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Replacement antenna connector for Railroad Spectra

N9JIG

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Anyone have an idea where I can get a replacement antenna connector (SO239 with pigtail) for the Railroad Spectra? Mine is damaged and being EOL Motorola won't have it.

The panel-mount SO239 has an integrated pigtail that snakes around to an interface board, not into the radio unit.
 

nokones

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Anyone have an idea where I can get a replacement antenna connector (SO239 with pigtail) for the Railroad Spectra? Mine is damaged and being EOL Motorola won't have it.

The panel-mount SO239 has an integrated pigtail that snakes around to an interface board, not into the radio unit.
Rich:

Maybe DX Engineering.
 

N9JIG

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Can you take a picture of the complete end to end cable? Standard square flange SO239? Connector on the other end or soldered to a board?

Here are the pics. I am considering replacing it with a, RG174 lead to a connector, probably an SMA to connect to my multicoupler as I use this for RX only. I suspect the connector was damaged as it was right up against the edge of the cabinet and probably got pressed in. I tried to recenter the 4 blades of the center connector but I think the plug is damaged further in and shorting to ground.

In addition I will probably reprogram the codeplug and remove TX from each of the channels. Currently I use the channel selector to select a WX channel for the "TX" and the channel I want to hear as RX. This prevents me from accidentally transmitting, but I can be sure by reprogramming all the channels for RX only.

IMG_8872a.jpg


IMG_8873a.jpg
 

prcguy

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The problem is with the cable connected to the SO239 yes? Is the problem at the SO239 or where it connects to the circuit board? I see some damage to the cable a few inches from the circuit board where something cut into it.
 

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I think the issue is at the SO239 itself. When I program a weather channel it was always able to receive before it only receives it now when I jostle the connector, I cannot keep it receiving without holding it in a specific way. The slit in the covering of the pigtail might have been caused when I removed the radio unit but I don't think it affects the reception.
 

prcguy

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I think the issue is at the SO239 itself. When I program a weather channel it was always able to receive before it only receives it now when I jostle the connector, I cannot keep it receiving without holding it in a specific way. The slit in the covering of the pigtail might have been caused when I removed the radio unit but I don't think it affects the reception.
If it’s just the SO239 that is easy to replace with a new SO239 and UG-177/U hood. You strip the outer sheath off the braid to a length that will leave about 1/4” of bare braid sticking out of the hood when the connector is assembled. Then trim the braid leaving about 1/4” of center conductor sticking out of the braid, then trim the dielectric back 1/8” and tin the center conductor. Then tin the entire braid.

With the hood on the coax solder the center conductor to the SO239, slide the hood onto the connector and install screws then solder the braid as it exits the hood.

But that still leaves a cut in the coax near the board, I would make sure that’s not a problem before installing a new connector.
 
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