Posted: 11/16/2012 6:37:13 AM EDT
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My google fu is weak today, and I'm sicker than snot. Should be in bed, not on Arfcom.
PL-259, N, SMA, BNC, TNC and the list goes on. Then there is all the different kinds of cable. Anyone have a link to a good, easy to understand online guide to coax connectors and what cable should be used with what connector for what purpose, and what crimping dies are needed? Or is there a good book on the subject? I was given a very nice Laird NMO antenna mount with 17' of unterminated "Teflex" cable, which I think is RG-58. I was taught coax termination by the navy some 15 years ago, but we didn't use 90% of the cables and connectors I see in Ham radio. |
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Wikipedia has some decent info on the subject.
As for me and a mobile I would go with a pl259/so239 setup. 99% of your rigs are going to have the 239 connector on them anyways. As long as you are not trying to go above 440MHz it is fine. If you are planing on going above 440 or doing alot of UHF then look at an N type. With that said when I am doing HT stuff I like the BNC for its size and speed. ETA by 440 I mean the 70cm band |
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This should really confuse you but they have everything:
Pasternak |
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Generally speaking I think the ARRL Handbook has a lot of info on coax and connectors used in Amateur Radio.
You don't have to know about every single type of connector nor about every single type of coax. In Amateur Radio there are commonly used cable and connectors. Those you listed are probably the most commonly used RF connectors in the ham world. Typically, a PL-259 is used on HF and low VHF, is a male connector and can be used on different diameter cables. It is probably the most common connector on most radios. An SO-239 is the female companion to the PL-259. N-connectors are typically used on VHF and higher bands. These can also be used on different diameters of coax. BNC/TNC/SMA are connectors typically used on hand held radios to plug the rubber duckie type antenna into. As for coax, the most common types are 50 ohm. 75ohm coax is used but most ham radios are designed to work into a 50 ohm load. The first type of coax is .405" in diameter and these come in many varieties and are known as RG-213, RG-8, 9913, LMR-400, etc. Then there are the RG-8X type of coax which is thinner and about .24" in diameter. There is also the RG-58 diameter coax which is .195" in diameter. There are also thicker and thinner coax used but it is not as common as those above. Generally speaking, you use thicker diameter coax when loss is a concern or power handling ability is needed. A website where you can look at the specs of different coax is "the wireman" http://www.thewireman.com/products.html They also have lots of connector pictures, some not so clear, but it should give you an idea of what is out there. |