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Wow! New Ham here and trying to understand how I can start making my own Cable for myself and others. Just looking at DX Engineering PDF (attached) there appears 20 different types of Coax cable and 6 different PL-259 ends. This provides a nice cross reference IF you know what cable you have.
I purchased Comet LD-5M antenna mount for my truck. The PL-259 end had to come off to go through the firewall of my truck. Now I need to buy a Crimp kit and correct PL-259 connector. The cable says: 3.5D-QEFV Fujikura-DIA. Who knows what size cable that is and which crimp on connector goes with that?
Second, I have a very large roll of Coax given to me by a fellow Ham. Not a thing at all printed on the side of the cable. Large diameter, almost the size of LMR 400 cable I purchased. Which connector for that?
Then another gift of cable with writing on it: JetStream RG 213/U. Looks like that would be a DXE-PL259CS8U or AML-182102 connector. Right?
You can find me on QRZ if you would like to Elmer me in this fine art of cable making.
73s - KD9RUE
Hopefully you have received answers to your questions already Gordon. Still new to it myself, and it seems to do with the cable thickness, if it needs a reducer or such, and style crimp/solder/both. Looking up the cables here is what I found and the links.
Comet LD-5M antenna mount for my truck. The PL-259 end had to come off to go through the firewall of my truck. Now I need to buy a Crimp kit and correct PL-259 connector. The cable says: 3.5D-QEFV Fujikura-DIA.
The Comet antenna uses a special coax that has no RG equivalent, so finding the correct connector to fit you would need to contact the manufacturer (or try connectors from a old parts box to find one that will work). From the Comet LD-5M description, "There is no 'RG' equivalent to 3.5D-QEFV".
In that regard you would be better off finding another place to mount the antenna that does not need to pass into the firewall or at least not cutting off the end connectors. A simple coax connector adapter may be the way to go - connect the Comet cable to it and pass another coax cable thru the firewall that you can put a connector on.
A crimp kit will depend on if you buy solder connectors, or handy with a soldering iron. It seems some solder even the crimp style connectors.
DX Engineering offers crimp tool and various dies depending on coax and great as the die can be replaced if needed. Amphenol also offers two crimp tools, depending on coax size.
Large diameter, almost the size of LMR 400 cable I purchased. Which connector for that?
For LMR400 it needs a Amphenol 182130-10 connector or similar.
JetStream RG 213/U. Looks like that would be a DXE-PL259CS8U or AML-182102 connector. Right?
Looking up RG specs of a similar RG 213/U product it says, "terminated with standard solder or crimp style PL-259 and N connectors designed for RG-8 sized, 0.405 in. cables." So yes those should be fine.
For single connectors alternatives would be Amphenol 83-1SP-1050.
For me I avoided the whole issue and purchased a 50' JETSTREAM 201350A cable (marked with JT2013 RG 8/U among other things). I went with that RG 8/U due to price and years of use many get with it. JETSTREAM is a R&L Electronics brand - if they make it themselves or are rebranded like Radio Shack did things I have no idea though.
I read someone said regarding the RG 8/U cable thickness and reliability that a loop of the cable could be used to whip a bear while still keeping a QSO on it. I'm not going to try that, but it is amazing thick and working great - and is nearly the diameter of my thumb.
