Maybe Richard. You and I are of approximately the same vintage and I have seen white opaque plastic, white semi-translucent plastic, grey opaque plastic, black opaque plastic and a few ceramic versions (3, 4 or 6 way only, not user sizeable) for use in hightemp environments. They have always been made of a soft PVC type plastic that can easily be cut with a sharp knife (Stanley/Exacto).
The first radio I made was a crystal set with audio amp built on chocolate block using an OA91 and 2x OC71s in 1971 I think. The OC71 was ideal for young boys as the leads seemed to be about a foot long compared with modern transistors like BC109s! Chocolate block was standard constructional material until I got a soldering iron in 1972/1973 (Antex Model C, somewhere in the loft, still working on original element, had a few new bits).
This nickname arises from the first such connectors made in the UK by GEC, Witton in the 1950s. Moulded in brown plastic, they were said to resemble a small bar of chocolate.
To prove a point, I activated Lord Arthur’s Hill this morning. Recently I’ve been carrying band specific antennas and 7m pole. Today it was just the 41’ wire and the carbon 6 pole.
50 QSO’s in 40 minutes from 0950z to 1030z.
40m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m SSB.
24 DX entities
ODX was Gran Canaria on 20m
All with 5 to 10w.
Well it looks good and it works. I would like to try this as well, I love the simplicity and the short wire for fast and efficient.
Are you getting away without choking the KX2 out of curiosity ? to use with my Xeigu I need to make a 9:1 integrated with a short piece of coax to choke common mode.
PS> Is the bog factor not high enough for the Pipe support today ?
Thanks @M0RWX I’ve tried similar with my Xiegu and i get RF back into the mic and its causes complete havoc during QSO’s. Maybe i could mess with counterpoise length but I now suspect it is design flaw in the Xeigu, being susceptible to common mode current issues. I can’t wait to try this on the kX2
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