Electronics > RF, Microwave, Ham Radio

Which RF Connectors to "Standardize" for Home Lab?

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NT0Z:
Hi, gang,

I'm building out my home RF lab. I have a variety of older and newer devices/equipment, and I'm wondering if there's a "best" way to standardize on a particular connector type, as I have to build a bunch of coaxial lab jumpers.

Considerations...

1. My equipment has a mix of Type-N, BNC, and SMA connectors, while my radios have mostly SO-238s.

2. Mostly used at MF/HF, with potential to use at 50-450 MHz.

3. Ease of construction: Unless I win the lotto or someone can point me to a treasure trove, I want to make these jumpers, probably with RG-58X or LMR-195/240. I have a crimping tool with all necessary dies. I have crimped many Type-F compression connectors, a bunch of PL-259s, but no BNC, Type-N or SMAs.

Which BNC and N-type connectors are easiest to install by non-pro users such as myself? I plan to get a cable prep tool, set it up perfectly for the chosen cable/connector combo, and use it as my own internal "standard" to encourage success over time. :)

I have a bunch of coaxial adapters -- and plan to get more -- but I'd prefer to use as few as possible.

As always, thanks,

Kirk, NT0Z

james_s:
I use BNC and SMA, but it depends on what you're doing. There's a reason there are so many different types, there is no one size fits all connector.

Bud:
I wanted to standardize on N but ended up with SMA cables and N/BNC/PL adapters, for convenience reasons. Too many combinations of jumpers if to use dedicated specific connector types cables. Test and measurement equioment is typically BNC and N, but they are bulky and inconvenient when probing around PCBs. Using SMA provides convenience, takes less space and you need less cables. The coax is thinner. And if I would do it again I would have gone with SMB, just push/pull to connect/disconnect.

Psi:
Just don't use RP-SMA. Don't let them win.

xrunner:

--- Quote from: james_s on January 27, 2023, 01:36:12 am ---I use BNC and SMA, but it depends on what you're doing. There's a reason there are so many different types, there is no one size fits all connector.

--- End quote ---

Like James_s, BNC and SMA here ... plus some adapters to go from N to BNC and SMA, for some other RF generators and spectrum analyzers.

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