SMA connector with appx 1.6mm dia solderable bucket center pin??? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / rf-microwave

author: peteb2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 08:33:32 pm
content: Has anyone ever seen a supplier of such an SMA connector?. The braided steel cable section that becomes the UHF antenna is 1.5mm dia & solders to the centre pin of the SMA. All forms of crimp SMA connector i have located all have a center pin with a very tiny solder bucket for a coax inner so completely useless.In my photo i've dissected an old broken antenna....

author: Kim Christensen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 08:39:33 pm
content: What's the part number of the coax you are using? Usually it's printed on the jacket at various intervals.EDIT: Or are you just trying to fix an antenna?

author: peteb2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 01:08:16 am
content: Sorry to cause a misunderstanding. There's no coax involved. It's a cut to length tuned piece of 1.5mm diameter stainless steel-braid cable, the stuff you'd put into an old car for the handbrake or accelerator linking. I'd be making a 'rubber ducky' antenna so to speak.

author: Kim Christensen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 01:49:38 am
content: Have you tried soldering it yet? Stainless steel doesn't solder well, if at all.If it wets OK, it's probably not stainless.An SMA connector for larger cable like RG-8 (14 AWG) or LMR-240 (1.42 mm) or LMR-400 (2.74 mm)will accept a larger conductor for the center pin, but these can get pretty expensive.Note: () = inner conductor diameter.

author: peteb2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 04:46:28 am
content: Agreed, you will never solder stainless but this very shiny steel cable takes solder well so the stuff is not pure stainless. These wee antennas were made commercially but the problem now is that the manufacturer has called an end of life to the receiver & all accessories. I am sure if i can find the correct either crimp or spanner-up SMA with a 1.5 to 1.6mmsolder bucket center pin i'll be able to keep this going... The manufacturer must have sourced them from somewhere...

author: Randy222
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 08:33:49 pm
content: This place sells them by actual size, not so much by "sma" name, sold via various places like Digikey and the like.https://www.mill-max.com/products/results?q=pcbp:13526,13556;26841:166&r=pcbp:13526,13556;26841:13566,176,191,251,286,326,361,331,216,166,181,311,206,226,161,221,211;26696:3401,3411,3351,3341,13226

author: MathWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2023, 06:53:02 am
content: So how much do all the tools cost, if you assemble your own cables and connectors for all the various coax stuff ?

author: Randy222
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2024, 06:24:32 pm
content: Quote from: MathWizard on December 30, 2023, 06:53:02 amI see online an SMA crimper ranges $25-$50(US).I not sure if they make combo tools (swappable dies) that can do various coax connectors. I suspect SMA/BNC is a common combo?