HP-1 GPS Socket Issue

[cacherjoe]

Has anyone had an issue with the GPS cable socket on the HP-1? I have had my HP-1 for about 10 days. Yesterday I was unplugging the Uniden GPS cable and the socket came out with it.

A second question is, how are Scannermaster and Uniden in dealing with these issues?

J

 

[kennyblues]

I had the same problem with mine back in July. Sent to the Uniden repair center in Texas. Turnaround time three to four weeks. The unit was still under warranty, so no cost for repair, only cost was to mail the radio to them. I don't think that Scannermaster will handle this for you.

 

[cacherjoe]

After less than 10 days, I would hope that I wouldn't pay anything at all.

 

[Jay911]

I haven't had that bad of a situation with mine, but I do have a loose connection on either the GPS cable itself or the scanner. I spent a couple of weeks this summer with the HP1 lying on the center console of a rental SUV, going down some pretty rough roads, and it turns out the weight of the scanner was being supported by the GPS and power connections on that side (it was over a cubbyhole on the console).

When you get your scanner fixed, think seriously about the cradle mount. I picked one up as soon as I returned home and use it all the time now in my car.

 

[cacherjoe]

That's the thing. It's been on a mount everything it's been in the truck. The cables are tied up so no snag pulls. Makes no sense. Not really ready to wait 3 weeks for a repair. Might not have a choice though.

 

[hydrolocked]

would it make sense to create a GPS cable that was a "right angle" type connector? Basically, plug in, then immediately wrap around ot the back of the scanner, which would reduce the potential for breakage due to fragile connectors sticking out the side of the unit....

I also see the SMA as a potential risk, if one were to use a SMA to BNC adaptor... i plan to use a short cable that is terminated in SMA, then put the adaptor on the endof the cable, just to reduce the chance of snapping off the SMA connector. it's too bad that they (assumingly) had to go SMA for size constraints (can't see any other rationale)... BNCs are a lot more rugged, IMHO.

 

[Jay911]

I have a SMA to BNC adapter and a 90° BNC adapter on each of my two HP1s with no problems. One of them is in and out of the car a lot and has the antenna cable disconnected and reconnected often, no issues.

 

[j0nnyb1aze]

... i plan to use a short cable that is terminated in SMA, then put the adaptor on the endof the cable, just to reduce the chance of snapping off the SMA connector. ...

Might as well use one of these.

http://www.gigaparts.com/store.php?action=profile&sku=ZCM-HB-05

 

[cacherjoe]

I like the idea of a mobile dock that was suggested in another post. For me, I use the HP1 in the vehicle mostly, however don't want to keep it there in the mount because of the possibility of theft and temperature variances.

I agree on the SMA/BNC comments. If I had an antenna that had a BNC connection I would go that route for sure, but mine is SMA so I'll be careful.

The idea of keeping a cable plugged in might not be the best idea. Problem is that there is now something that can get snagged all the time.

I'm hoping to hear from someone tomorrow on repair/replacement options.

J

 

[scruggsy]

well if you've only had it 10 days (11 now), return it for a new one! if you bought it from SM I think they have a 30 day return policy! if you were one of the "lucky" ones to get it for $300.00 on ebay, good luck!

 

[kruser]

would it make sense to create a GPS cable that was a "right angle" type connector? Basically, plug in, then immediately wrap around ot the back of the scanner, which would reduce the potential for breakage due to fragile connectors sticking out the side of the unit....

I also see the SMA as a potential risk, if one were to use a SMA to BNC adaptor... i plan to use a short cable that is terminated in SMA, then put the adaptor on the endof the cable, just to reduce the chance of snapping off the SMA connector. it's too bad that they (assumingly) had to go SMA for size constraints (can't see any other rationale)... BNCs are a lot more rugged, IMHO.

