I am considering modifying an antenna by changing from a PL-259 connector to an N connector (this is a 2m/70cm dual band J-Pole from Arrow). The current connector is just screwed onto the stud of the driven element, with a nylon shoulder washer. So the coax part of the connector just presses against the mounting bracket (which also holds the other elements) and the center pin of the connector is bolted directly to the element.
I'd like to mount a chassis-mount Type N female socket about 1" away. The body of the socket will press against the same mounting bracket, so that should be fine, but the center element will have to go to a ring terminal on the stud. Maybe 1/2" of wire.
What I'm wondering is, can I predict what that will do to the impedance? How do you tell what impedance that but of wire will have?
Specifically, I am trying to figure out if I'll get less losses this way or by just attaching a PL-259-to-Type N adapter onto the existing connector. My solution seems more elegant, but I don't know that it's actually better.
I'm also interested not just in solving this, specific, issue, but also in learning how one calculates this in general - I'm sure it's not the last time I'll need to connect a coax connector to something else with a piece of wire.