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Wayne Carpenter KN2Z @minicowman
Good day all.? I am working on setting up the best (for me) QRP field gear.? I want to set up an end fed half wave with sections for 20m, 30m & 40m.? I prefer 26 awg silicone insulated wire. I can't seem to find a good option for quick connection between sections.? I've checked eBay, Amazon, Mouser, Grainger, and McMaster-Carr.. They all seem to sell the female side of a spade lug connector but none offer the male side.
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If anyone here has an EFHW like I'm trying to put together, or uses a linked dipole with 26 awg.. what do you use for connectors?
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I have a 3D printer so insulators between sections won't be a problem. Just need to get that RF all the way out through the properly tuned segments. I currently use an end fed random wire with a manual Z-match tuner and would like to not need the tuner.
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Thoughts & suggestions welcome.? TIA.
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73
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?A typical box of assorted wire connectors from Harbor Fright has plenty of them for a project like this. I recently built the POTA PERformer and used this type of connector to build up the linked counterpoises.
On Fri, Sep 13, 2024, at 09:28, Wayne Carpenter KN2Z @minicowman via groups.io wrote:
Good day all.? I am working on setting up the best (for me) QRP field gear.? I want to set up an end fed half wave with sections for 20m, 30m & 40m.? I prefer 26 awg silicone insulated wire. I can't seem to find a good option for quick connection between sections.? I've checked eBay, Amazon, Mouser, Grainger, and McMaster-Carr.. They all seem to sell the female side of a spade lug connector but none offer the male side.
?
If anyone here has an EFHW like I'm trying to put together, or uses a linked dipole with 26 awg.. what do you use for connectors?
?
I have a 3D printer so insulators between sections won't be a problem. Just need to get that RF all the way out through the properly tuned segments. I currently use an end fed random wire with a manual Z-match tuner and would like to not need the tuner.
?
Thoughts & suggestions welcome.? TIA.
?
73
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On 13/09/2024 15:28, Wayne Carpenter KN2Z @minicowman via groups.io wrote: Good day all.? I am working on setting up the best (for me) QRP field gear.? I want to set up an end fed half wave with sections for 20m, 30m & 40m.? I prefer 26 awg silicone insulated wire. I can't seem to find a good option for quick connection between sections.? I've checked eBay, Amazon, Mouser, Grainger, and McMaster-Carr.. They all seem to sell the female side of a spade lug connector but none offer the male side.
If anyone here has an EFHW like I'm trying to put together, or uses a linked dipole with 26 awg.. what do you use for connectors?
I have a 3D printer so insulators between sections won't be a problem. Just need to get that RF all the way out through the properly tuned segments. I currently use an end fed random wire with a manual Z-match tuner and would like to not need the tuner.
Thoughts & suggestions welcome.? TIA. These: (Look for the same type on your local eBay) I've been using them for over 10 years now. Still working fine. Use some heatshrink, maybe a few layers to add some flex resilience. Can be done and undone when wearing gloves so ideal for my SOTA operations in Scotland's loverly weather. Also you don't have to align them. Andy
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I used 4.8mm brass spade connectors from Aliexpress, but they are VERY hard to separate...
72 de va3rr
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RC Plugs are your friend. They come in different shapes. Dual ones can be cut and they provide solid rain cover if pluged together all the way.
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I use banana plug male/female connectors for my linked 20/30/40m EFHW. Each section is tied to the next by a short piece of Atwood micro cord.
John Corby, VA3KOT
HamRadioOutsideTheBox.ca
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Mini Croc clips, easy to use wearing gloves, only come apart if meant to not by accident?
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The universe is made up of Protons, Neutrons, Electrons but contains only one M0RON.
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I find Anderson PowerPole connectors are pretty good for this sort of thing.? You can get real ones from places like RS but they can be quite expensive.? Clones from Ebay/Amazon are fine for joining antenna wire.
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73
Peter GM0EUL
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Friends of mine swear by micro- (mini-?) banana plugs/recepticles.
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Personally, I use non-resonant EFRWs as I don't like extra connections.?
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73, Dan? NM3A
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I use these "knife disconnect" connectors for that purpose.? They are hermaphroditic/sexless and will not pull apart when mated.? They are kind of stiff the first few matings but loosen up somewhat after use.
I started using them when a 1/4" QD pair came apart and stranded part of my antenna in a tree
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I found the mini banana plug/jack too hard to demate; maybe someone could 3D print an insulator/grip for them.? That still doesn't solve the accidental disconnection problem unless it is a locking grip.
73, Don N2VGU
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I've had good luck with gold plated RC power supply pins.? They're available in various diameters and Amazon sells male & female pairs of pins in packs of? 10 to 20 pairs pretty inexpensively.? I'm not sure which size would be appropriate for 27 awg - maybe 2mm??????? I like to cover each pin with a little shrink wrap ...it gives a little reinforcement to the joint where the wire enters the pins (and l ooks a little more professional).? The male to female fit is tight enough that you shouldn't have to worry about the wires pulling apart accidentally, but but not so tight that you have trouble unplugging the segments by hand.?
