Coax Connector Questions
 

Hello:

This will be my first outdoor receiving antenna project.

For running coax between a receive only antenna (30 MHz), and the receiver
in the house,
what are the typical connectors to specify.

Some of these connectors will be outdoors, of course, and this is a
consideration as they will
be essentially inaccessible, and I would like them to remain tight,
functional, etc. for a long time..

I guess for 30 MHz, I don't need the higher freq. fancy N or F, etc., but
should I
go with BNC's, PL-259/259, or...? Why ?

How does one protect outdoor coax connectors ?
Gunk them up with RTV or...?

Are therer "better quality" ones avail. than what one sees in the Universl
cat., such as Silver plated, etc. ?
Worth getting ?

Thanks,
Bob

Coax Connector Questions
 

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006 16:15:19 -0500, "Robert11"
wrote:

Hello:

This will be my first outdoor receiving antenna project.

For running coax between a receive only antenna (30 MHz), and the receiver
in the house,
what are the typical connectors to specify.

Some of these connectors will be outdoors, of course, and this is a
consideration as they will
be essentially inaccessible, and I would like them to remain tight,
functional, etc. for a long time..

I guess for 30 MHz, I don't need the higher freq. fancy N or F, etc., but
should I
go with BNC's, PL-259/259, or...? Why ?

How does one protect outdoor coax connectors ?
Gunk them up with RTV or...?

Are therer "better quality" ones avail. than what one sees in the Universl
cat., such as Silver plated, etc. ?
Worth getting ?

Thanks,
Bob



Are you matching a wire to a cable. You'll need a ''balun''.

I'd get one of the F-Connector types he

http://www.geocities.com/qrp_baluns/lm.html

as the Cable TV stuff (RG-6, connectors, grounding blocks, etc.) is
ubiquitous and cheap.

Coax Connector Questions
 

In article ,
"Robert11" wrote:

Hello:

This will be my first outdoor receiving antenna project.

For running coax between a receive only antenna (30 MHz), and the
receiver in the house, what are the typical connectors to specify.

Some of these connectors will be outdoors, of course, and this is a
consideration as they will be essentially inaccessible, and I would
like them to remain tight, functional, etc. for a long time..

I guess for 30 MHz, I don't need the higher freq. fancy N or F,
etc., but should I go with BNC's, PL-259/259, or...? Why ?

How does one protect outdoor coax connectors ? Gunk them up with RTV
or...?

Are therer "better quality" ones avail. than what one sees in the
Universl cat., such as Silver plated, etc. ? Worth getting ?

Use whichever is more convenient for you to use of the 50 ohm variety
and that would be the BNC or 259. The F type is a cheap connector and
the N is more expensive.

The silver plating maybe overkill but the soldered units are usually
better then crimped.

Outdoor connectors should have a sealant put on them.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

Hi,

Thanks for help and suggestions, as well as all the help you've provided in
the past. Really appreciate it.

What sealant would you suggest ?
Just gunk up with RTV, or is there something neater and just as effective ?

Regards,
Bob
------------------------

"Telamon" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Robert11" wrote:

Hello:

This will be my first outdoor receiving antenna project.

For running coax between a receive only antenna (30 MHz), and the
receiver in the house, what are the typical connectors to specify.

Some of these connectors will be outdoors, of course, and this is a
consideration as they will be essentially inaccessible, and I would
like them to remain tight, functional, etc. for a long time..

I guess for 30 MHz, I don't need the higher freq. fancy N or F,
etc., but should I go with BNC's, PL-259/259, or...? Why ?

How does one protect outdoor coax connectors ? Gunk them up with RTV
or...?

Are therer "better quality" ones avail. than what one sees in the
Universl cat., such as Silver plated, etc. ? Worth getting ?

Use whichever is more convenient for you to use of the 50 ohm variety
and that would be the BNC or 259. The F type is a cheap connector and
the N is more expensive.

The silver plating maybe overkill but the soldered units are usually
better then crimped.

Outdoor connectors should have a sealant put on them.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

Robert11 wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for help and suggestions, as well as all the help you've provided in
the past. Really appreciate it.

What sealant would you suggest ?
Just gunk up with RTV, or is there something neater and just as effective ?

Coax-Seal... that along with some good black electrical tape.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/1194.html

dxAce
Michigan
USA

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 08:26:33 -0500, dxAce
wrote:



Robert11 wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for help and suggestions, as well as all the help you've provided in
the past. Really appreciate it.

What sealant would you suggest ?
Just gunk up with RTV, or is there something neater and just as effective ?

Coax-Seal... that along with some good black electrical tape.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/1194.html

dxAce
Michigan
USA


On the outside of the putty.

