Microvaxen bits etc.

From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Fri Oct 30 19:52:48 1998

< Allison... I am supprised - very. The BNC connector is a nice, easy to
< fit, reliable, waterproof, connector. The F-connector is a horrible
< little thing that (at least in the common version used in the UK) uses
< the central wire of the cable as the plug pin. I don't want to trust tha
< thing with my data.

They are actually very reliable and the cable industry uses them by the
ton. What often happens though is like any fine treaded item they can
be cross threaded and if the recepticle does not have a good spring
connector for the center wire then things fail. Considering I have a
house wide master antenna and also a house wide cable distribution
there must be at least 50 more F connectors in use and none have ever
given me grief.

Also I'm used to the older fully soldered BNCs (I still have the better
part of a pound coffee can of them) as I use them for all the O'scopes,
RF generators, radios (scanners, aircraft) and anything else that demands
a good shielded connection. But they are a PITA to assemble.

The one I consider the worst is the RCA, no lock, and tends to be loose
and noisy over time. Very popular with audio and video. I actually
have a bin full of locking rings that go around them to clamp them on.

Any test equipment with them installed gets opened and a BNC replacement
unless there is good reason not to.

< What, no Belling-Lee coaxial plugs (used for TV aerials in the UK, and
< thus very common over here) ? Or Pye coax plugs (screw-lock connectors,
< not common at all, but I have a reasonable stock of them)? And of course
< the SMA/SMB/SMC connectors.

I didn't want to go into some of the odd and esoteric like the TNCs.
Working with RF over the years I've hit most of them including pipe
(waveguides). Some types of cable like various sized hardlines from
the rg174 sized to the 2" stuff can use some odd connectors as well.

Heck I've been known to fix a sliced 10B5 cable using a pen knife and
vinyl electical tape until the Mill coms people could get to it. They
were horrified when the found it but, I finshed my printing and the
segment was working fine. Cables are part smoke and part majik. The
majik is putting the smoke back in when it leaks.

Allison
Received on Fri Oct 30 1998 - 19:52:48 GMT