Signal coax recommendations

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simon
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#1 Signal coax recommendations

Post by simon »

Anybody got any recommendations for decent signal coax that's nice to work with? I've a preamp to wire up with 6 inputs and the RG174 I have looks technically good with a tight braid but is a pig to work with - my wire strippers break the central core too, and the braid is hard work to unweave from the core.

I'll be buying a RPI from CPC so something from there would be ideal to avoid postage, but nothing jumped out at me when I looked earlier.

Thanks.
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Dr Bunsen Honeydew
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#2 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

All the good ones are an equal pain in the arse. The cheap nasty ones have simple non braided screen and stranded core.

I am used to opening braided screen, you have to get used to it. I use a knife and the blunt edge to pull the braid apart down one side without cutting it, pull it away from the core in a bunch and twist it together and then tin it as a line.
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#3 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by simon »

I found the point of a DMM probe best for opening the braid. Even with the point it's a ob to get a start. But beyond about 7 or 8mm it's so matted and twisted it's really difficult to separate. Hmmm.
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#4 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by jack »

RG174A/U and M17/113-RG316 are both fiddly to deal with and really need special tools to terminate properly. You can do it by hand, but it's not easy and takes practice to do well.

You can unpick one side - only takes a few minutes - you need a spike, e.g. a cocktail stick/tooth pick - then twist & tin as DB mentions - this works with any braided screen.

Remember that these are ultra-low-loss RF cables good for between 1 & 18GHz - apart from it looking cool, do you really need to work with this stuff?
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simon
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#5 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by simon »

No not at all, I just happen to have some. I'd much rather use something else that was (suitable and) easy to work with - hence asking for recommendations.
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ed
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#6 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by ed »

just had to do some this afternoon:

I use the scalpel to cut a slit in the sleeve about 1inch down the wire at each end, take care not to cut into braid
peel back the sleeve and cut off with nail scissors
poke a bradawl about 1/4 inch under the braid and tease up, repeat at 1/4 inch intervals until 1 inch(length of sleeve removed
twist the strands of the undone braid and tin
strip the inner as required

rg316.jpg
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Dr Bunsen Honeydew
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#7 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

Looks fine, just watch out for the odd strand you haven't twisted into the neg line, cut them off. Also I still see copper colour so you haven't tinned the neg line enough, so it will have weakness, lots of solder and lots of heat.
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ed
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#8 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by ed »

Dr Bunsen Honeydew wrote: Wed Nov 01, 2017 6:28 pm Looks fine, just watch out for the odd strand you haven't twisted into the neg line, cut them off. Also I still see copper colour so you haven't tinned the neg line enough, so it will have weakness, lots of solder and lots of heat.
I'm not sure how to respond here.....I was simply illustrating the method....the wire in the photo hasn't seen the soldering iron yet and the braid hasn't been fully twisted......there will be no weakness....bluddy amateurs I dunno!
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Dr Bunsen Honeydew
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#9 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

Why are you being rude to me, I was commenting on the picture, it shows some silver colour and some copper colour. I simply commented on what I saw. You asked for help in your first post I have tried to help, if others are amateur to you why ask.
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#10 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by Cressy Snr »

Wasn't Ed who asked, it was Simon.
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Dr Bunsen Honeydew
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#11 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

My goof then, I should read more carefully.
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DSJR
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#12 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by DSJR »

I bought some van Damme 75 ohm thin AV coax recently to try as an interconnect. This stuff may not be classed as 'good' enough, but it 'sounds' just fine in humble audio use, is very flexible which may be great for dressing inside a preamp or similar and I found it easy to strip, tin up and solder...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Van-Damme-75- ... XQlgtS8dpE
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#13 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by simon »

I reckon I'd need the skills of a surgeon to slice along this stuff I have Ed - I don't know what the jacket material is but it feels a bit like ptfe rather than pvc, and it's only about 1.5mm diameter. I had another go last night for 10 mins but I really don't fancy terminating both ends of 20-odd pieces. There's probably a day's work in it. :-(

I can see I'll end up with some cheap stuff from Maplin that strips okay but has a questionable screen...
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#14 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by pre65 »

simon wrote: Thu Nov 02, 2017 1:36 pm but I really don't fancy terminating both ends of 20-odd pieces. There's probably a day's work in it. :-(
You don't have to do them all at the same time Simon.

I was always told - if it's worth doing it's worth doing properly. :lol:
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#15 Re: Signal coax recommendations

Post by Ant »

I made some interconnects from some bandridge cable from maplins and they are pretty good, its nice and easy to work with too. 2 cores in it so you can use it for left and right then tie one end of the screen to the earth point.
It was a couple of quid for a few metres so might be worth a look. Not sure if the donny maplin has it, I think I got it from Parkgate.
I also got some bandridge 4 core screened mic cable from maplins when i made up the arm cable for the rega arm and that stuff is very good indeed
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