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Novel idea for MRK/LPE/Jag etc antenna adaptor

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mitaux8030

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Hi all,
I've been wanting to do some sensitivity measurements on a few portables here, and have been wondering if there's any alternative to the >$70 adaptor for the threaded antenna connector (does it have a name BTW?) to a more standard SMA/BNC/TNC connection.

Well I had an idea. After receiving an 'excess to requirements' elevated feed 800 MHz antenna, I cut off the rubber coating to find that its basically just a coax dipole inside. Usinga hacksaw, cut off the brass tube all the way through near the top (ie the 'centre' of the dipole), pull off the brass tube and you'll find there is a tail of mini-teflon coax going to the threaded connector of the antenna. Just reterminate the coax tail with a connector of your choice. I went for a BNC type suited for the mini-teflon coax size. Works well, and much cheaper than the correct adaptor.
 
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mitaux8030

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Oh. Very unimaginative of them. So I guess we just call that connecter the MA-Com/Tyco connector then?
Nothing as 'universal' like BNC, TNC, DIN etc. Guess you've all heard it before: "the great thing about standards is: there's so many to choose from!"
 
ElroyJetson

ElroyJetson

Getting tired of all the stupidity.
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I've fabricated a few custom adapters which replace the existing antenna connector on a P7100 and provide a BNC connection. I use the existing connector and modify it, in part by drilling out the antenna
threads and rethreading it to accept a screw-in BNC panel connector. It's best done by someone who has
a lathe and the right thread tap. But it's not difficult to do.

Their advantage is (presumably) lower loss and greater reliability when you need the radio to have
a BNC connector for connection to an external antenna all the time.


Elroy
 
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