If a crimp is done properly, its consistently superior to solder, unless
you’re a NASA certified solder person. When I say properly, I mean well
designed connectors with the correct crimp tool and tension. Much of the
cheap, off shore cable assys with crimp connectors are sub standard and
that can give crimp an unwarranted bad name. If you give the same crimp
connectors, tools and instructions to a bunch of hams, you will get
consistent results. Give the same group solder connectors and various
heat implements and the results will vary from excellent to disastrous.
Do you really know what’s inside that PL-259 that you just soldered to a
piece of foam dielectric LMR cable? Did the solder gun turn the foam
into a solid blob of some new kind of plastic inside the connector? Are
you positive the heat didn’t make the center conductor migrate in the
dielectric? Did the solder flow up the braid and make a future failure
point beyond the connector? I participated in assembling an aircraft
wiring harness once (will never do that again) and solder was completely
off limits, only crimp connectors could be used. The reasons for crimp
were consistency in performance, the ability to audit the crimp tools
and people’s lives were at stake if something failed.
Mike


Chris W wrote:
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.