I've wondered if anyone does make a right angle version of the mini serial connector and the mini usb connector. My usb is not left connected like the mini serial is though but a right angle version of the mini serial plug would be a very welcome item.
I also use a short antenna cable with a right angle SMA connector on the radio end plus a right angle audio adapter. At least the left side if mine does not have a lot of things sticking out very far.
I also never use the small serial jacks on the front panels of my Uniden 996 T and XT radios. My fingers are just too fat to have anything plugged in and also operate the radio so I moved the serial jack to a standard DB-9 on the rear panel next to the other serial port also on the rear. I use both ports on the 996 radios for logging and GPS control and I hated the connector sticking out the front so to the rear it went.
The front port is still functional but I do need to remember to disconnect anything attached to the new rear connector should I ever need it.

Anyone know of a source for right angle versions of the USB plug? As popular as mini usb is, I bet someone does make that in a right angle. Even one that is a mini plug to a mini jack at 90 degrees would be better than having the entire straight plug with cable hanging out the right side.

I doubt anyone makes a right angle version of the serial port plug though as I don't think the straight ones are very popular as it is. I've found spare straight molded plugs that are fit with wires molded in already on the serial plug end and bare on the other end but I've never seen a right angle version.

Does anyone know if that mini serial jack and plug even have an official name or designation so one may search for them easier?

edit: SMA connectors actually have a much higher rating over BNC for max frequency and durability. BNC's still wobble at the jack/plug point when connected. The wobbling action will spread open the female pin socket in the jack. There are better jacks that have a much better pin socket to prevent this on BNC's but most manufacturers use the cheaper versions. SMA on the other hand tightens snuggly when you attach the plug onto the jack which prevents the socket spreading problem as long as you keep it tight which eliminates the wobbling action. I've never had the center conductor socket in an SMA connector spread open like often happens with BNC jacks. The entire SMA jack can be more fragile in whole than a BNC though as many SMA jacks are soldered directly to a board with no other mechanical relief like many BNC jacks offer. I think that is the way the HP-1 is setup so I do agree with the concern here and also the reason I purchased right angle SMA ends for my cable and installed them in the first place. Uniden should have designed with a better SMA socket that also has a barrel nut that clamps down on the case like most BNC's do. That would have made it a lot more durable for a device that people are going to move around a lot. I'm sure space constraints played a large part in the jacks design though.

 

[OCO]

.......I've wondered if anyone does make a right angle version of the mini serial connector and the mini usb connector. .....
......I also use a short antenna cable with a right angle SMA connector on the radio end plus a right angle audio adapter. .........

.......Anyone know of a source for right angle versions of the USB plug? As popular as mini usb is, I bet someone does make that in a right angle. Even one that is a mini plug to a mini jack at 90 degrees would be better than having the entire straight plug with cable hanging out the right side.............

..........Does anyone know if that mini serial jack and plug even have an official name or designation so one may search for them easier?............

......Uniden should have designed with a better SMA socket that also has a barrel nut that clamps down on the case like most BNC's do. That would have made it a lot more durable for a device that people are going to move around a lot. I'm sure space constraints played a large part in the jacks design though..........

Kruser:
I know there's a right angle mini style USB plug being made someplace, as the charger cord for my TomTom 720 has one on the unit end. Unfortunately, the docking station cable, which is full size to mini is molded into the docking base..

I'm searching industrial sites for the micro serial port to see if I can find a type.

As far as the antenna, I prefer a BNC, I'm told that Uniden shipped one with some of their units that screws all the way down on the SMA socket and seats with a shoulder against the surround...(BTW for those with flakey fitting BNCs, I found in searching that there's a Russian version that's supposed to be the same, but is just off enough that it causes seating and fit problems - makes you wonder where some of the troublesome ones we've heard about were sourced from??)

 

[hydrolocked]

yes, SMA connectors are rated beyond 10 GHz (up to 18 GHz, if you have good ones), but a BNC is good up to about 2 GHz - still well above the rating of the radio, so no worries.

I actually use BNCs for everything below 2 GHz, and below 100W - for stuff beyond that (at home) I go straight to an N connector.

At work, it's a far different matter - N's for almost everything above 100 MHz, and whatever is convenient below that, unless we're running high power (>1kW...CW), then it's C, SC, or TC.

 

[kruser]

Kruser:
I know there's a right angle mini style USB plug being made someplace, as the charger cord for my TomTom 720 has one on the unit end. Unfortunately, the docking station cable, which is full size to mini is molded into the docking base..

