Well, this is a first for me. I mashed a female N connector by screwing in a PL259 during the course of some testing. I of course ensured it was nice and snug, so it really mashed it down. The female receiver split into four and flattened each one against the well walls. I didn't realize it until I saw the weird result on the analyzer, or the lack of one. While replacing a connector on a piece of coax only takes time and money, this one was connected onto a mobile duplexer. The time and effort to disassemble that and then replace it is unequal to the cost of buying another one. A couple of mouse clicks and another would be on the way.
...and then I figured I wasn't the first person to do this so...
A Google search provided a solution using a $5 piece of plastic tube. I did not think I could bend those four legs back into anything close as the female receptor, but it was worth a try. Sure enough after taking my time I was able to get them close to what they were. Still, they were too loose to receive a male connector properly so I ordered that plastic fuel line mentioned in the article. I cut it to the recommended 1/4 inch length and slipped it over a good female connector to test. The plastic tube stayed put after putting on and removing a male N connector. I cut another 1/4 inch piece and snipped four tiny opposing slices onto the end that would go into the well of the connector. The damaged connector was not as tight as it should be, obviously, and I wanted to give the tube some play so that it would slip over easy, which it did. It closed the four legs on the receptor right up and it now looks like an undamaged one. Another sweep on the analyzer and everything was fine.
The point of this post is to share a potential solution, dependent upon one's needs. I only found that one instance of the easy fix.
* Please note the #7725 fuel line mentioned in the article is no longer available. The one I ordered, #7724, is the direct replacement and although less than half as long, it is more than enough as a solution.
...and then I figured I wasn't the first person to do this so...
A Google search provided a solution using a $5 piece of plastic tube. I did not think I could bend those four legs back into anything close as the female receptor, but it was worth a try. Sure enough after taking my time I was able to get them close to what they were. Still, they were too loose to receive a male connector properly so I ordered that plastic fuel line mentioned in the article. I cut it to the recommended 1/4 inch length and slipped it over a good female connector to test. The plastic tube stayed put after putting on and removing a male N connector. I cut another 1/4 inch piece and snipped four tiny opposing slices onto the end that would go into the well of the connector. The damaged connector was not as tight as it should be, obviously, and I wanted to give the tube some play so that it would slip over easy, which it did. It closed the four legs on the receptor right up and it now looks like an undamaged one. Another sweep on the analyzer and everything was fine.
The point of this post is to share a potential solution, dependent upon one's needs. I only found that one instance of the easy fix.
* Please note the #7725 fuel line mentioned in the article is no longer available. The one I ordered, #7724, is the direct replacement and although less than half as long, it is more than enough as a solution.
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