In reply to G3NYY:
TNC are Ace Walt! Almost like a mini N!
Another good one to use, is an F tyoe I think! Used all the time in Sat comms, pity that it is really only for 75 ohm as opposed 50 ohm!
My Father and I have been converted to crimp BNC in an indoor application, however for SOTA solder wins every time!
73 all
Matt G8XYJ
In reply to G8ADD:
So the nitty-gritty is an insertion loss of 0.2 dB at 2 metres and 1
dB at 70 cm from a connector that he admits is not a high quality
product. Hardly the end of the world but YMMV!
So there we have it! 
To rub salt into the purists’ wound, I use RG58/U coax as standard for all my /P operations, on all frequencies from 1.8 MHz to 432 MHz. As my feeder length is never more than 10 metres, and usually much less, I believe the feeder loss is insignificant.
“RG-58 cable can be used for moderately high frequencies. Its signal attenuation depends on the frequency, e.g. from 0.11 dB/m at 50 MHz to 1.4 dB/m at 2 GHz”
[Source: “Coaxial Cable Loss and Dynamics” by Benton County ARES/RACES]
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G8ADD:
There’s a scene in Red Dwarf where they have this discontinuous flow of time and sentences keep getting repeated. Somewhat like this thread.
I said, several comments back, that they’re not the end of the world when decent ones are used and fitted properly. It’s just that most people can’t fit them properly and you may as well do the job correctly in the first place and fit a real connector.
The principle remains that if I carry the thick end of 12-15kgs of swag, around 17kms up and down some big hills, the last thing I want to do is carry gear that has a built in performance defect when it’s just as easy to use stuff that isn’t pish by design. It’s a mindset difference between “ah it’s only a dB it’ll do” to " let’s do the job properly ". Especially when doing it properly is not particularly difficult or expensive!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to G8XYJ:
Another good one to use, is an F type I think! Used all the time in Sat comms,
pity that it is really only for 75 ohm as opposed 50 ohm!
Yes, I can handle those! I have them on all my satellite TV boxes, including the Sky TV one. You just screw the coax into the plug. The disadvantage is that they do not have a centre pin. The centre conductor of the coax acts as the centre pin, so you really need to use coax which has a solid centre conductor, i.e. not stranded like RG58/U. Coax with a solid centre conductor is unsuitable for /P use, because it will quite easily break if the feeder is constantly being rolled up and carted about in a rucksack!
I haven’t tried the crimp type of plugs … principally because I haven’t got a crimp tool. I must look into that possibility … thanks Jonathan and others who suggested it.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to MM0FMF:
The principle remains that if I carry the thick end of 12-15kgs of
swag, around 17kms up and down some big hills, the last thing I want
to do is carry gear that has a built in performance defect when it’s
just as easy to use stuff that isn’t pish by design. It’s a mindset
difference between “ah it’s only a dB it’ll do” to "
let’s do the job properly ". Especially when doing it properly is
not particularly difficult or expensive!
I understand that, Andy, but the trouble is that “doing it properly” means either an N or a BNC connector, and the 817 doesn’t have an N socket but it does have a BNC. So, you either use an adapter to the SO239 (which of course is silly) or fit a BNC to the coax. Now one thing that 40 years experience of toting a PUNDIT ultrasonic tester around construction sites taught me is that BNC plugs are really not at all suited to the rough and tumble of outdoors work, the coax breaks off from the centre pin all too frequently, making it necessary to carry a couple of spare leads for the transducers. For that reason alone, ignoring the reputed fragility of the BNC socket in the FT817, I will not use a BNC for portable work. The silly thing is that I take out either the 817 or the 857, and as the other gear has to be compatible with both, I use an N to SO239 adapter on the 857 - I bet that thought makes you want to break out the medicinal malt!
73
Brian G8ADD
I haven’t tried the crimp type of plugs … principally because I
haven’t got a crimp tool. I must look into that possibility …
thanks Jonathan and others who suggested it.
No problem Walt,
I think I paid £13 or so for mine off a well known auction site and it’s made for RG58/59 coax. I also got one of those cheap £5 or so rotary coax cutters. A bit fiddly to set for the right depth/length of cut at first, but it prepares the coax perfectly for the crimp plug. Also worthwhile putting a bit of heatshrink over the crimped part of the plug too.
73
Jonathan
In reply to G8ADD:
In reply to MM0FMF:
I use an N to SO239
adapter on the 857 - I bet that thought makes you want to break out
the medicinal malt!
Same here, Brian. I suspect, in the case of 2m fm, using an N type plug on my collinear at 2K ASL feet using a 7m feeder, would be barely noticeable .(dons tin hat and heads for the bomb proof shelter)
Oddly enough the X-300 is fitted with an SO239 and my X-510 is fitted with an N type connector. I fitted a N to SO239 adapter to the X-510…
73
Mike 2E0YYY
In reply to G8ADD:
BNC plugs are really not at all suited to the rough and tumble of outdoors
work, the coax breaks off from the centre pin all too frequently,
Agreed! (As I intimated in one of my earlier postings.)