I'm searching industrial sites for the micro serial port to see if I can find a type.

As far as the antenna, I prefer a BNC, I'm told that Uniden shipped one with some of their units that screws all the way down on the SMA socket and seats with a shoulder against the surround...(BTW for those with flakey fitting BNCs, I found in searching that there's a Russian version that's supposed to be the same, but is just off enough that it causes seating and fit problems - makes you wonder where some of the troublesome ones we've heard about were sourced from??)

If you turn anything up during your searches, please post the info!

I did fail to point out that I also prefer BNC over SMA. For one, they require a mere slight partial turn to lock while the SMA requires several turns. That makes the SMA harder in tight spaces.

Here, I have a LOT of RF cables and jumpers. I bet over 90% have BNC on the ends. I even terminate my LMR400 with BNC when it enters the shack.
I use very few adapters unless that is the only way as they can and do cause loss or connection problems over time especially at the higher frequencies. Everything is N at the outdoor antennas or 800 and 700 MHz preamps though.
I don't have a wobble out problem with most of my bnc connections as the cables are secured so they cannot move.
Is there a more proper name for what I call the "wobble out" problem?!
Maybe pin socket spread sounds better! I swear I heard a radio tech call the problem by a much better sounding term.
Whatever, the better female BNC jacks seem to have a nylon or Teflon insulator that fully surrounds the pin socket. Then they also have the sockets that have a spring steel looking ring around the outer diameter of the pin socket. This keeps the socket compressed inwards and eliminates any permanent outward spreading. Or the nylon bushing is tight to the socket and the socket itself is made of a material that springs back inwards when the pin is removed. I'm not sure what material those are made off but they are always brass colored so most likely gold plated. These are the kinds I like and I'll replace the jacks on my radios with these when they start getting loose if they will fit. I wish I knew who made them. I think I bought them from RF Parts or maybe Mouser but stupid me unbagged them and put them into the parts drawers without labeling the drawer with the part number. I have them in different types (nut and flange) and two different board mount types so I can usually make one or the other fit. I also have right angle versions of all except the flange mount types.
I've seen some BNC jacks that just had the center socket sticking up from the insulator base with no type of dielectric insulator around the socket at all. It was just a split brass post socket thing and half of the post would actually snap off after a antenna or cable wiggled around on them for a while. I first thought a nylon bushing had just fallen out of the one I was getting ready to install until I looked at all of them and they were all built like that! I wondered if they were not something special built for test equipment where they could not use the nylon bushing if it messed with the impedance maybe. They sure seemed and looked odd though.
Then there are the jacks that do have a nylon bushing around the center socket but the gap between the sockets outer walls and the bushing is so great that the bushing does not really offer any help.
One thing for sure is a good quality BNC jack can last a lifetime but the cheaper ones will spread or snap off half of the pin socket after time.
I've also snapped a few male pins inside the BNC male plug on antenna bases before. That was most likely caused by me in my haste to swap an antenna quickly and not having pulled it fully out of the jack before I tilt it sideways! I think that is rare though as the center pin is usually clear of its socket before the outer barrel clears its post. This may have been a result of a plug that had too long of a center pin. I've seen more than one antenna where the center pin extended past the outer barrel.
You cannot stand those up straight as they wobble on the extended center pin. If bad enough, they can damage a socket when the user forces them down onto the socket.

Anyway, if your search turns up any right angle mini connectors for the serial or USB ports on the HP-1, please post the info or even shoot me a PM as I could really make use of them. Especially the USB plug as I have a lot of things that use that connector as do many others I suspect.
The joys of miniaturization! It is nice to make things smaller but there seems to be a limit where it is no longer practical.
My HP-1 does not have the Russian SMA connector. It sounded like a neat idea though where the barrel would seat against the surround. I would think that could add a lot of stability to the jack as long as the surround is made from a strong material.

The connectors I truly hate are the tiny little things used on mini-pci cards in laptops for the wireless antennas! What do they call them, cf.L or something like that I think. I always feel as though I’m going to destroy them when I try and align them for connection but so for I’ve had good luck!

