F to N Adaptors

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737mech

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This is cool for anyone using EDA drop amps. I found F to N adaptors! Who knew these were available? Now I can use N patch cords. Just my experience the F to BNC Adaptors I used were poor quality kept falling apart. 0D223682-A148-4277-AB39-07C759488B85.jpeg
 

prcguy

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Be very careful with N to F adapters, some are 75 ohm and the center pin or socket is much smaller dia than a 50 ohm version. If you stick a 50 ohm N male into a 75 ohm N female you will destroy it. If you stick a 75 ohm N male in a 50 ohm N socket it usually wont make contact. Here is an identification sheet I made up years ago to identify these connectors. Post # 9 here has the ID sheet you can download.
 

dlwtrunked

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This is cool for anyone using EDA drop amps. I found F to N adaptors! Who knew these were available? Now I can use N patch cords. Just my experience the F to BNC Adaptors I used were poor quality kept falling apart. View attachment 104597

I have been using F-to-N adapters for at least 32 years (before I moved to wher I now live). I never had trouble finding them. But while we are at it, everyone should own one of the below for temporary uses:
I keep a set in my car, my to go kit, and in both house rooms where I have radios.

Fortunately, in decades of using such connectors, I have never came across the 75 ohm versions (I just checked my kit of adapters and connectors). I guess I am lucky.
 

737mech

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Be very careful with N to F adapters, some are 75 ohm and the center pin or socket is much smaller dia than a 50 ohm version. If you stick a 50 ohm N male into a 75 ohm N female you will destroy it. If you stick a 75 ohm N male in a 50 ohm N socket it usually wont make contact. Here is an identification sheet I made up years ago to identify these connectors. Post # 9 here has the ID sheet you can download.
Thank you SO MUCH! Saved me from making the wrong patch cables! Measured what I have for N Females small 1mm or slightly less. Other N Males I was planning to use center pin 1.55mm. Time to go shop smaller ones.
 

737mech

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Everything in the picture is smaller diameter pins. According to your document smaller is 75 ohm with N type males. 50 ohm larger pins. The larger pins do not fit in the female N to F connectors in picture.
 

prcguy

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Ok, you have them in your hands and can measure the size and compatibility, but the picture of the back side of the adapters in post #1, the female socket looks large and 50 ohm to me. All the 75 ohm N to F adapters I've installed, and that is probably hundreds, I have never seen a gold plated female socket on a 75 ohm N and they are usually silver plated. I've seen lots of gold plated sockets on chassis connectors.

Look closely at the pictures in the link again, a 75 ohm female socket has a lot of space around it compared to a 50 ohm and your picture of the adapters looks exactly like a 50 ohm.

Everything in the picture is smaller diameter pins. According to your document smaller is 75 ohm with N type males. 50 ohm larger pins. The larger pins do not fit in the female N to F connectors in picture.
 

737mech

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I think whoever made these didn’t use that standard and just installed smaller pins? Like you said the outside part looks 50 ohm but the pin diameter is small. Confusing for sure thanks for pointing out what to look for.
 

prcguy

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Remember the female socket pins usually have four fingers that are tensioned inward to grip the center pin. The hole is smaller than the male pin and the fingers will flex outward when mated. The end result should be the exact same outside diameter on the female socket pin from way down inside the connector, through the fingers and into the male pin to keep a constant impedance.

On a 75 ohm female socket pin, a male 50 ohm center pin will actually break off the fingers in the female pin due to the much larger size.

I think whoever made these didn’t use that standard and just installed smaller pins? Like you said the outside part looks 50 ohm but the pin diameter is small. Confusing for sure thanks for pointing out what to look for.
 
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