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Harvester
New member
Username: Harvester
Post Number: 5
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 6:52 pm: | 
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this is the first time i have tried to solder ends on mini 8, i have done rg 8 before
could some please give some advise on how to build rg 8 mini fittings ? |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2123
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 7:43 pm: |
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ug-176 is the adapter you need copper sells them |
That Elco Guy (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 8:23 pm: |
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The standard cable connector is too large for the Mini 8 coax as you noticed. Acquire an adaptor from our friends at Copper. Specify Mini 8 coax when ordering. Slide the screw on ring and the adaptor onto the coax and then prepare the end as you did for the RG 8. Then slide up the adaptor and fold the shield down around the adaptor sleve. Trim the shield if necessary to keep the shield out of the screw in threads of the adaptor. You can tin the shield at this point to make soldering it to the connector outer case easier. Screw on the connector to the adaptor as far as it will go just as you screwed the coax on the adaptor as you did on the RG 8 coax. A tip here. Take a drill and drill out one or two holes on the connector a bit larger to make soldering the shield to the connector ground easier. Solder the center connector as usual.
Tip , with no antenna connections to the coax touch a VOM to to the center conductor soldering and the other probe to the shield soldering to make sure that there is no short between the shield and center conductor.
Tip, some people who are good with a soldering iron have been known to trim the shield down a little bit and solder the shield directly to the adaptor and let the screw threads make the contact with the connector.
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Rover
Member
Username: Rover
Post Number: 74
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 8:25 pm: |
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I am assuming you mean PL-259 connectors??? If that is what you mean, there are adaptors for that that fit the connectors properly. Here's how I do it. I know, I know---some will argue me down about soldering those blasted little holes, but I will NOT!!!!!
1. Peel back enough of the outer cover of the coax to expose the braid.
2. Carefully unravel the braid of the mini 8 all the way round the diameter. Trim the inner cover to expose the inner wire--all far enough to
reach the outmost end of the whole connector to be soldered.
3. Now fold this unraveled braid back over the outer cover evenly around the the coax.
4. Slide this adaptor with the thick portion of the shell onto and over the braid until it covers
the braid and none shows towards the business end
(the inner wire) of the 259 connector.
5. Slide the attachment ring onto the coax and let it fall down the coax out of the way. Make sure it is on so as to screw onto the radio.
6. Now screw the BODY of the PL259 onto the adaptor leaving enough just enough wire to solder the tip. You'll trim the excess later. Snug it down tightly and solder JUST the tip. Leave those durned holes ALONE as there is now nothing to solder to anyhow.
Yer Done!
Why do this? And,yes, some folks will scream bloody murder about soldering those holes, but here's why NOT to solder 'em.
Particularly with mobile installs, I don't care HOW many of those PL's you put on, they will eventually short. The reason? Because just one eeensy- weensy little wire works out from under those holes in the body of the connector, and you can't see it because you flowed the solder into and thru the braid. Vibration and time will allow that one little wire to get to touching the 'hot' wire---and it only takes ONE!
How many times have you had to throw out a connector because there ws no WAY to get it loose:the solder was so fully engaged that the only way to get it off was to cut it in two and throw it away?
By folding the braid BACK away from the inner part of the connection/connector, you have effectively isolated the connector so far away from the other parts of the connector, there is no way for it to short; the little wires cannot reach far enough to touch/short anything.
Normally, this will make a tight, snug connection that will remain viable even if some of those wires get loose. But they can't because, even if they do break, they are still held in place by the adaptor which will not allow them to migrate.
Sometimes they will corrode, but external connections should be checked at least yearly. A coat of "Tenna-coat" or even vasoline will keep the connections bright and shiny.
If a connector ever acts up, it only takes a second to unsolder it, fix the problem and put it back together! And you can use connectors again, and again, and again!!!!
Try it!!
7. |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 4612
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 12:26 am: |
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Harvester,
Follow, "That Elco Guy's" post and you will be all set.
Since Mini 8 first came out I have NEVER had a piece go bad when soldering like Elco said but I have had to replace 100's over the years on people who DID not solder them on correctly and just screwed them on.
I go thru maybe 2000 to 3000 feet of Mini 8 Coax from Copper every 4 to 6 months and have NEVER had any problems with Mobile use or Base use when soldering the ends on as Elco suggests and 90% of the Jumpers I make are for Big Trucks and Mobile Use.
And I have NEVER had a Mobile PL259 Short out that I have put on.
I also ONLY Use Amphenol Connectors for Everything as it is worth the extra few cents to me to use them.
(This is just my personal choice, as I have never had a bad Amphenol connector of any kind over the years go bad.)
Also I have learned Solder will go bad over time and I pitch mine every 6 months no matter what and buy new Solder.
(Just another personal choice of mine.)
Good Quality Products, Supplies and Technique = Good Quality Work. 
I take my time when doing Coax and in 40+ years of doing it I have never had one single jumper come back that was bad or went bad unless it was damaged.
When you have a $50.00 radio or thousands of dollars of equipment and radios hooked up at any one time you want to do it right the first time and NEVER have to worry about it again.
Just my own personal experience and thought's,
PS,
You also might want to also check out the link below and read it for further helpful information on using reducers and soldering PL259 connectors.
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/9512076.pdf
Lon
Tech808
CEF808
N9OSN |
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