The silly thing is that I take out either the 817 or the 857, and as
the other gear has to be compatible with both, I use an N to SO239
adapter on the 857 - I bet that thought makes you want to break out
the medicinal malt!
Tee hee! I also have an 817 and an 857. However, my 857 is the type which has SO239 sockets for BOTH the HF and the VHF/UHF antennas! (I think this is standard on all except the UK versions.) Therefore I do not need to use an N to SO239 adapter.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to M6HBS:
Also worthwhile putting a bit of heatshrink over the crimped part of the
plug too.
Ah … that’s something else I haven’t got! A device for heating heatshrink tubing.
Thanks for the nice QSO on 2m FM this lunchtime.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
A device for heating heatshrink tubing.
Well you could capture and use the hot air from this reflector! 
I find a soldering iron held close but not touching the heatshrink will do. Not as good as a heatshrink gun of course.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
I find a soldering iron held close but not touching the heatshrink
will do. Not as good as a heatshrink gun of course.
Great minds think alike (or something). That’s exactly the method I used to put the bits of heatshrink on to the elements of my 70cm SOTAbeam.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Ooooh, look! Someone from down my way is trespassing on your summit, Mickey!!!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Ooooh, look! Someone from down my way is trespassing on your summit,
Mickey!!!
Yeah, worked Grant on Sunday, Walt. He’s here on holiday and his car has packed up. Just worked him on his H/H on the way down from the summit, so no points for me :-))))))
BTW, this may be a useful link for you, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HOT-AIR-HEAT-GUN-2000W-WALL-PAPER-PAINT-STRIPPER-NEW-/130540324478?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM
Free delivery too!
73
Mickey
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
BTW, this may be a useful link for you,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HOT-AIR-HEAT-GUN-2000W-WALL-PAPER-PAINT-STRIPPER-NEW-/130540324478?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM
Thanks! Very interesting.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
Thanks for the nice QSO on 2m FM this lunchtime.
A pleasure as always Walt. Strange to think that we have both worked for the same organisation albeit a few decades apart!
John Liffen is doing a talk for the Swindon DARC on 6th October on Wheatstone & Cockcroft’s Telegraph if you’re interested Walt. Good to see you if can make it down!
73
Jonathan
In reply to M6HBS:
John Liffen is doing a talk for the Swindon DARC on 6th October on
Wheatstone & Cockcroft’s Telegraph if you’re interested Walt. Good
to see you if can make it down!
Thanks. I’ve made a note of that. Not sure yet of my availability, but we’ll see.
But is it not the “Cooke and Wheatstone Telegraph”?
http://distantwriting.co.uk/cookewheatstone.aspx
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
[Is this a record thread for topic drift?]
But is it not the “Cooke and Wheatstone Telegraph”
Yes, correct Walt…I was partially thinking of Cockcroft & Walton there!
[Is this a record thread for topic drift?]
Yes, looks that way. Anyhow, I’ll go off and clear and QSY to another thread!
73
Jonathan
In reply to G3NYY:
It could well be a record Walt, but I’m sure Mike doesn’t mind & it is very interesting.
Maybe this topic needs a crystal oven Hi!
I’m afaid I use PL259 plugs & for virtually all of my cables, especially for low power portable use. The only exception would be on 2m/70cms where I use N types & Westflex W103 at home for my permanently installed vertical dual band antenna & when using my 70cms 9 element Tonna Yagi temporarily.
At the frequencies & powers I use, PL259’s are more than adequate & to change every instance of a PL259 to an N type would be expensive, time consuming & pretty much pointless.
One website people might find useful is this one I found ealier while looking at the pro’s & con’s of different connectors. It is the Amphenol website & from the page below (For N type) click on the “Assembly instructions” hyperlink & it will bring up a PDF showing how to correctly make up a plug with variou types of cable.
There is a list down the left hand side showing various connectors, & each page has an “Assembly instructions” link.
Quite useful if you are working with connectors you may not be familiar with
http://www.amphenolrf.com/products/typen.asp?N=0&sid=4E30A6803949E17F&
Best 73,
Mark G0VOF
In reply :
The road to enlightenment is long, rocky and strewn with many obstacles.
Many travel the road yet few complete the journey.
Enlightenment will come to those for whom good enough is not good enough.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
Well, it seems this thread has become like a “November rambler”… the kind of threads we get here on the reflector every November while activators await the winter bonus.
It was still 23C here when I came in an hour ago… oh for the chance of a local summit to carry out an evening activation on while such benign conditions exist. Can someone drag High Vinnalls closer to me? - I just fancy an hour parked on that bench at the summit.
73, Gerald G4OIG