That's exactly what I have been thinking. Don't blame the connector just because someone installed it wrong or because they subjected it to a condition that they shouldn't have.
I was at a two-meter repeater site not long ago helping chase down some "issues." On top of the rack was discovered what was thought to be an unused coil of RG-8 cable. Nope. It was about 75' of coax that was sitting there between the duplexer and the heliax. When it was closer inspected, the shields were never soldered to the shells of the PL-259 connectors. Obviously the whole mess was a poor install, but to whomever left it that way, I'm sure that they left thinking they'd done everything right. Chuck WB2EDV Rod Lane wrote: >You should probably not be looping those patch cables through cinder blocks >before you attach them to the antenna. ;^) > >Seriously, the rated pull force for Amphenol Type N is on their web site at >http://www.amphenolrf.com/products/typen.asp > >Cable Retention; >Crimps: 60-120 lbs >Clamps: 30-70 lbs. > >If you had this kind of problem, I'd sincerely suspect an installation >issue. Improper strip length or crimping can lead to poor cable retention. >Check you connector manufacturers' data sheet. > >73 > >Rod Lane, N1FNE > >-----Original Message----- > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: > Re: [Repeater-Builder] Crimp versus Clamp Connectors > From: > Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com > To: > Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com > > To: > Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com > > >There is no "knife edge" against the braid,it is a clamping type >connector that the braid folds over a stepped insert. > I will relate my experience with crimp connectors when we decided to >try them for the first time. We had put 22 antennas up on a 500' Rohn 65 >tower with crimped on connectors on all the pigtails and 11 of them >failed within a month. They had pulled out or had broken the shield >braid at the crimp. We did a little non-scientific stress test on crimp >vs. clamp pigtails by suspending a weight from the cable ,adding more >until they failed. The clamp type took THREE TIMES as much weight before >it let go.We also did a flex test and the crimp braid failed long before >the clamp one did. That was all I needed to see to change my mind! All >were replaced with mil-spec clamp style connectors and are all still in >service 20 years after the fact. Company policy was implemented that >required all outdoor connectors be mil-spec clamp type Amphenols at all >303 company tower sites. Now maybe you can get away with crimps on some >sites,but not up north on the Great Lakes where winds are tough and ice >is common. You quickly learn what works and what doesnt and you will >NEVER convice me to use crimp on connectors again! I guess I'm old and >set in my ways,for good reason.... 73,Lee > >Eric Lemmon wrote: > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Repeater-Builder/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
