RCA phono jacks on Heath gear

Jim Berry basalop at GTE.NET
Thu Oct 29 20:17:19 EST 1998


> To: BOATANCHORS at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
> Subject: Re: RCA phono jacks on Heath gear
>
>
> At 20:34 10/28/98 -0800, Ian Webb wrote:
>
> >I remember reading somewhere in the past that the good quality
> RCA jacks are
> >as good, if not better, than the PL/SO 239 series "UHF
> connectors" when one
> >looks at impedance bump (mismatch).

Got to through my $.02 in here.

I have always understood that not only are the RCA phono plugs and jacks
present almost zilch of an impedance bump.  Probably alot less then the
SO-239 thing.  At one time they were very cheap to buy.  No one would ever
think of paying over a $.05 apiece for one.

There is much better stuff to use though.  I once picked up several hundred
BNC connectors for a couple of bucks.  I went crazy replacing all the RCA
phono things on the back of all my gear.  Many of them had gotten pretty
flaky from use.

Now I use the F connectors and sockets for all my stuff.  No center pin to
change impedance's.  Thing is you have to use coax with a solid center
conductor.  Not a good idea in some cases where you get vibration.

I would like to get more opinions on using them.  What do folks really think
of them.  I think they are great, easy to use, inexpensive, and on and on.
I am curious of the RF handling rating.  I would assume they would handle a
100 watts with no problem.

I do not want to bend the noses of Collin fans.  You can correct me if I am
wrong.  The civilian grade stuff used RCA phono's, but I bet the military
stuff didn't.  I have a couple of buddies who were in Vietnam.  They do not
say anything very nice about Collins stuff.  Again, this was the civilian
grade stuff using RCA phono's.  RCA phono's are a simple push on device and
can lead to real trouble if not used in a home type environment.  They were
never around any of the mil grade stuff used in airplanes or at sea.  Again,
I would assume they used BNC connectors.

73 Jim K7SLI

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
To subscribe: listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
and in body: subscribe BOATANCHORS yourfirstname yourlastname
To unsubscribe:  listserv at listserv.tempe.gov
and in body: signoff BOATANCHORS
Archives for BOATANCHORS: http://www.tempe.gov/archives
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --




More information about the Boatanchors mailing list