for RG213 etc. Strip the PVC jacket.
Using the plug as a guide, decide which area of the braid will be under the
holes. Tin the braid, using a bit of liquid flux. The tinning must be very
light. Using a pipe cutter and the plug as a guide, cut the surplus braid
away. The tinning ensures a neat cut with no stray 'whiskers'. Next, trim
away the inner insulation, about 2mm beyond the tinned braid.

You should now be able to assemble the plug and see the inner emerge from
the centre pin and the tinned braid through the holes. A small amount of
liquid flux around the holes and solder, with a decent sized iron, and you
will get a good connection. Solder the inner.

I've taught countless Intermediates this technique, including my daughters
when they were about 10 or so. After all, fitting a 259 is a basic skill.
Anyone who claims to be a home brewer should surely be able to do it.
As for having a soldering iron large enough, it is the kind of thing I
would expect an active model engineer to have- if someone needed to borrow
one.

The little holes in PL259
 

On 10/14/2015 3:08 PM, Stephen Thomas Cole wrote:
"gareth" wrote:
What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying braid in a PL259
if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a low-power jobbie?

Perchance the solution lies in using a junior hacksaw to make a slot between
two of the holes
so the big iron can get in there?

This is for an outdoors connection, so I want to ensure that it is sound.

Gareth Alun Evans G4SDW, four decade plus radio amateur, lifelong pursuer
of "technical excellence", and "polymath".

Jesus wept.

This was a nice little discussion until you showed up. What is your
intent exactly?

--

Rick

The little holes in PL259
 

Brian Reay wrote in :

Ralph Mowery wrote:

wrote in message
...
In rec.radio.amateur.antenna gareth
wrote:
What's the solution to soldering through to the underlying braid in
a PL259
if the only
soldering iron small enough to engage the holes is a low-power
jobbie?

Buy or borrow tools appropriate to the task.


That is the way to do it. Get a big soldering iron that will really
put the heat to it. I have used a Weller soldering gun in the past,
but now use a 100 watt iron. I bought a used one at a hamfest. I
think you can get some at the Hobby Lobby store if in the US. They
sell them to people that make things out of leaded glass sort of like
the old church windows.


An old Solon, ex BT, iron is ideal, I think they are about 50W but the
key thing is they have a decent sized bit. That means a good thermal
mass to get the plug up to temp. quickly.

Mine was 65W, IIRC. Haven't seen it for a while; I think it's out in the
garage. And yes, they are polarised. I can remember holding and staring
at something I was about to solder and reaching out for the iron without
looking. Picked it up by the wrong end. You only do that once!