On Fri, 6 Apr 2007 08:21:15 -0600, "Ed Nielsen"
wrote:

Twist-in connectors do not provide the shielding that a CATV system needs.
They are a HUGE source of ingress/egress, and the return loss is rather low
(the higher the better. Hex-crimp fittings have ~18dB, and compression are
30dB). Plus, It actually takes more time to put on a twist-on connector
that it does to put on a real connector.

Compression fittings may cost a little more for the connector and the
installation tools, but cost less in labor (time) to install. Not to
mention the materials/time spent in replacing the twist-on connectors with
real ones when they don't work properly.

A couple of years ago the house took a lightning strike that I deduced
damaged cabling provided by the cable system(Time-Warner). I removed
my additions and placed a service call. When the truck arrived I
showed them where I had dropped my stuff off the system and restored
their original configuration. After they fixed the connector arc-overs
they ran there signal leakage test. Then they requested I restore my
alterations and one by one they chased down ALL of the twist-on and
crimp connections that I had made and replaced them with their own
compression fittings. The results were better picture quality, zero RF
influence from the Ham Xmtr, and higher speed Internet.

I think I better invest in the connectors and tool to keep things
tidy.

John Ferrell W8CCW
"Life is easier if you learn to
plow around the stumps"