Clamp types have cause me problems over the years, stay away from them.
Crimp type work ok in the shack but not out side for a long time. Solder it
by far the best way to go. Another type that works good outside is
compression clamps. The ones meant to be used with hard line. They cost
more, but unless you like climbing up a 60 foot tower in a contest, they are
worth the cost!

Chuck WA3IAC

"Chris W" wrote in message
news:SkNqf.41400$ih5.2551@dukeread11...
I am new in ham radio and want to get set up to make the coax assemblies I
will inevitably be needing in the future. I am planing on using only LMR
style coax 240, 400, 600 and maybe some 900 if I get into the 1.2ghz stuff.
So is it better to use the crimp, clamp or solder on connectors. In the
case of the center conductor, there are some where that is solder and the
outer is crimp or clamp so is crimp and or clamp ok for the outer conductor
and solder better for the inner? I welcome all points of view on this.
Thanks for you input.


--
Chris W
KE5GIX

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Chuck S. wrote:

Clamp types have cause me problems over the years, stay away from them.
Crimp type work ok in the shack but not out side for a long time.

If you are going to crimp and use it outside you certainly need to use
some good adhesive lined shrink tube to seal it up. I'm curious why no
one seems to like crimp. Other than the cost of the tools to do it
right it seems like a much easier way to go. Crimping works great for
other types of connections. Also I did a lot of browsing on Times
Microwave's web site and about all they talk about are crimp and clamp
on connectors, for the big cables it is clamp only, I think part of the
reason for that is you would probably need a hydraulic crimping tool for
those big cables

Solder it
by far the best way to go. Another type that works good outside is
compression clamps. The ones meant to be used with hard line. They cost
more, but unless you like climbing up a 60 foot tower in a contest, they are worth the cost!



I like those, the only connectors I have put on so far is a solder/clamp
N and a solder UHF, the N was a solder on pin, which was pretty easy and
then the clamp on outer shell. The only hard part was getting the cable
striped cleanly but a good coax stripper should fix that. That is the
next thing I plan on buying, I just need to find a good one.

--
Chris W
KE5GIX

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One thing I should have said was that I use ONLY "N" connectors from 144 to
1296. I read, maybe in this group, that UHF connectors are ok to 500MHz.
Like I said, I don't use them above 144MHz. and I know some hams that don't
use UHF connectors on 6 meter. Above 2304 I use SMA's and WG on 24GHz. I'm
getting off track, solder is the best way to go for UHF, or use whatever "N"
connector Time recommends for their cables.


"Chris W" wrote in message
news:tvZqf.41428$ih5.4963@dukeread11...
Chuck S. wrote:

Clamp types have cause me problems over the years, stay away from them.
Crimp type work ok in the shack but not out side for a long time.
If you are going to crimp and use it outside you certainly need to use
some good adhesive lined shrink tube to seal it up. I'm curious why no
one seems to like crimp. Other than the cost of the tools to do it right
it seems like a much easier way to go. Crimping works great for other
types of connections. Also I did a lot of browsing on Times Microwave's
web site and about all they talk about are crimp and clamp on connectors,
for the big cables it is clamp only, I think part of the reason for that
is you would probably need a hydraulic crimping tool for those big cables


Solder it by far the best way to go. Another type that works good outside
is compression clamps. The ones meant to be used with hard line. They cost
more, but unless you like climbing up a 60 foot tower in a contest, they
are worth the cost!


I like those, the only connectors I have put on so far is a solder/clamp N
and a solder UHF, the N was a solder on pin, which was pretty easy and
then the clamp on outer shell. The only hard part was getting the cable
striped cleanly but a good coax stripper should fix that. That is the
next thing I plan on buying, I just need to find a good one.

--
Chris W
KE5GIX

Gift Giving Made Easy
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One stop wish list for any gift, from anywhere, for any occasion!
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Crimp is also very common in aerospace
and military.

alex wrote:
Crimp is also very common in aerospace
and military.

And probably for a reason! ;^)

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 13:51:42 GMT, "Chuck S."
wrote:

Clamp types have cause me problems over the years, stay away from them.
Crimp type work ok in the shack but not out side for a long time. Solder it
by far the best way to go. Another type that works good outside is
compression clamps. The ones meant to be used with hard line. They cost
more, but unless you like climbing up a 60 foot tower in a contest, they are
worth the cost!

