HFU HF Underground

Technical Topics => Equipment => Topic started by: Terry on May 12, 2017, 0141 UTC

Title: Coax Connector Failure
Post by: Terry on May 12, 2017, 0141 UTC

Long story but my VHF / UHF bands on my FT-857 became very weak / inop out of the blue. Wasn't even transmitting just listening to the NOAA wx satellites and the Funcubes. After trying several things coax and antenna related I finally removed the UHF male - female right angle connector. It had failed for no reason at all. It was fairly new.
Suspect everything.

Title: Re: Coax Connector Failure
Post by: RST111 on May 12, 2017, 0459 UTC

Quote from: Terry on May 12, 2017, 0141 UTC

Suspect everything.

A useful approach for life in general.   ;)   Glad you got the problem sorted!

Title: Re: Coax Connector Failure
Post by: Josh on May 12, 2017, 1746 UTC

How did it fail? In mine usually the center pin that screws into the dealy always gets loosened and I have to retighten it.

Title: Re: Coax Connector Failure
Post by: Terry on May 13, 2017, 0221 UTC

Thanks RST111.
Josh, not sure how it failed. Since you asked, I just dug it out of the trash can and it checked OK at DC. Continuity where it should be and no shorts. The center pin was not loose. ???
It has been returned to its final, eternal resting place. The garbage.

Title: Re: Coax Connector Failure
Post by: RST111 on May 16, 2017, 0435 UTC

Quote from: Terry on May 13, 2017, 0221 UTC

Thanks RST111.
it checked OK at DC. Continuity where it should be and no shorts.

Maybe something goofy happened like the insulator shifted and it started acting like a capacitor between the shield and signal.  RF is magical like that.  As you said, suspect everything!

Title: Re: Coax Connector Failure
Post by: redhat on May 16, 2017, 1410 UTC

..one of the reasons I hate those connectors.  Was this the indoor or outdoor connector that failed?

+-RH