N-Type or BNC?
- Thread starter AOR-262
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rf_patriot200
Active Member
I would suggest Bnc connectors for your HF antennas, and N connectors for your Vhf/Uhf antennas. Other members might have other suggestions. I have the MCA 204 Mil with Bnc on in/out.
All of my Stridesbergs have BNC and work just fine.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
The nice thing about BNC connectors is that you can get the easy to install type that fit RG-6 at Home Depot. This is perfectly fine for receive only. Not an option with N connectors. If you are going to build your own connectors, BNC will be easier.
You won't be pushing the limits of either connector with your setup. BNC is smaller and easier to work with. Standardization between all your connectors will make life easier.
You won't be pushing the limits of either connector with your setup. BNC is smaller and easier to work with. Standardization between all your connectors will make life easier.
jcop225
Radio Zoomer
+1 for standardization and making this decision based on the materials you have most readily available and are comfortable working with.
RF performance for the BNCs will start to taper off above 600 MHz but fortunately, in general, the signals we monitor up there are stronger.
Most brands of BNC are good well past 2GHz, you might measure .05dB loss through one on a test bench but you'll never notice it.
I've standardized most everything in my base and mobile installations with BNC coming off the antenna then an adapter at each radio. That allows for a quick disconnect when moving equipment around or from base to mobile. If your installing/connecting something that will never move and needs the highest performance and reliability like a repeater and its associated hardware then N is the way to go.
I used to follow the rule:
"If you NEVER have to remove it use N-type, if you EVER have to remove it use BNC"
But, now I have become lazy and I have been using BNC for everything, purely because it is easier to have standard cables for everything.
On the radios I have with N-type connectors, I have been putting N-type to BNC converters and using BNC on both sides.
While BNC is easier, I have personally seen BCS "fail in place" 2 or 3 times. All of these were resolved by simply disconnecting and then reconnecting the BNC connector. It looks like the the center connector loses connection, which I think could be it oxidizing over a long time or maybe it moves slightly inside the connector. In any case the N-type connectors are much more robust and I have never seen one fail.
"If you NEVER have to remove it use N-type, if you EVER have to remove it use BNC"
But, now I have become lazy and I have been using BNC for everything, purely because it is easier to have standard cables for everything.
On the radios I have with N-type connectors, I have been putting N-type to BNC converters and using BNC on both sides.
While BNC is easier, I have personally seen BCS "fail in place" 2 or 3 times. All of these were resolved by simply disconnecting and then reconnecting the BNC connector. It looks like the the center connector loses connection, which I think could be it oxidizing over a long time or maybe it moves slightly inside the connector. In any case the N-type connectors are much more robust and I have never seen one fail.
Amphenol BNC connectors I use are good up to 1.5 Ghz +. Largely dependent on the coax used.
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