Van's Air Force
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TNC crimping instructions
- Thread starter foka4
- Start date
Instruction Sheet
I guess this is a good place to start:
http://www.tycoelectronics.com/comm...-2299-1OpdfEnglishENG_SS_408-2299-1_O.pdf
I guess this is a good place to start:
http://www.tycoelectronics.com/comm...-2299-1OpdfEnglishENG_SS_408-2299-1_O.pdf
Neal@F14
Well Known Member
$30 for a normal crimp-on TNC male connector? Ouch!
Mouser has this one for a buck and a half:
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=anVall655kQytJPYZa6FZg==
It says it's for RG-58 but I just used one just like it on RG-400 last week and the crimp sleeve was a tad tight since the shielding on RG-400 is a bit thicker and more robust than cheap-o RG-58, but it worked just fine. It crimps on exactly the same as a BNC connector. The cable I made was for a Becker transponder, with one TNC and one BNC and about 5 feet of RG-400.
Stein Air sells a relatively cheap coax crimper that works great for about $42 for the crimper and coax/BNC die. I think they also sell a less expensive TNC crimp-on connector too, but it's not listed on their website, you'd have to call them for it.
Mouser has this one for a buck and a half:
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=anVall655kQytJPYZa6FZg==
It says it's for RG-58 but I just used one just like it on RG-400 last week and the crimp sleeve was a tad tight since the shielding on RG-400 is a bit thicker and more robust than cheap-o RG-58, but it worked just fine. It crimps on exactly the same as a BNC connector. The cable I made was for a Becker transponder, with one TNC and one BNC and about 5 feet of RG-400.
Stein Air sells a relatively cheap coax crimper that works great for about $42 for the crimper and coax/BNC die. I think they also sell a less expensive TNC crimp-on connector too, but it's not listed on their website, you'd have to call them for it.
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Not sure what you mean by "homebuilder's hand tools", I'm assuming you have a suitable crimper. Here are some instructions for a specific tool that should be somewhat universal (with the above assumption).
http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/bnccrimp.pdf
http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/bnccrimp.pdf
Garage Guy
Well Known Member
Well, the Tyco/AMP 5225555-6 is a weatherproof mil-spec connector... not exactly 'normal'.
Another really nice male TNC connector for RG-400 is the Amphenol 031-4452. Mil-spec, teflon insulator, silver plated. About $10 each, so not real cheap either.
But if you're going with RG-400, these silver plated mil-spec Amphenol connectors just go so well with the silver plated braid and center conductor on the cable. For a panel mount GPS cable, install a 031-4452 TNC on one end and a 031-4427 BNC on the other, and it is a thing of beauty
.--Paul
Thanks
I guess the 225555-6 is overkill, but it's what Stein provided with my 430W, and in my experience, they usually have a reason for doing things one way vs. another.
Dimensionally, the center pin and collar of the 225555-6 are a little different than the usual BNC components, so I wasn't sure how my hand crimper would work. In the end, I took a gamble and just installed it in the usual manner, using the usual hand crimper dies. All seems well, as I've been able to get a WAAS fix with the aircraft in my basement!
Thanks for the pointers. My take-away is that in the future, I should use the cheaper TNC connector, and either way, the usual BNC hand crimper will do the job nicely.
Thanks to all,
Matthew
I guess the 225555-6 is overkill, but it's what Stein provided with my 430W, and in my experience, they usually have a reason for doing things one way vs. another.
Dimensionally, the center pin and collar of the 225555-6 are a little different than the usual BNC components, so I wasn't sure how my hand crimper would work. In the end, I took a gamble and just installed it in the usual manner, using the usual hand crimper dies. All seems well, as I've been able to get a WAAS fix with the aircraft in my basement!
Thanks for the pointers. My take-away is that in the future, I should use the cheaper TNC connector, and either way, the usual BNC hand crimper will do the job nicely.
Thanks to all,
Matthew
Garage Guy
Well Known Member
I'm curious what the reason is. If you get a chance to ask them (or maybe Stein will jump in here on this thread) I'd be interested to hear the answer.
What connector does he provide for the radio end of the cable? If it's one of those commercial-grade Amphenol male BNC's that they sell, that's a curious combination, exotic mil-spec TNC with rather low-end BNC.
Now, whatever Stein is doing here, I'm sure it works fine. Not criticizing, just wondering what the rationale is.
--Paul
Noah
Well Known Member
Tip: Cheap TNC Connectors
Just a tip, I needed a right angle TNC connector for my GNS430W antenna, and found a site on Ebay that sold aerospace grade, surplus 10' RG-400 with a right angle TNC connector on one end, and an SMA connector on the other - all for like $5. I just cut off the SMA and terminated it to a regular BNC on the radio end. Very simple and cheap, no additional tools needed!
Just a tip, I needed a right angle TNC connector for my GNS430W antenna, and found a site on Ebay that sold aerospace grade, surplus 10' RG-400 with a right angle TNC connector on one end, and an SMA connector on the other - all for like $5. I just cut off the SMA and terminated it to a regular BNC on the radio end. Very simple and cheap, no additional tools needed!
Bill Dicus
Well Known Member
TNC
This sounds like a good and economical solution, but the install manual for the GNS430W says a minimum length of 13 feet RG400 is needed to get proper impedance. Any additional connections would add some more impedance. Do you have extra connectors? Thanks for the info! I already messed up one expensive right angle TNC from Stein.
This sounds like a good and economical solution, but the install manual for the GNS430W says a minimum length of 13 feet RG400 is needed to get proper impedance. Any additional connections would add some more impedance. Do you have extra connectors? Thanks for the info! I already messed up one expensive right angle TNC from Stein.
Brantel
Well Known Member
The only extra connectors I have are the ones to convert the TNC to regular BNC so I can use the less expensive BNC connectors. The converters are $2.78. BNC connectors are cheap compared to the TNC ones.
I don't suggest adding a bunch of extra connectors in the line just to get the minimum dB of loss. Just add the extra coax.
I don't suggest adding a bunch of extra connectors in the line just to get the minimum dB of loss. Just add the extra coax.
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For best signal quality, I'd recommend using the recommended length of cable, with as few connectors or adapters as possible.
Connectors and adapters don't just contribute to attenuation. They also create slight impedance mismatches, which cause reflections, i.e. signal distortion.
I agree it seems a bit weird, but this is the deal. We've not found a good grade Right Angle TNC that meets our requirements and is of a good price (like we have with the BNC's). We are picky on things and make sure they work well, and though there are cheaper right angld TNC's out there, we haven't found one that we really like yet, so the MilSpec one it is!
That's the deal on that!
Cheers,
Stein
Walt
Well Known Member
I've have tested some of these "less expensive" connectors with my transponder test set and the real cheapies (from Fry's) had a huge signal loss (like 3 db).
These are much better Mouser Part #: 523-242149
I only use Amp or Mil spec connectors, just not worth the trouble for the small savings.
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Brantel
Well Known Member
I don't buy the cheap stuff. Good ones are not that expensive (at least for these adapters they are not). I get mine from Allied. They claim they meet the same specs and are made out of the same material as the Amphenol ones you mention above. I was wrong...I paid $2.78 for em last time.
