[Linux-ham] Is LMR-400 cable all the same?

[donroden at hiwaay.net]

I use type N connectors because I find them easier to install than UHF.
( just my preference, and the way I do things )

I fan the braid out over the gasket cutter ring and use a 300 watt gun  
and solder the braid all the way around ( the hotter the gun, the  
quicker the solder flow and less total heat on the dielectric ) cool  
it with a can of compressed air.  Then I trim the braid with a side  
cutter.  This way, there is no chance of the connector shorting out  
due to loose braid wires.  When you tighten the back nut, this makes a  
connection that you can swing from.

My advice is to never rely on an "N" connection unless you solder the braid.

Don WA4NPL




Quoting "Tanner Lovelace" <kb4tye at arrl.net>:

> 2009/3/25 David Black <dave at jamsoft.com>:
>
>> There's no downside I know of in using N connectors for any band you want,
>> except they tend to be more expensive.   At lower frequencies like 2 meters
>> and below, the performance difference between constant impedance/very low
>> loss connectors like N and others such as the PL-259 is relatively small.
>
> At what point does it become a good idea to switch to something like an
> N connector?  At home, I have a dual band 2m/70cm radio hooked to a
> Ventenna antenna on the roof and to run to the radio I have to go from
> the attic to the crawlspace and then up to the radio.  I first tried a normal
> RG-8 cable and while that worked on 2m, on 70cm the length of the cable
> run made it so that no one could hear anything I transmitted.  I swapped
> that out for an LMR-type cable (don't remember the exact designation
> right now, but it was similar to LMR and on sale at RARSFest one year
> since I think it was basically what was left from a spool) and with the
> LMR-type cable doing the run 70cm works very well.  However, I am
> using PL-259 connectors on it, but the LMR cable does go directly
> to the radio (there's a short section of RG-8M in the attic to get to
> the LMR cable.
>
> So, basically, my question is would I have been better served by
> using an N connector? (My guess is the answer is no, but I'd
> love to hear the more detailed explanation of why that is.)
>
> Thanks,
> Tanner
> --
> Tanner Lovelace
> http://wtl.wayfarer.org/
> (fieldless) In fess two roundels in pale, a billet fesswise and an
> increscent, all sable.
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