Hello All

Not written to the list for ages but I have been reading the mails.

The subject of the PL259 is one not only for blind hams but also for our
sighted colleague.

Here is a lengthy description of how I do it as taught me by a Radio
Shack engineer in the mid 70s - I generally use rg213 or ur67.

The main problem presented when soldering these plugs is the thermal
capacity of the mass of metal forming the body and tip of the plug.

I don't like the things and use N-type when I can.  I reckon that the
PL259 is not much better than a banana plug!

Here goes:

Measure the length of the pl259 from tip of inner conductor to the
thread.  Add a bit as a margin for error.

At this point, make a circumferential cut in the sleeve only.

Make a second similar cut about 3/8 inches from this toward the end of
the cable.  For these, I use a pipe cutter.
Use a knife to cut the resultant cylinder along its length.  remove and
discard it.

Take a quick heating soldering gun, apply a moderate amount of solder to
the exposed braid all round.
I generally lightly clamp the cable in a vice vertically for this
purpose thus using the capillary effect.

Take the pipe cutter again.  at the edge of this soldered area cut
through the soldered braid - it is important that the braid is well
tinned otherwise it frays at this point.

Remove the outer sleeve and braid from this point to the end of the
cable.

now, at the same point, cut the inner insulator through to the inner
conductor.
For this purpose I generally use a hack saw as the plastic tends to be a
bit tough.  Take care not to cut the inner!!!!!

At this point you have, from the end of the cable, a length of exposed
inner, terminating at a shoulder formed by insulator and braid - cleanly
cut!!!
Then an area of tinned braid, about 3/8 inches, before the outer
insulator.

now insert the inner into the cable entry.  carefully manoeuvre the
inner through the hole in the inner.  The difference between rg213 and
ur67 is that one has a stranded inner, the other solid.  I tend to try
to use the solid as you don't have the added problem of the inner
fraying.

If you have made a sufficient margin for error, the inner will go into
the small hole before the shoulder of the cable enters the body of the
plug.
At this point push (or screw) the cable into the plug body.  You may
find that you have to remove more of the outer insulator so that it can
enter fully.

When the shoulder butts up to the front end of the cavity - stop!

The inner should be sticking out of the end of the plug pin.

You can check the situation by putting a small point through one of the
holes to determine that you have pushed the cable in far enough.

I now again put plug in vice horizontally, gripping the centre pin
lightly.

Use quick heating solder gun adjacent to a hole and flow in more solder.
Do this at 2/3/4 holes!  Rotating the plug in the vice on each occasion.

Now clamp body of plug in vice (careful not to crimp the screw thread!)
with the notch side of the pin tip upwards.
Put your soldering gun at this point and heat inner and solder.

When cool, cut off excess inner, and take a metal work file and tidy up
the excess solder.

Now job done, apart from the fact that you have forgotten to put the
outer onto the cable!!!!  Oh well, you can cut off a couple of feet, put
this on, and put another onto the end as a patch cable - then start
again!!!

73 de g3yxx