What connector for discone aerial?

[SIMON11]

Merry Christmas to everybody!!!

I bought a discone aerial of E-bay. I have just been assembling it when I came to connect it I find that I do not have anything to fit the connector at the bottom.
Can you tell me waht type of connector I need please.
Thanks

 

[ReceiverBeaver]

Hi Simon, Apparently it is not an SO 239, which is the female half of the common PL 259 UHF connector. So my guess is that you have an " N " connector. They look similar but a little larger and maybe heavier duty looking. If that doesn't describe it, then you'll need to post us a close up picture of it to look at. Otherwise all we can do is sit here and guess.

Good luck!

 

[shufordsc]

Discone connector

Yep, it's probably an "N" type....Lower loss at higher frequencies than the UHF type, but somewhat more problematic finding a run of coax with an N type male on one end to fit your antenna. Your local Radio Shack likely will not have anything like that. It might be possible to use some sort of adapter to convert the N female down to an SO-239 but I would advise against it, the insertion loss from that kind of arrangement would defeat the purpose of having an N female antenna connection in the first place. Places like "the rf connection" and "cable experts" can whip you up a coax assembly with the connector you need at pretty reasonable prices. Good luck.

Scott
N3TTN

 

[jim202]

There is also a good possibility that it is a TNC connector. You might try and look the company up on the internet. Then go look for the specs on the antenna you have.

Jim

 

[SIMON11]

Thanks for the info.
I had never heard of an "N" type but I have now looked this up and that is what it is. I have checked and they have an N plug to UHF and a UHF to BNC at a local electronics store. So that will sort my connections out.

 

[MacombMonitor]

N connector images:

 

[rescue161]

Thanks for the info.
I had never heard of an "N" type but I have now looked this up and that is what it is. I have checked and they have an N plug to UHF and a UHF to BNC at a local electronics store. So that will sort my connections out.

You'd be better off NOT using an adapter at the antenna end. Just break down and get the correct connector and solder/crimp it on. If the adapter were to be used inside, then by all means. use an adapter.

When you use an adapter outside in the elements, then you're only allowing problems to develop.

I hate adapters and refuse to use them.

 

[SIMON11]

N connector images:

Great pictures! That's the one. Thanks.

 

[SIMON11]

You'd be better off NOT using an adapter at the antenna end. Just break down and get the correct connector and solder/crimp it on. If the adapter were to be used inside, then by all means. use an adapter.

When you use an adapter outside in the elements, then you're only allowing problems to develop.

I hate adapters and refuse to use them.

Thanks for the advice I am putting it in the loft. But I will take your advice anyway in case I decide to move it ouside.

 

[kb2vxa]

Hi guys,

Here goes "the quicker picker upper" again cleaning up the mess. (;->)

You didn't need the pictures, few antennas come with anything but SO-239 or N connectors.

"Yep, it's probably an "N" type....Lower loss at higher frequencies than the UHF type..."
Not really, it's a constant impedance connector, the PL-259/SO-239 combo is not and that slight difference makes NO difference except at low microwave frequencies.

"...but somewhat more problematic finding a run of coax with an N type male on one end to fit your antenna."
Not at all.

"Your local Radio Shack likely will not have anything like that."
At Radio Shack you have questions, we have blank stares.

"It might be possible to use some sort of adapter to convert the N female down to an SO-239 but I would advise against it..."
So do I.

"...the insertion loss from that kind of arrangement would defeat the purpose of having an N female antenna connection in the first place."
Not at all, the mechanical mess would defeat the purpose.

"Places like "the rf connection" and "cable experts" can whip you up a coax assembly with the connector you need at pretty reasonable prices."
A soldering iron is a much wiser investment. Learn to make custom cable assemblies yourself and be free of the prepackaged waste and high prices.

"But I will take your advice anyway in case I decide to move it ouside."
In that case you need to learn how to apply Tommy Tape, the best invention since the bread slicer. Come to think of it, a bigger version is a tape slitter.

"I hate adapters and refuse to use them."
They hate you too, when was the last time you were used by an adapter?

 

[SIMON11]

Hi guys,

Here goes "the quicker picker upper" again cleaning up the mess. (;->)

You didn't need the pictures, few antennas come with anything but SO-239 or N connectors.

"Yep, it's probably an "N" type....Lower loss at higher frequencies than the UHF type..."
Not really, it's a constant impedance connector, the PL-259/SO-239 combo is not and that slight difference makes NO difference except at low microwave frequencies.

"...but somewhat more problematic finding a run of coax with an N type male on one end to fit your antenna."
Not at all.

"Your local Radio Shack likely will not have anything like that."
At Radio Shack you have questions, we have blank stares.

"It might be possible to use some sort of adapter to convert the N female down to an SO-239 but I would advise against it..."
So do I.

"...the insertion loss from that kind of arrangement would defeat the purpose of having an N female antenna connection in the first place."
Not at all, the mechanical mess would defeat the purpose.

"Places like "the rf connection" and "cable experts" can whip you up a coax assembly with the connector you need at pretty reasonable prices."
A soldering iron is a much wiser investment. Learn to make custom cable assemblies yourself and be free of the prepackaged waste and high prices.

"But I will take your advice anyway in case I decide to move it ouside."
In that case you need to learn how to apply Tommy Tape, the best invention since the bread slicer. Come to think of it, a bigger version is a tape slitter.

"I hate adapters and refuse to use them."
They hate you too, when was the last time you were used by an adapter?

Thank you for your time. I do have a gas soldering iron which can be used anywhere and I always solder the core of the aerial wire on to the fitting to reduce signal loss. I am going to get crimped on fittings when the store is open on Wednsday.

 

[SIMON11]

I got my fittings today and I have connected it up in the loft. I am not running the cable to downstairs yet as I want to run it outside and it is dark and cold at the moment. I tried it out sat in the loft with my scanner and it is allready pulling in several signals that I couldn't get before.
I am getting a lot of air traffic extra marine and land signals. I will get it rigged up downstairs in the morning and then I can try some searches.
Thanks again for your help!