Sidebar Sidebar
  • You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

COAX with STEEL BRAID

unit_399

unit_399

EL CAPO
Jun 17, 2008
2,127
3,034
273
ALEJANDRIA, COLOMBIA SA
A few days ago, I noticed that the SWR on my 2-element quad was fluctuating. I brought the antenna down, and found that the problem was the connections on the 75 ohm impedance matching jumper. I am using CommScope 75 ohm commercial cable tv coax for the jumper because I have a reel of it on hand. I modified a RG58 adapter so I could terminate the coax in a PL259 connector.
The problem is that the braid in this coax (and all of the other 75 ohm cable I have) is made of steel wire, and cannot be soldered. It is the connection between the braid and the PL259 that is causing the problem. Right now the braid is a press fit between the adapter and the PL259, and after a while the connection becomes intermittent. Anyone have any ideas how to make this a more permanent connection? Thanks & 73s.

- 399
 

Steel?? Never heard of it. Aluminum yes but never steel. Are you 100% sure it is steel? That would be really heavy cable and needlessly so. Solder with a few % silver content should stick to steel but not aluminum. Is there any way you can take the braid and put it on the OUTSIDE of the PL-259 body and secure it with a stainless hose clamp? Maybe tighten the connector first and then clamp the braid to the connector body.
 
Captain Kilowatt said:
Steel?? Never heard of it. Aluminum yes but never steel. Are you 100% sure it is steel?
Click to expand...

The cable has an aluminum foil cover over the foam insulator, and a steel braid over the foil. I checked it with a magnet to determine it was steel. I tried soldering it with high silver content solder but no luck. Should I use a different type of connector?

- 399
 
Maybe use an electrical exterior connection type box and make crimp connections, no PL259, just center conductor to center conductor and shield to shield and the connections inside the exterior electrical box so it will be weather proof.
 
Oh how I hate to suggest this but what about a screw-on connector? The braid can be folded back over the cable and then the end screwed into the connector making a decent connection. Normally I would not suggest screw on connectors but when the braid is unsolderable it may be the only choice other than using a hose clamp as suggested before.
 
Never heard of steel being used for braid, but I guess it can be. That magnet 'trick' would certainly indicate something like steel.
I really hate to do it, but Radio Shack makes a connector that 'pushes' on, then uses a small 'pointy' screw to make the braid connection. You might try that if it'll fit. I ended up using two of them instead of amphenol imitation connectors I was 'blessed with, and they do work. They aren't 'exposed' to weather, so no idea how that would affect them. I also don't think I'd put much strain on them, they look like they would pull off.
- 'Doc
 
You can also fold back about 1/4 inch or so of the braid over the vinyl covering and then slide the adaptor over top of that.

This is the reason I gave up on using RG-59 or RG-6 years ago. Especially when I started using hi end transceivers. Why take the risk?
 
Since that cable is actually meant to be used with 75 ohm type F connectors you could install a crimp type F on the cable and then use an adapter to go to PL-259 if you can get them down there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Captain Kilowatt said:
Oh how I hate to suggest this but what about a screw-on connector? The braid can be folded back over the cable and then the end screwed into the connector making a decent connection. Normally I would not suggest screw on connectors but when the braid is unsolderable it may be the only choice other than using a hose clamp as suggested before.
Click to expand...

They're fine, just don't hang the weight of the coax on them.
 
Is RG-6 or RG-11 ?

That cable is for outdoor with a gel in case the cable get some damage,the gel is a moisture barrier or non dry silicon type,I will suggest to get an N connector and then the female adapter.



My 2 pesos
Vy 73 de Andy/Tecnicoloco
 
the braid is stainless steel , you will need a special flux and silver solder, to solder it. use the "f" connectors w/ adaptors to pl-239's and call it a day
 
unit_399 said:
A few days ago, I noticed that the SWR on my 2-element quad was fluctuating. I brought the antenna down, and found that the problem was the connections on the 75 ohm impedance matching jumper. I am using CommScope 75 ohm commercial cable tv coax for the jumper because I have a reel of it on hand. I modified a RG58 adapter so I could terminate the coax in a PL259 connector.
The problem is that the braid in this coax (and all of the other 75 ohm cable I have) is made of steel wire, and cannot be soldered. It is the connection between the braid and the PL259 that is causing the problem. Right now the braid is a press fit between the adapter and the PL259, and after a while the connection becomes intermittent. Anyone have any ideas how to make this a more permanent connection? Thanks & 73s.

- 399
Click to expand...

Use crushed aspirin tablet mixed with regular flux to solder it. Just be careful not to melt plastic to the point of no-use. If you have a choice use plumber's flux designed to solder steel, but you will have to wash it off with a solvent after you done to prevent corrosion by the acid in the flux.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.


      Top Bottom
      Back