73
On Fri, Sep 13, 2024, 20:50 Donald S Brant Jr via <dsbrantjr= [email protected]> wrote: I use these "knife disconnect" connectors for that purpose.? They are hermaphroditic/sexless and will not pull apart when mated.? They are kind of stiff the first few matings but loosen up somewhat after use.
I started using them when a 1/4" QD pair came apart and stranded part of my antenna in a tree
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I found the mini banana plug/jack too hard to demate; maybe someone could 3D print an insulator/grip for them.? That still doesn't solve the accidental disconnection problem unless it is a locking grip.
73, Don N2VGU
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Wayne Carpenter KN2Z @minicowman
On Fri, Sep 13, 2024 at 10:34 AM, Andy wrote:
These:
Thanks Andy. These do look like a good choice. I'll do some searching. Have an awesome weekend.
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73
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Wayne Carpenter KN2Z @minicowman
On Fri, Sep 13, 2024 at 01:58 PM, Peter GM0EUL wrote:
I find Anderson PowerPole connectors are pretty good for this sort of thing.? You can get real ones from places like RS but they can be quite expensive.? Clones from Ebay/Amazon are fine for joining antenna wire.
I do like Anderson PowerPole connectors. But so far I haven't found any that go down to 26 awg.? But I'll keep looking. Thanks!
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Wayne Carpenter KN2Z @minicowman
On Fri, Sep 13, 2024 at 03:14 PM, Daniel Walter wrote:
Personally, I use non-resonant EFRWs as I don't like extra connections.?
I understand and that is what I am using now. But I would like to be able to leave the little Z-match tuner out of the setup sometimes. Extra coax, extra loss for an already tiny signal. I mean, it works and works well but I want to experiment with the half wave and see if I can determine any better performance.
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Thanks and 73
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Wayne Carpenter KN2Z @minicowman
On Fri, Sep 13, 2024 at 09:07 PM, Steve Hull wrote:
I've had good luck with gold plated RC power supply pins.? They're available in various diameters and Amazon sells male & female pairs of pins in packs of? 10 to 20 pairs pretty inexpensively.? I'm not sure which size would be appropriate for 27 awg - maybe 2mm??????? I like to cover each pin with a little shrink wrap ...it gives a little reinforcement to the joint where the wire enters the pins (and l ooks a little more professional).? The male to female fit is tight enough that you shouldn't have to worry about the wires pulling apart accidentally, but but not so tight that you have trouble unplugging the segments by hand.?
73
Yessir, Andy suggested some 2mm banana connectors. I will be doing some searching for those as they certainly seem viable.? Thanks. Have a great weekend.
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Wayne Carpenter KN2Z @minicowman
Okay, thanks everyone. There have been some really good suggestions here. I think I've figured out what to search for, and what size.? When it's all figured out and working, I'll post some pictures of the final (ha, 'final'... like I'm ever "done" experimenting) setup.
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73 everyone.
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On Sat, Sep 14, 2024 at 08:09 AM, Wayne Carpenter KN2Z @minicowman wrote:
so far I haven't found any that go down to 26 awg.?
I strip thinner wire long enough to fold it double a couple of times to build up the diameter such that it is large enough to crimp into an oversized contact.??
Beef up the connection with a couple of layers of shrink tubing and you are golden.
73, Don N2VGU
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There are some inexpensive components used in mains and industrial wiring called "Ferrules". These are small tubes that are crimped on wires to reinforce them before using them with screw down terminals or spring clip terminations.
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This is definitely an abuse of their intended purpose, but i find that in connecting small wires to oversize crimp terminals they can be "nested" with the crimp terminal to form a useful intermediary that reinforces the crimp.
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Ever since I discovered these handy components, I use this technique to reinforce my ultralight antennas made from 22-28 gauge wire. Before crimping them to a larger connector, i first crimp the stripped ends into the smallest ferrule that fits. I then crimp the ferrule into the larger crimp terminal. Works very well!
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There are many ferrule kits and tools for them available online. i use this one from iWiss, myself...
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hope this contributes to this discussion...
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Have you considered using traps instead of quick connections?? With traps you don't have to do anything to the antenna when changing bands, allowing frequent and rapid band changes.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNqLWab7GaY
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Jim/ND6P
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Donald pointed these out and I've used them for decades in aviation and other uses.
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Knife disconnect splice.? Easiest to use, will not pull apart.? If you want insulator over the joint
a piece of tubing slipped over it will do just fine.
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--
Allison
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direct email will go to a bit bucket.
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va3rr
Ivica - YU1QRP
M0RON
Peter GM0EUL
Donald S Brant Jr