RE: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
Uggh, You're reminding me that one of my customers used hundreds of the WRONG BNC's for the cable they were running T3's with at a central office site in NJ. The T3's go up... the T3's go down... whee! All it takes is for someone to walk back there and brush up against them. Sorry, OT I know... just giving me the willies. Nate -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of John J. Riddell Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 2:12 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater) Mike, the BNC connector was designed for quick insertion / disconnect and works very well in most applications. However the Type N connector is much more robust and would be my choice for critical connections such as a Duplexer or an Antenna etc We use them all the time in the Telephone business for DS-3 connections. Here is some history on the BNC connector... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNC_connector 73 John VE3AMZ - Original Message - From: Mike Pugh mikep...@mikepugh.net To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 3:55 PM Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater) Alexander N Tubonjic wrote: I am wanting to swap out the BNC receiver connector to an N connector on my Kenwood TKR-750 2 meter repeater. After contacting Kenwood and getting quoted some crack prices I figured I'd see if anyone has anything laying around or has any ideas on here. Why? electrically, the BNC connectors and the N connectors are the same thing. Don't believe me? Try plugging them together.. Even though they won't latch together, electrically, they fit together perfectly, and can be used this way in an emergency if you're at a tower site and find you don't have the proper connector.. What am I missing? Mike Yahoo! Groups Links Yahoo! Groups Links
[Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
I am wanting to swap out the BNC receiver connector to an N connector on my Kenwood TKR-750 2 meter repeater. After contacting Kenwood and getting quoted some crack prices I figured I'd see if anyone has anything laying around or has any ideas on here. I've got the BNC Connector and the existing cable that goes from the BNC to the RX Board removed from the repeater and sitting on my desk. I also have an N Female connector that I want to put in line. The existing coax interconnect is not long enough to cut the BNC off of and solder the N on and have it be sufficient length to reach both the board and the back of the repeater. The cable is the super small sized coax terminated one one end with the little micro RCA looking plug and the Connector is on the other end. If I remember correctly it looks exactly like the coax interconnects found in the Mitrek, Syntor and all them. I'm thinking a scrap Mitrek or Syntor would work fine (any thoughts on just ganking a cable from another radio?) Anyone know where I can purchase a new cable terminated with that micro plug from (other then Kenwood, because I'm not about to pay $34 for two feet of cable) Also, I've been thinking about taking some small copper pipe and routing it inside the repeater from the BNC opening in the rear to the RX board to run the coax inside of for a little better shielding against the TX. Any thoughts/comments/suggestions on that idea? Thanks guys! Alex N4TIA
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
At 08:42 AM 1/21/2009, Alexander N Tubonjic wrote: I am wanting to swap out the BNC receiver connector to an N connector on my Kenwood TKR-750 2 meter repeater. My first and only question is why? Ken -- President and CTO - Arcom Communications Makers of repeater controllers and accessories. http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and we offer complete repeater packages! AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 http://www.irlp.net We don't just make 'em. We use 'em!
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
Alex, I have had over 30 of these repeaters in use and never ran into a problem using the BNC. I would leave well enough alone if it were me. If you do this you wont take care of the issue you may be thinking your going to fix by doing so. I have a 5 ch system UHF LTR on Cheyenne Mt just above Norad in Colorado Springs. Let's just say the noise floor is very high. Heck you have to wear an RF suite at spots on the hill so that will tell you what is going on. My point is, i am using the BNC on the system and have no problems with them at all. What is the reasoning for swapping the BNC for the N Female connector and what do you think your going to gain by doing so. There is a reason why Kenwood engineers made the repeater with the BNC and not a N Connector. Mike Mullarkey K7PFJ -- Original message -- From: Alexander N Tubonjic kg4...@yahoo.com I am wanting to swap out the BNC receiver connector to an N connector on my Kenwood TKR-750 2 meter repeater. After contacting Kenwood and getting quoted some crack prices I figured I'd see if anyone has anything laying around or has any ideas on here. I've got the BNC Connector and the existing cable that goes from the BNC to the RX Board removed from the repeater and sitting on my desk. I also have an N Female connector that I want to put in line. The existing coax interconnect is not long enough to cut the BNC off of and solder the N on and have it be sufficient length to reach both the board and the back of the repeater. The cable is the super small sized coax terminated one one end with the little micro RCA looking plug and the Connector is on the other end. If I remember correctly it looks exactly like the coax interconnects found in the Mitrek, Syntor and all them. I'm thinking a scrap Mitrek or Syntor would work fine (any thoughts on just ganking a cable from another radio?) Anyone know where I can purchase a new cable terminated with that micro plug from (other then Kenwood, because I'm not about to pay $34 for two feet of cable) Also, I've been thinking about taking some small copper pipe and routing it inside the repeater from the BNC opening in the rear to the RX board to run the coax inside of for a little better shielding against the TX. Any thoughts/comments/suggestions on that idea? Thanks guys! Alex N4TIA
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
Alexander N Tubonjic wrote: I am wanting to swap out the BNC receiver connector to an N connector on my Kenwood TKR-750 2 meter repeater. After contacting Kenwood and getting quoted some crack prices I figured I'd see if anyone has anything laying around or has any ideas on here. Why? electrically, the BNC connectors and the N connectors are the same thing. Don't believe me? Try plugging them together.. Even though they won't latch together, electrically, they fit together perfectly, and can be used this way in an emergency if you're at a tower site and find you don't have the proper connector.. What am I missing? Mike
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
