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Splicing RG-174 Cable

L

lr172

Well Known Member
I need to get a garmin GPS antenna on my glareshield of the 10 for the G3X. The connector will require a 1" hole to feed through and looking a options for a smaller penetration. Do I degrade the signal much by cutting and splicing this coax back together via solder? I would tie wrap the two ends together to eliminate any strain on the joint.

Larry
 
lr172 said:
I need to get a garmin GPS antenna on my glareshield of the 10 for the G3X. The connector will require a 1" hole to feed through and looking a options for a smaller penetration. Do I degrade the signal much by cutting and splicing this coax back together via solder? I would tie wrap the two ends together to eliminate any strain on the joint.
Larry
Click to expand...

Simpler and cleaner solution would be to cut off the connector, run the cable through small hole and install a new connector. This is what I've always done.
 
lr172 said:
I need to get a garmin GPS antenna on my glareshield of the 10 for the G3X. The connector will require a 1" hole to feed through and looking a options for a smaller penetration. Do I degrade the signal much by cutting and splicing this coax back together via solder? I would tie wrap the two ends together to eliminate any strain on the joint.

Larry
Click to expand...

If you carefully cut off the black plastic around the BNC connector it reduces the hole size required significantly.
 
Mel said:
Simpler and cleaner solution would be to cut off the connector, run the cable through small hole and install a new connector. This is what I've always done.
Click to expand...

It's just a standard BNC, correct? Not sure that I have a crimper for the smaller cable though. I assume that smaller cable requires a smaller crimper die than what I use for rg-58 /400.

Larry
 
Oops. The BNC pulled off the cable when I was cutting off the plastic:( Wasn't on very tight. Looks like I will be crimping on a new BNC connector.

The connector spec lists a size 178 crimp. I assume that is thousands of an inch. My current crimper is .213", so assuming that won't work.

Thanks for the assistance here.

Larry
 
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lr172 said:
Oops. The BNC pulled off the cable when I was cutting off the plastic:( Wasn't on very tight. Looks like I will be crimping on a new BNC connector.
The connector spec lists a size 178 crimp. I assume that is thousands of an inch. My current crimper is .213", so assuming that won't work.
Thanks for the assistance here.
Larry
Click to expand...

Probably good that it pulled off if it came off that easily. Yes RG174 does require smaller crimping tool dies.
 
Mel said:
Probably good that it pulled off if it came off that easily. Yes RG174 does require smaller crimping tool dies.
Click to expand...

Agreed, probably a good thing. Didn't see any braid inside the ferrule, which might explain the loose fit. Finally found a solder connector for $10. Probably cheaper than buying another crimper that I likely will never use again.

Larry
 
Crimper

Larry, I cut the plastic BNC connector off a couple of those antennas to thread the cable down the windshield post from the overhead. You can buy the BNC crimp connectors for the RG-174 cable online. I have the proper crimper if you want to borrow it. Mine have been working great for 230hrs now.
 
Paddy said:
Larry, I cut the plastic BNC connector off a couple of those antennas to thread the cable down the windshield post from the overhead. You can buy the BNC crimp connectors for the RG-174 cable online. I have the proper crimper if you want to borrow it. Mine have been working great for 230hrs now.
Click to expand...

Yea, I found the standard crimp connectors at digikey. Thanks for the offer to use your crimper. I will take you up on that. I also need to get your adhesive gun (going the Sika route now) and two big countersinks back to you. Hopefully the wx will get a bit better to schedule a visit to Naperville.

Larry
 
jask said:
I install a lot of the BNC connectors onto RG174 but I use the type that solder the center wire to the pin and the shield is then clamped within the connector when you tighten the fitting together. They are very strong and a low loss connection but the weigh more than the crimp.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PKS-BNC...v0AAOSwjL5ZG83L:sc:USPSFirstClass!92065!US!-1

I get them from digikey for a lot less.
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing that out. I had found one at digikey that was only $10.

Larry
 
Paddy said:
Larry, I cut the plastic BNC connector off a couple of those antennas to thread the cable down the windshield post from the overhead. You can buy the BNC crimp connectors for the RG-174 cable online. I have the proper crimper if you want to borrow it. Mine have been working great for 230hrs now.
Click to expand...

Now you got me thinking. Maybe I will fish it up the metal tube with the lighting wiring and mount it under the o/h console given that the connector is now off.

Larry
 
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