"Lynn Coffelt" wrote in message
...
I just can't help opionionating about PL-259's..... in general.

Hand tightening is not sufficient..... maybe in a test situation, but if
you
are going to walk away from them, tightening with your choice of pliers.

Standard PL-259's are not waterproof, and anywhere that safety or
reliability is necessary, they've got to be sealed with something. My
personal favorite is a couple of coats of "Liquid Tape"... available in
your
choice of colors.

Someone already mentioned that these connectors, outdoors especially, are
frequently "repaired" or at least work better if taken off and reinstalled
once in a while. It is an eye-opener how many antenna installations
suddenly
work a lot better after doing just that.

There is a lot more, but the lawn needs mowing..... NOW!

Old Chief Lynn


The PL-259, and all the similar "UHF" connectors were pre-WWII attempts for
a field installable coaxial fitting and they even called them "UHF"
fittings. It is well known they aren't even a constant impedance at RF. I
don't like to see them used above 30 MHZ but realize it is commercial
practice to use them to 200 MHz or so. If you have a Time Domain
Reflectometer handy and a good commercial grade 50 ohm dummy load (Bird,
General Radio, etc), take a look at the impedance bumps as the TDR sweeps
through the PL259. It makes you a believer in type N in a hurry. I recall
Collins radio used the N connector even at HF, e.g., the old KWS-1 SSB
transmitter.
Marine antenna manufacturers such as Shakespeare include a PL-259 and the
appropriate RG-58 or RG-8X (RG-59 size) adapters with their antenna package.
I throw the PL-259s away and use a silver plated PL259 instead. The center
insulation is better, and it takes solder easily. The factory connector is
very difficult to solder and is the cause of many owner installed
intermittent in a marine environment.
3M makes a black paint to coat coax fittings for weather proofing, and I
have worked for various employers who had their favorite technique for
sealing PL-259s, such as 3M paint, RTV with Scotch 88 electrical tape, etc.
My current favorites are Coax Seal putty in tape form or "Tommy Tape"
elastic self adhering tape.
73
Doug K7ABX