Best and Easiest PL-259 Coax Connector Ever
It’s easy to install and only requires a bit of solder on the center wire. You won’t have to worry about melting the foam insulation with this connector.
PL-259 for LMR400 RG8 RG213 RG214
These are compression type. Solder only the center wire. If using outdoors, add shrink wrap or tape when finished. Two Places to BUY ON EBAY and there are more in China:
1ST EBAY SELLER (10pcs and where mine come from)
Another Seller I bought from on Ebay (10pcs)
- Stronger
- Tighter seal (water tight)
- Easier to install
- Won’t melt foam insulation
- Almost impossible to short shield and center wire
- Less expensive than other brands
Thank you
If you have any questions, comments or solutions, please comment below. I prefer the comment section here or in YouTube over e-mail because your comments and questions will help others as well.
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73,
Rich,K0PIR
Source:
10pcs UHF PL-259 Plug male straight RF connector Clamp for RG8 RG213 RG214 LMR400 cable
Icom 7300 Transceiver RFI Kit - 5 Noise Reduction Filters
Palomar Engineers HF Linear Amplifier RFI Kit
Rich,
Thanks for sharing the info on the compression PL-259 connectors. They look like a fine bit of kit. I will definitely have to give them a try the next time that I use RG-8.
GL & GDX,
K3ZE
Thank you Al. Thanks for commenting. Best 73!
eBay says Zero available. Since that site is quite sloppy could that really be correct? Placing an order with 0 available on eBay seems like a way to get a charge and no product….
Hi Dick, looks like he sold out but I am sure he will have more available. No you would not be charged. Send the seller a message to see hen more will be available.
Thanks for letting me know. Best 73! Rich, K0PIR
Would this connector work on RG-8X?
Hi Bill, thanks for commenting here and that’s a great question. I was thinking of trying it, but no it will not work. I have some feelers out seeing if they make any for smaller coax. I’ll post what I find out. Thanks again and best 73!
Hi Rich,
I would like to add my agreement. I have been using these connectors ever since I saw a video by Steve Ellington on their ease of construction. And they do a better job of weather resistance!
K5CBC
I use M&P cables and connectors distributed by MFJ. Very high density braid. Can’t think of anything easier.
https://messi.it/en/catalogue/50-ohm-cables-ham-radio/hyperflex-13.htm
Brad
Hello and thank you for commenting here. I appreciate your input and I’m glad to see that others like it as much as I do. They are very tight. I have seen some other YouTube videos on them, but I had so much fun, I just had to make one. I had planned on demonstrating these connectors at a club meeting for the longest time, but have not gotten around to it. I’m glad I got the video done finally. Thank you so much and merry Christmas. 73!
Hi Brad and thank you for commenting here. I am glad to see others like the compression connectors as well as I do. You may have it beat wit that one, hi hi. Thank you for your input and Best 73!
Hi Rich,
Never really enjoyed soldering PL-259’s and this looks like a great solution. Another great tip from you, thank you for showing this.
73 Brian
Hi Brian, thank you so much for commenting. Merry Christmas and best 73!
Wanted to update everyone because of an earlier comment. I saw the 0 connectors available too but ordered anyway. I got a confirmation that it would be shipped tomorrow.
73 Brian
Thanks for the update Brian!
Rich, I 100% agree. compression is the best. Crimp is OK. and I would never use solder. I think I will try the Chinese as M&P are pricey. A thin wrench that fits the flats makes the job easier. Park Tool makes thin wrenches for bicycles. I also cut down a standard 18mm wrench to 3″ to take up less room in the radio tool box.
73 K9AEE Kent
Nice to hear from you Kent. Thank you for commenting and the input. Much appreciated.
Best 73,
Rich, K0PIR
Rich, good article.
I have used these around 6 months back. They are good but there is one issue with the thread and you can clearly see it in your pic there as well. The set back is very far and regardless of how tight you do them up on a so-239, they are loose.
Other than that, they never rusted etc so thats a plus.
73’s
vk2yi
Greetings and thank you for the information. Good point! Someone else had pointed that out and had trouble tightening them up on some SO-239, but mine are tight. I have used them with my Icom 7300, 7610 and LDG antenna tuner.
I had some difficulty with a antenna switch where it was loose.Other than that it has been perfect. Thank you again and I hope all is well where you are. Best 73 and good DX!
Rich, Watched your PL-259 video and was impressed. went to eBay and ordered and received 2 10 packs connectors for future use. Great video 73’s
K9RTJ
Hi Mike,
Thank you for commenting here and I just got a chance to use another one of those while I was operating portable. Easy connector! Glad you like them and thank you again. Be safe and best 73!
Thanks for this! I bought some that didn’t come with any instructions, needed a little help to figure out which order all the bits went 🙂
Hello and thank you for commenting. When I take one apart I pay close attention to where they go. It’s in the video too. I still have to go back and look at it sometimes. Best 73!
Richard…Hi, and thanks for turning me on to these PL-259’s. I bought a bag of 10 EA about two years ago and I am now FINALLY getting to my roof-top antenna project. I got the first PL-259 attached to my DavisRF ‘Bury-Flex’ (LMR-400 like) coax and it all went together well…except for the fact that the center conductor on the DavisRF is so thick I can’t get it all into the PL-259’s center conductor pin. I had to cut back some of the twisted center conductor to get it to fit but even then it was pushing out the hollow center pin from the plastic surround.
I ended up trimming more and more back and got it to all fit…with ~4 or 5 strands of the center conductor poking through to the tip of the fitting’s center conductor pin so I could solder it. I *think* all is well…but is there a larger diameter center pin that I should be using instead of having to cut back the wires?
Thanks for your time, videos, and instruction. Brad KF6PSL, Salt Lake City, UT
It’s good to hear from you Brad and I have used all of mine. I seem to remember having to do the same as you. I don’t know of any other ones available, but it would be nice to have the center pin fit without trimming it, although trimming it doesn’t hurt.. Best 73! de Rich, K0PIR