"Sacrificial" BNC Connector

[RadioDaze]

I'm thinking about a BNC male to BNC female adapter, straight (not angled), to place on my PSR-500. That way, the adapter will take all the abuse from frequent antenna changes.

Has anyone seen one of these? (It should *look* like the attached link, although this one is a polarity reverser and totally unsuitable.)
RFA-8333 - BNC Male (Plug) To Reverse Polarity BNC Female (Jack) Adapter

P.S. I know I could make one by combining inline male-male and inline female-female couplers, but that's a bit Rube Goldberg-ish: too tall, more insertion loss and more lateral strain on the connector.

 

[whiterabbit_medic]

how about this one Mace M-BNC/F-BNC Male BNC to Female BNC Connector M-BNC/F-BNC -

 

[RadioDaze]

Okay, see? This is why I pay you guys the big bucks. That's exactly it.

whiterabbit, take the rest of the day off.

Looks like about 3 and a half bucks shipping on a .99 part. Maybe I should buy a dozen, and share with the gang. Does anyone see any flaws with my logic of using a sacrificial BNC?

If this has already been done and I'm acting like I've reinvented the wheel, somebody please speak up. I suppose we had better find a sacrificial SMA as well for our Unidens.

 

[KE5MC]

It's not flawed and done on production line test equipment. Production line cycles depending on the number of unit produced per hour/day/week would quickly exceed the number of make/break connection you would make over the life of owing the equipment.

On my 396T scanner I use the included adaptor for the BNC connection and move the radio from the house to the car, 2 to 3 times a week for the last few years and still going strong. My experience over many years working in electronics with BNC connectors is the weak link is the female side of the connector and putting a dent in the lip and knocking it out of round. BNCs are common on test equipment so you figure out quickly if the electrical connection has gone south.

For less than $5 you get piece of mind, but I don't really see the need if you always have something connected and are just switching antennas.

Now in my go-bag with the antenna disconnected to make storage easier it is different. They are called screw-thread protectors. 1/4 size fits the female side and the 3/8 size fits the male. They help to protect the lip on the female side and keep 'stuff' out of the open face of the connector for both. I got a package of two at Lowe's or Home Deport for less than a $1 each per package.

 

[gmclam]

With all the scanners I own, up through the PRO-97, I have not been worried about a failed connector because I'd just drop a new one in there myself. For those who are not solderers/etc this is not a fun job and the connector here is IDEAL! Thanks.

But starting with the PSR-300/PRO-164/etc, the lead coming from the BNC connector is under a shield which is soldered in. It is a helluva lot more work to remove this sheild and replace it, without unsoldering any components, just in order to replace the BNC.

I'd recommend this approach to all that frequently swap antenna connections; and it would be worth it (at least to me) to get the connector gold plated. Every micro/nano-ohm counts ya know!

 

[ampulman]

On my 396T scanner I use the included adaptor for the BNC connection and move the radio from the house to the car, 2 to 3 times a week for the last few years and still going strong.

I also use the above on my 'T', but I wonder: that adapter forms a strong friction fit with the scanner's SMA socket. Would the (proposed) adapter tend to loosen from the scanner when the the antenna is pressed down and backed off?

Amp

 

[gmclam]

I also use the above on my 'T', but I wonder: that adapter forms a strong friction fit with the scanner's SMA socket. Would the (proposed) adapter tend to loosen from the scanner when the the antenna is pressed down and backed off?

We're talking about a BNC to BNC adapter here. Nothing to do with SMA.

 

[ampulman]

We're talking about a BNC to BNC adapter here. Nothing to do with SMA.

Yes, I realize that.

The reason for my post stemmed from the fact that the adapter was stated as being used to connect lengths of cable. Cable, being (relatively) flimsy, would require that the user use 2 hands to hold onto 2 connectors while detaching.

The reference to SMA was to point out that, when leaving the home listening post (due to the tight friction fit), I'm able to grab the radio with one hand, quickly detach the antenna cable with the other, and snap on the 'duck'. I have been doing this for several years now, with no loosening of the adapter. I believe that was the OP's intention.

I was questioning whether the BNC connection to the radio could become sloppy over time, or tend to detach, without the operator having to hold that connector with one hand, while pushing/twisting the cable end, with the other.

Depending on the size of one's fingers, and the working distance between the connectors, it could make for a difficult operation.

 

[RadioDaze]

I'm sort of expecting to brace the adapter with one hand while attaching an antenna or jumper to it with the other hand. My main objective is to minimize the amount of wear occurring to the center female connector in the radio's BNC. One-handed operation has not usually been a priority for me, under normal conditions. In a mobile environment, I'm sure it would be.