How about using clamp N-types *and* soldering them?? You'd have to
drill a hole or two in the outer casing for the solder, but wouldn't
it be the most secure solution?
--

"What is now proved was once only imagin'd" - William Blake

Solder - the only way to go.

Also, check out The WireMan ( http://thewireman.com/index.shtml ) for coax,
connectors and their cat. (Wirebook III) has a real good section on
soldering.

K7SAM

hi Chris,

Welmcome to ham radio, I am sure you will enjoy it
as much as the rest of us have !

Since you are starting out, to solder you just need
the iron, 100-120 watts with chisel tip is just fine,
don't attempt with the lower wattage units, you end
up damaging the coax dielectric and have more problems.

Crimps have their place, but, you will need to buy or
borrow the crimp frame tool along with the correct
dies for the connectors you want to crimp.
This is a lot more expensive then the solder iron.

Be sure to buy and use name brand connectors,
quality is worth the price, you buy it once.
You can get a bag of the cheap ones to practice
with and then use the good Amphenol or other brands.

http://www.amphenolrf.com/products/a...ctions/274.pdf

The above pdf has installation instructions.

73 Luke

Luke wrote:

hi Chris,

Welmcome to ham radio, I am sure you will enjoy it
as much as the rest of us have !

Since you are starting out, to solder you just need
the iron, 100-120 watts with chisel tip is just fine,
don't attempt with the lower wattage units, you end
up damaging the coax dielectric and have more problems.

Crimps have their place, but, you will need to buy or
borrow the crimp frame tool along with the correct
dies for the connectors you want to crimp.
This is a lot more expensive then the solder iron.

Be sure to buy and use name brand connectors,
quality is worth the price, you buy it once.
You can get a bag of the cheap ones to practice
with and then use the good Amphenol or other brands.

http://www.amphenolrf.com/products/a...ctions/274.pdf

The above pdf has installation instructions.

73 Luke

If you follow the amphenol instructions, they omit one thing. Take a little
extra fine grit paper and clean the areas where you will be applying the
solder. It can never be too clean, and there is often a little corrosive
film which you cannot always see with the eye that develops over time.

Irv VE6BP
--
--------------------------------------
Diagnosed Type II Diabetes March 5 2001
Beating it with diet and exercise!
297/215/210 (to be revised lower)
58"/43"(!)/44" (already lower too!)
--------------------------------------
Visit my HomePage at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/index.html
Visit my Baby Sofia website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/index.htm
Visit my OLDTIMERS website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/index.htm
--------------------
Irv Finkleman,
Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Luke wrote:

hi Chris,

Welmcome to ham radio, I am sure you will enjoy it
as much as the rest of us have !

Since you are starting out, to solder you just need
the iron, 100-120 watts with chisel tip is just fine,
don't attempt with the lower wattage units, you end
up damaging the coax dielectric and have more problems.

Crimps have their place, but, you will need to buy or
borrow the crimp frame tool along with the correct
dies for the connectors you want to crimp.
This is a lot more expensive then the solder iron.

Be sure to buy and use name brand connectors,
quality is worth the price, you buy it once.
You can get a bag of the cheap ones to practice
with and then use the good Amphenol or other brands.

http://www.amphenolrf.com/products/a...ctions/274.pdf


Actually I plan on going out of my way to avoid UHF connectors. I plan
on doing a fair amount at 400+ mhz and the UHF connectors don't do well
up there. So about the only place I will be using UHF is at the radio
if I can't find a radio with N connectors. My watt meter has N
connectors and so do my antennas. I'm not sure why anyone would want to
use UHF on anything outside. The only way to protect a UHF from the
weather is with some coax wrap but the N has a seal built in, of course
some kind of wrap as additional protection isn't a bad idea either if it
is done right. In some cases I may even replace the UHF connector in
the radio with an N but only if it is an old radio no longer under warranty.


--
Chris W
KE5GIX

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
One stop wish list for any gift,
from anywhere, for any occasion!
http://thewishzone.com