Thanks for this very helpful information, Bob.

I think I'm now deciding to go with the more expensive crimping tool for the 
power poles, since I have quite a few of them to do around here, and since I 
can see the need for more in the future.

73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Tinney" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 7:23 PM
Subject: Re: Cheap tool for Installing Anderson powerpoles


> Hi,
> I've used both the $10 crimping tool and the power crimping tool from West
> Mountain radio that costs $50.  Though I was able to crimp the Anderson
> connectors with the cheap tool, the crimp was not as tight as each
> successive crimp to round the pin would slightly loosen the crimp made by
> the previous step. I had many more failed connections than with the power
> crimper.  In fact, I've never had a problem with a connection made with 
> the
> power crimper.  It is really worth it.
> Another thing that I just learned at the ham fest that I just attended 
> last
> Saturday, was that Anderson power poles have many more uses than power
> connections.  One ham told me about how he connects his balanced line fed
> antenna to his tuner, you guest it, with power poles.  He uses three
> connector shells with the middle one blank and in one second he can
> disconnect his antenna and then ground his antenna with another set of
> grounded power poles.  This idea sounds GREAT to me and I'm going to do 
> that
> same thing here with in the next few days.
> 73
> Bob, [log in to unmask], K8LR
> Skype name:  bobtinn
> Live Long and Prosper!
>
> --- 
>
>