CB radio Cable

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Tapage

Tapage

Club 4X4 Panamá
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I'm planning an upgrade of my antenna and cable .. but remember last time was kinda pain make the connectors and I'm thinking in getting ready bolt ( with end connectors ) cable .. then my question is .. since those connectors are kinda big what your guys do when routing it through firewall grommets into the cabin .?

Got this crazy idea that must be something like more easy way to make those connectors I mean or smaller ones that were more grommet friendly and then to the final connector ?
 
There's plenty of info on the web on how to properly assemble the PL259 (typical plug). I'd recommend you do some reading/learning and just pull cable through the grommets AND THEN install the plug.

There's different 'quality' PL259 plugs - some are much easier to solder/assemble than others...

cheers,
george.
 
george_tlc said:
There's plenty of info on the web on how to properly assemble the PL259 (typical plug). I'd recommend you do some reading/learning and just pull cable through the grommets AND THEN install the plug.

There's different 'quality' PL259 plugs - some are much easier to solder/assemble than others...

cheers,
george.
Click to expand...

+1, that's by far the best way to do it.
 
george_tlc said:
There's different 'quality' PL259 plugs - some are much easier to solder/assemble than others...

cheers,
george.
Click to expand...

So do you like the Amphenol connectors?
 
Cruiserdrew said:
So do you like the Amphenol connectors?
Click to expand...

Yes, I generally buy them from Mouser when I'm ordering other stuff.

Silver plating helps the solder flow nicely. A decent soldering iron is obviously another asset as well as good quality no-clean solder.

cheers,
george.
 
Have you seen the antennas and cables by Larsen? They use an FME crimp connector on the cable, which is not too much larger than the cable itself. That gets threaded through the grommet towards radio. At the radio then screw on the FME to PL259 connector. Don't know about CB, you may need to work something out yourself at the antenna end. Or another possibility is using their CB antenna with NMO base (web search on NMO27). Then buy any of their NMO mounts with cable. The cable will have the FME end and come with the FME - PL259 adapter.

Here's an example:
http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-000602
the radio end is actually an FME female on the cable threaded into an FME male to PL-259 adapter.

It's an option if you don't want to crimp or solder yourself.

HTH
 
Don't forget to check the standing wave ratio with an SWR meter when you're cutting your cable to the final length. If you don't already know this trimming the cable to right point gives a bit more range.






















How-to-Tune-a-C-B-Radio-Antenna-01.jpg






Antenna tuning:


http://www.roadtripamerica.com/Equipment/How-to-Tune-a-C-B-Radio-Antenna.htm






















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Last edited:
I maybe too late for Tapage but you could get a cable with an SMA connector at the CB radio end. This is a small connector that can be used with a PL259 connector using an adapter. Usually these cables come with the PL259 adapter or you can pick one up. You simply screw it all together and plug it into your radio; no soldering involved. The SMA connector can fit through a hole less than 1/2" diam.

I use the 400S for the HAM http://www.diamondantenna.net/k400s.html
 
Cruiserdrew said:
So do you like the Amphenol connectors?
Click to expand...

FWIW Amphenol has been my "go to" brand for connectors for years. Their stuff is consistently high quality and I've rarely had availability issues.
 
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