Handheld Antenna Spanner Nut Tool / Wrench

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Gilligan

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I have a very new BCD436HP handheld and I recently purchased a UHF SMA rubber antenna that extends below the SMA tip. When I screwed the antenna down into the gap around the plug, it pushed so tightly against the nut that unscrewing the antenna also unscrewed the nut around the antenna socket. I was able to tighten it again with a small screwdriver, but I was wondering if there is some kind of tool that the repair techs use for these antenna nuts. I did a brief google search and it sounds like the tool may be called an antenna spanner nut tool or something. Thanks for any help on this.
 

hiegtx

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I have a very new BCD436HP handheld and I recently purchased a UHF SMA rubber antenna that extends below the SMA tip. When I screwed the antenna down into the gap around the plug, it pushed so tightly against the nut that unscrewing the antenna also unscrewed the nut around the antenna socket. I was able to tighten it again with a small screwdriver, but I was wondering if there is some kind of tool that the repair techs use for these antenna nuts. I did a brief google search and it sounds like the tool may be called an antenna spanner nut tool or something. Thanks for any help on this.
I have a couple of these somewhere in my collection. Used them years ago on radio mounting knobs on old style car radios.
 

jaspence

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Antenna nut

I have used a pair of needle nose pliers as a wrench. My choice is a pair of Snap-On with the tips bent at a 45 degree angle (they were made that way) that works quite well. My hobby is repairing vintage HTs and I have used them not only on antennas but ear phone and power connectors with the same type of nut.
 

n9mxq

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A drop of loctite on the nut will help prevent this from happening again.. I've also used a smaller pair of needle nose bent at 45 or 90 degrees.. They do sell special tools for this on eBay and other places, but pliers work just as well.
 

methusaleh

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I can't quite get a good mental picture of what happened, but to move those little slit-sided washer type nuts, I've used a tiny flathead screwdriver (sitting in the slit, at a sharp angle) and gently hit it with a hammer to make the nut turn in the direction I wanted it to.
 

Gilligan

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Would anyone have a link to a website showing a tool that has been identified as the correct size for SMA nuts?
 

Gilligan

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Thanks so much!!! Just ordered one -- it's coming from China so I won't have it for about a month but that's okay :) Thank you everyone for all your help!
 
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