RAMSEY DA SERIES DIPOLE ANTENNA
Page 13
wire. You should make sure that the center conductor fits through the hole in
the center pin, and there are no stray strands being folded backwards. This
will have the unfortunate tendency of shorting out your antenna. The
connector should cover the braided wire and trap it against the reducer.
Snug it down so that it is firmly on the wire. The braided shield should be
caught between the reducer and connector and be held in very tightly.
Before you solder, it is a good idea to use an ohmmeter to check to see if
your center pin may be shorted to the outer braid. To do this, simply place
the ohmmeter across the two pins. Infinite ohms and you’re in the clear!
Using your soldering gun, solder the center conductor onto the pin, and trim
off any extra. Be sure that the solder flows easily into the hole, and does not
bead on the outside. This indicates a cold solder joint (more heat needed),
and also will not allow the connector to plug into your radio easily. Next,
solder into each of the holes on the side of the connector. You should be
able to see the braided wire through at least some of the holes. Once more,
check with your ohmmeter to see if there is a short. Please note that it is not
recommended that you leave the connector unsoldered. Moisture will
quickly cause all of your connections inside to go bad.
Screw the large outer ring onto the PL-259 connector. (Now you see the
importance of placing it onto the wire with the threads out!) Your connector
is now finished. Next, we will talk about connecting the wire to the center
connector.
Begin by stripping the outer insulation off of the coaxial cable like you have
done before. Bend the braid back, and twist it together to form a thick