FYI If you buy it as 3M Electrical Putty it costs much less.

http://www.tessco.com/products/displ...41&eventPage=1

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

David wrote:

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 08:26:33 -0500, dxAce
wrote:



Robert11 wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for help and suggestions, as well as all the help you've provided in
the past. Really appreciate it.

What sealant would you suggest ?
Just gunk up with RTV, or is there something neater and just as effective ?

Coax-Seal... that along with some good black electrical tape.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/1194.html

On the outside of the putty.

The electrical tape? No, underneath. Just leave a bit hanging out and at removal
time everything comes off nice and neat.

Works like a charm.

dxAce
Michigan
USA



FYI If you buy it as 3M Electrical Putty it costs much less.

http://www.tessco.com/products/displ...41&eventPage=1

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

David wrote:

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 08:26:33 -0500, dxAce
wrote:



Robert11 wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for help and suggestions, as well as all the help you've provided in
the past. Really appreciate it.

What sealant would you suggest ?
Just gunk up with RTV, or is there something neater and just as effective ?

Coax-Seal... that along with some good black electrical tape.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/1194.html

dxAce
Michigan
USA


On the outside of the putty.

FYI If you buy it as 3M Electrical Putty it costs much less.

http://www.tessco.com/products/displ...41&eventPage=1

Gee, that's $10.70 per roll (list)(60" long) vs. the Coax-Seal at $2.99 per roll
(60" long).

How does it cost much less?

dxAce
Michigan
USA

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 11:32:29 -0500, dxAce
wrote:




David wrote:

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 08:26:33 -0500, dxAce
wrote:



Robert11 wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for help and suggestions, as well as all the help you've provided in
the past. Really appreciate it.

What sealant would you suggest ?
Just gunk up with RTV, or is there something neater and just as effective ?

Coax-Seal... that along with some good black electrical tape.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/1194.html

dxAce
Michigan
USA


On the outside of the putty.

FYI If you buy it as 3M Electrical Putty it costs much less.

http://www.tessco.com/products/displ...41&eventPage=1

Gee, that's $10.70 per roll (list)(60" long) vs. the Coax-Seal at $2.99 per roll
(60" long).

How does it cost much less?

dxAce
Michigan
USA

3 times wider and twice as thick.

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

In article ,
dxAce wrote:

Robert11 wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for help and suggestions, as well as all the help you've provided in
the past. Really appreciate it.

What sealant would you suggest ?
Just gunk up with RTV, or is there something neater and just as effective ?

Coax-Seal... that along with some good black electrical tape.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/1194.html

Yes that is good stuff to use. Any sealer that can stand up to outdoor
use and keep out moisture will work but they are all kind of messy to
use. Coax-seal is a little easier to cut off and clean up when when you
need to disconnect the coax in the future.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

David wrote:

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 11:32:29 -0500, dxAce
wrote:




David wrote:

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 08:26:33 -0500, dxAce
wrote:



Robert11 wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for help and suggestions, as well as all the help you've provided in
the past. Really appreciate it.

What sealant would you suggest ?
Just gunk up with RTV, or is there something neater and just as effective ?

Coax-Seal... that along with some good black electrical tape.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/1194.html

dxAce
Michigan
USA


On the outside of the putty.

FYI If you buy it as 3M Electrical Putty it costs much less.

http://www.tessco.com/products/displ...41&eventPage=1

Gee, that's $10.70 per roll (list)(60" long) vs. the Coax-Seal at $2.99 per roll
(60" long).

How does it cost much less?

3 times wider and twice as thick.

Seems to me the narrower width of the Coax-Seal makes it a bit easier to work with,
though I suppose one could cut the 3M stuff.

I bought 2 rolls of the Coax-Seal about 10 years ago and still have one full roll and
a partial here. The thickness is certainly adequate.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 16:34:53 -0500, dxAce
wrote:



How does it cost much less?

3 times wider and twice as thick.

Seems to me the narrower width of the Coax-Seal makes it a bit easier to work with,
though I suppose one could cut the 3M stuff.

I bought 2 rolls of the Coax-Seal about 10 years ago and still have one full roll and
a partial here. The thickness is certainly adequate.

dxAce
Michigan
USA
Andrew sends it out with EIA terminations for Heliax (3" continuous 50
Ohm transmission line). I get it from tower climbers. Use it for
everything.

From OP: Coax Connector Questions
 

On 2006-01-28, Robert11 wrote:
Hi,

Thanks for help and suggestions, as well as all the help you've provided in
the past. Really appreciate it.

What sealant would you suggest ?
Just gunk up with RTV, or is there something neater and just as effective ?


I tape first, then gunk -- it makes ungunking easier if you need/want to
change the connector at a later date.