John:

This is extremely helpful, and I really appreciate all that you've said 
here.

Can you tell me roughly how much the crimping tool costs?

As long as it isn't exorbitant, I think I'll get one, with the idea that 
it's an investment, and probably a once in a lifetime purchase.

Thanks again for everything, John.

You're a big help as usual.

73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Miller" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 9:08 AM
Subject: Re: anderson power poles re-visited


> The pins only go in 1 way, and they don't matter red or black, only the
> housings matter there. Unfortunately you can get that backward, I usually
> find sighted help and pare all my power pole housings up when I get them 
> the
> right way so I don't have to worry about that in the future. I know west
> mountain radio has the power poles, but I get mine on eBay, in high
> quantities since I'm always changing equipment around over here. The crimp
> tool can be bought from west mountain radio, I have it and where I've used
> it I've never had a problem. As for where to put them, I usually leave the
> connection at the radio alone and put the connectors on the end of the 
> power
> cord and I'll tell you why, there are a few reasons. Number 1, if you have 
> a
> rig runner like I do, the cord on the back of the radio, if any, is 
> nowhere
> near long enough to reach it. Number 2, if there's an emergency and you 
> need
> to put your equipment at a temporary station, or if you want to put it
> mobile, or anything like that, if you put the power poles at the radio, on
> that pigtail, and you come to say, my station, because of how things are
> situated, that pig tale isn't going to make it and you'll have to come up
> with an extension cable with power poles on it, I made up a few of these 
> for
> that reason since a friend of mine puts them at the radio, where as I can
> come to your station and get right on the air. The only time I use them at
> the radio is if someone already cut them off there, or like my IC27H,
> someone put another connector on there that I can't find or have the
> equipment to make a cord out of so I put them on both ends of that cord, 
> but
> I'd personally, keep the stock radio power cord as is and put the power
> poles at the other end of the cord. You can do it at both ends if you 
> want,
> but I'd suggest using the stock cord that comes with the radio with them 
> or
> if you have another one made up use that. Stock connector on the radio
> though, like I said, unless you want to change that and put them on the
> stock power cord that comes with the radio. My way is how most people I 
> know
> who run them do it. Stock connector at the radio, then the power poles on
> the 6 foot or what ever cord that came with the radio. West mountain has a
> pretty good description of how to put them on, that's how I learned as I
> recall, I'd be happy to talk you through it if you'd like though. It's 
> very
> easy with that tool.