 

[kruser]

yes, SMA connectors are rated beyond 10 GHz (up to 18 GHz, if you have good ones), but a BNC is good up to about 2 GHz - still well above the rating of the radio, so no worries.

I actually use BNCs for everything below 2 GHz, and below 100W - for stuff beyond that (at home) I go straight to an N connector.

At work, it's a far different matter - N's for almost everything above 100 MHz, and whatever is convenient below that, unless we're running high power (>1kW...CW), then it's C, SC, or TC.

I wonder what the rated jacks/unjacks are between the two (SMA and BNC) when using good quality connectors?
I would think the BNC may actually have a higher rating if it is a high quality jack and plug.
I know that "jack/unjacks" is likely not the correct term but I mean how may times could a quality BNC be connected and disconnected before it starts failing compared to an equal quality SMA connector set?
That is where I see the most problems with BNC's, the center socket or pin either bends or breaks after time especially if one is not careful during removal and tilts them sideways before they are pulled apart fully (I'm known to do this!).
Like quality switch manufacturers, they will often give a life cycle rating of how many times the switch can be opened or closed before failure from wear starts to set in.
Any idea on this question?

I've seen a many BNC jacks start to fail like I explained above in the CCTV world after as few as 50 reconnects. And this was years ago when many things like this were made by companies like Amphenol for example. I've always considered Amphenol connectors top notch but maybe they had a low quality line made just for the CCTV industry years ago.
On the other hand, I have a ton of old Amphenol RF connectors and adapters that are likely over 50 years old or more that still function like the day they were made! I would not hesitate to use some of them atop a 200 foot tower if needed as I doubt they would ever fail. Compare that with the same looking connector from Radio Shack. The Radio Shack connector will fail soon if it even works out of the box brand new! It's a shame that the radio shack connectors and adapters where of such cheap quality as they did offer some unique adapters if you were in a bind and needed a quick or odd connection fix in an emergency.
I'll admit that I've been there before and had to use them on weekends or late nights in the past.
I still have a junk drawer full of oddball radio shack adapters and connectors that I've acquired over the years. I'd never use one for anything longer than getting myself out of a temporary bind though!

 

[OCO]

Good reference on angled USB cable styles...

Here's the right one for the cable to go down from the side of the radio (It's an elbow, not a right angle )

 

[kruser]

Good reference on angled USB cable styles...

Here's the right one for the cable to go down from the side of the radio (It's an elbow, not a right angle )

Hmm, never though about a right angle and an up angle as they call them! Great info! Thanks.


edit: wait a minute, I thought the USB connector on the HP-1 is "mini" and not "micro"!

The newer Samsung cell phones are using a usb connector now and I was happy as they used a proprietary connector for years. We bought one at work last week and the common mini usb would not fit as they jumped straight to using the newer "micro" sized jack. Now I need even more cables or adapters. I think you need the MBR02 or MBR04 series.

 

[OCO]

You are correct- I fixed the link in my previous post to the MBR mini low profile.. Just for reference, here's all of the connection specs from the HP1 manual:

ANT. Jack
- SMA Type
Phone Jack
- 3.5 mm (Stereo Type)
- 32 ohm (Stereo headphone)
- 64 ohm (Earphone)
Line Out Jack
- 2.5 mm (Stereo Type)
- 600 ohm for Audio Output
DC Power Jack
- EIAJ Type-3 (Center Positive)
GPS Interface Jack
- 4-pin Mini Type (RS232C)
USB Jack
- 5-pin Mini USB Type
Memory card Slot
- MicroSD Type


For others looking at the catalog, the orientation on the HP1 USB connector is reversed from a lot of devices, which is why you need the UP elbow, not the DOWN elbow.. (at least I know the elbow from the......ahh ....right angle)

 

[kruser]

That's cool! I ordered a mini up angle extension and a mini up angle to the end that plugs directly to the computer socket.

I think these will help especially if I start using a remote control app now that the new firmware to be released soon offers more serial port control.
The remote control before was pretty lame as you could not do much with it. I guess Gommert will be updating his software control application soon if he has not already!

 

[dkf435]

Does anyone have the Uniden part number for the jack? need to replace jack on the HP-1` and will not send in even if it is still under waranty because of turn around time.

David kb7uns