Mike, the BNC connector was designed for quick insertion / disconnect and works very well in most applications. However the Type N connector is much more robust and would be my choice for critical connections such as a Duplexer or an Antenna etc We use them all the time in the Telephone business for DS-3 connections. Here is some history on the BNC connector... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNC_connector 73 John VE3AMZ - Original Message - From: Mike Pugh mikep...@mikepugh.net To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 3:55 PM Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater) Alexander N Tubonjic wrote: I am wanting to swap out the BNC receiver connector to an N connector on my Kenwood TKR-750 2 meter repeater. After contacting Kenwood and getting quoted some crack prices I figured I'd see if anyone has anything laying around or has any ideas on here. Why? electrically, the BNC connectors and the N connectors are the same thing. Don't believe me? Try plugging them together.. Even though they won't latch together, electrically, they fit together perfectly, and can be used this way in an emergency if you're at a tower site and find you don't have the proper connector.. What am I missing? Mike Yahoo! Groups Links
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
John J. Riddell wrote: Mike, the BNC connector was designed for quick insertion / disconnect and works very well in most applications. I keep forgetting why I don't post here very often. You're absolutely correct John. I never said that they were permanent substitutes for each other, I said they would work as a temporary substitute for each other in the event you were at a tower site and did not have the correct connector. If you have a choice of using the wrong connector and getting the station back on the air, or leaving it off and driving back to town to get the right connector, then they will mate for each other till you can get the right connector... Mike
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
-Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Repeater- buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mike Pugh Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 4:39 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater) John J. Riddell wrote: Mike, the BNC connector was designed for quick insertion / disconnect and works very well in most applications. I keep forgetting why I don't post here very often. You're absolutely correct John. I never said that they were permanent substitutes for each other, I said they would work as a temporary substitute for each other in the event you were at a tower site and did not have the correct connector. If you have a choice of using the wrong connector and getting the station back on the air, or leaving it off and driving back to town to get the right connector, then they will mate for each other till you can get the right connector... Mike One caveat: While a type N male will plug into a BNC female, the N center pin is a little larger than that of a BNC. Doing this will expand the sleeves in the female BNC and when you go to put a BNC male back in (with the smaller pin) it may not make good contact again. Sometimes you can get away with it and sometimes you permanently damage the BNC female. 73 Gary K4FMX
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
The rule of thumb we used on the military aircraft RF cabling was that when we were using a larger sized cable like RG-214 we always used a type N, while if we were using a smaller cable like RG-142 we used a BNC. I worked on reconnaissance aircraft for the Air Force and Navy. For video cabling we always used BNC and the wideband tape recorders were always delivered with BNC connectors. 73 - Jim W5ZIT --- On Wed, 1/21/09, Mike Pugh mikep...@mikepugh.net wrote: From: Mike Pugh mikep...@mikepugh.net Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater) To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 2:55 PM Alexander N Tubonjic wrote: I am wanting to swap out the BNC receiver connector to an N connector on my Kenwood TKR-750 2 meter repeater. After contacting Kenwood and getting quoted some crack prices I figured I'd see if anyone has anything laying around or has any ideas on here. Why? electrically, the BNC connectors and the N connectors are the same thing. Don't believe me? Try plugging them together.. Even though they won't latch together, electrically, they fit together perfectly, and can be used this way in an emergency if you're at a tower site and find you don't have the proper connector.. What am I missing? Mike
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
and may I ask why? is there a problem with the factory set up? thanks - Original Message - From: Alexander N Tubonjic To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 11:42 AM Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater) I am wanting to swap out the BNC receiver connector to an N connector on my Kenwood TKR-750 2 meter repeater. After contacting Kenwood and getting quoted some crack prices I figured I'd see if anyone has anything laying around or has any ideas on here. I've got the BNC Connector and the existing cable that goes from the BNC to the RX Board removed from the repeater and sitting on my desk. I also have an N Female connector that I want to put in line. The existing coax interconnect is not long enough to cut the BNC off of and solder the N on and have it be sufficient length to reach both the board and the back of the repeater. The cable is the super small sized coax terminated one one end with the little micro RCA looking plug and the Connector is on the other end. If I remember correctly it looks exactly like the coax interconnects found in the Mitrek, Syntor and all them. I'm thinking a scrap Mitrek or Syntor would work fine (any thoughts on just ganking a cable from another radio?) Anyone know where I can purchase a new cable terminated with that micro plug from (other then Kenwood, because I'm not about to pay $34 for two feet of cable) Also, I've been thinking about taking some small copper pipe and routing it inside the repeater from the BNC opening in the rear to the RX board to run the coax inside of for a little better shielding against the TX. Any thoughts/comments/suggestions on that idea? Thanks guys! Alex N4TIA
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
At 1/21/2009 10:10, you wrote: There is a reason why Kenwood engineers made the repeater with the BNC and not a N Connector. Cost. BTW you can use RG-214 with BNCs, but I wouldn't hang 6 ft. of RG-214 perpendicularly off of one. I use RG-223, try to keep the lengths down to 3 ft. if it's for a 440 system. Bob NO6B
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Coax Interconnect (Inside Repeater)
At 1/21/2009 15:13, you wrote: One caveat: While a type N male will plug into a BNC female, the N center pin is a little larger than that of a BNC. Doing this will expand the sleeves in the female BNC and when you go to put a BNC male back in (with the smaller pin) it may not make good contact again. Sometimes you can get away with it and sometimes you permanently damage the BNC female. Also don't forget that there are 75 ohm versions of the N, BNC SMA out there too. All barely distinguishable from each other yet incompatible, of course. Bob NO6B
