I need to attach one coaxial cable jack. I've never done it before
but I know the idea. I don't have a crimping tool. Can it be crimped
well enough with pliers instead of a proper crimping tool?
--
Replace you know what by j to email

"Jan Philips" wrote in message
...
I need to attach one coaxial cable jack. I've never done it before
but I know the idea. I don't have a crimping tool. Can it be crimped
well enough with pliers instead of a proper crimping tool?
--
Replace you know what by j to email

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Thanks. When I was in the store I didn't see screw-on ones, but I'll
ask.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:54:49 -0500, Jan Philips wrote:
I need to attach one coaxial cable jack. I've never done it before
but I know the idea. I don't have a crimping tool. Can it be crimped
well enough with pliers instead of a proper crimping tool?
no

On Nov 7, 8:22*pm, "RBM" wrote:
"Jan Philips" wrote in message

...

I need to attach one coaxial cable jack. *I've never done it before
but I know the idea. *I don't have a crimping tool. *Can it be crimped
well enough with pliers instead of a proper crimping tool?
--
Replace you know what by j to email

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Just about any place that sells coax connectors, including Home Depot
and Lowes has screw on connectors.

They'll never be as secure as the crimp on type or as good as the
factory made ones that the cable companies supply, but they'll work.

RBM wrote:
"Jan Philips" wrote in message
...
I need to attach one coaxial cable jack. I've never done it before
but I know the idea. I don't have a crimping tool. Can it be crimped
well enough with pliers instead of a proper crimping tool?
--
Replace you know what by j to email

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart


Depends on application, and where the cable is. For inside and for OTA
TV, damn near anything will work, sort of. For out in the weather, or
someplace that is a major pain to get to, or if the cable actually
handles power, I'd buy a tool or a new cable. You have any friends into
fancy TVs and satt systems? Odds are one of them has a tool. Or go to
www.MPJA.com , or Harbor Freight, and look there. Not the best quality
stuff, but cheap, and should be good for a few uses. By the way, you
want the connectors that go together like a toilet feed line connection,
not the ones that crimp on.

Tell us more what this cable is connected to, please.
--
aem sends...

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:25:16 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:
Tell us more what this cable is connected to, please.

It is an inactive jack in the house. The cable is there but there is
no connector on it (and just a blank plate).
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:40:26 -0500, Jan Philips
wrote:

It is an inactive jack in the house. The cable is there but there is
no connector on it (and just a blank plate).

And right now it just carries basic non-digital cable, but that may
eventually change.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:40:26 -0500, Jan Philips
wrote:

It is an inactive jack in the house. The cable is there but there is
no connector on it (and just a blank plate).

And right now it just carries basic non-digital cable, but that may
eventually change.

The worthless web sites for the borgs don't show it, but I know they all
carry low-end crimpers to go with the connectors they sell. They also
have expensive 'wanna be' pro-look crimpers, but the real pros get them
from the online jobbers they order their cable and connectors from (at
half the borg prices.)

It is a good tool to have, along with a few spare connectors and
couplers, and some cable. If a mouse chews through the feed just as
somebody's chick flick is starting on a Sunday evening, you'll be able
to fix it post-haste.

Do you know where the other end of that cable behind the blank cover
plate is? Is it connected to anything? Odd to prewire, and not finish
out the cable connectors.

--
aem sends...

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:35:57 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

It is a good tool to have, along with a few spare connectors and
couplers, and some cable.

Well, I'm 55 and I've never needed one before.

Do you know where the other end of that cable behind the blank cover
plate is? Is it connected to anything? Odd to prewire, and not finish
out the cable connectors.

Yes, it goes up into the attic near the splitter. It has a connector
on that end (but isn't in the splitter). The person that built the
house was an electrical engineer, and he left the unused phone and
cable locations unconnected. He probably knew that he could put on a
connector and jack anytime he needed to. I hooked up all of the phone
jacks but I've never done a cable jack.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Is it BNC RG-58?

--
Replace you know what by j to email

Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Is it BNC RG-58?

No, that is for real radios, and real coax. The ones you want are for
type F, either RG-6, or more likely RG-59.

--
aem sends...

Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:35:57 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

It is a good tool to have, along with a few spare connectors and
couplers, and some cable.

Well, I'm 55 and I've never needed one before.

Do you know where the other end of that cable behind the blank cover
plate is? Is it connected to anything? Odd to prewire, and not finish
out the cable connectors.

Yes, it goes up into the attic near the splitter. It has a connector
on that end (but isn't in the splitter). The person that built the
house was an electrical engineer, and he left the unused phone and
cable locations unconnected. He probably knew that he could put on a
connector and jack anytime he needed to. I hooked up all of the phone
jacks but I've never done a cable jack.

Okay, understand now. Being an EE, hopefully he used RG-6q, rather than
the cheap stuff. Are there other non-connected jacks? If so, may want to
do them all and get them over with. If not for you, then for the next
owner. Do you have room in on the splitter, or will you need to get a
bigger one? It is best to not daisy-chain splitters. If your signal
levels are marginal, don't forget to put a terminator on any unused
connections.

At least your wire is accessible. I need to upgrade my house antenna
wiring, but mine is a major pain to get to.

--
aem sends...

"Jan Philips" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You
can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Is it BNC RG-58?

--
Replace you know what by j to email


You need "F" connectors. It will say on the cable jacket if it's RG-59U, or
RG-6. If it was done in the last 20 years it should be 6. Also, every time
you split a cable, the signal becomes weaker. For that reason, when we wire
cable in new homes, it's typical to only connect the ones being used

Jan Philips wrote:

I need to attach one coaxial cable jack. I've never done it before
but I know the idea. I don't have a crimping tool. Can it be crimped
well enough with pliers instead of a proper crimping tool?

Only this type of connector, with a separate ferrule (crimp ring), can
be secured with pliers.

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...-0145-/33-0145

With the ferrule over the cable end, slightly crush it, taking care
not to deform the connector or cable, and then pinch one of the
protruding sides. If you use a round crimping tool for this, there
will be 2 pinches, on opposite sides, but when using pliers it's
easier to just pinch one side. If you use pliers with a connector
having a built-in ferrule, even a short one, including the type
designed to break away, most likely the conector will be bent into a
saddle, and you won't be able to screw it tight. A hexagonal crimping
tool will not work very well with narrow (1/8") ferrules, only with
wider ones.

The more common F-connectors have a long built-in ferrule, like this:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...Y-MCM-/33-8770

It cannot be secured with pliers but only a hexagonal crimper. Get a
tool at least 1/4" wide, similar to the $20 Radio Shack model, not
their $10 one. The narrower tool will give poor hex crimps. Most
hex crimpers are made for 2 sizes of ferrules, and you need the larger
size for these connectors, the smaller size for the connectors having
separate ferrules.

Video and TV systems use 75 ohm cable, and RG59 and RG6 cables are 75
ohms. RG58 is 50 ohms and is wrong for TV. Also match the connectors
to the type of cable - use RG59 with RG59 cable, RG6 with RG6 cable
(there are also RG6QS double-shielded cables and connectors). RG58
connectors are slightly too large for RG59 cable.

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:54:49 -0500, Jan Philips
wrote:

I need to attach one coaxial cable jack. I've never done it before
but I know the idea. I don't have a crimping tool. Can it be crimped
well enough with pliers instead of a proper crimping tool?

Just for the record, I gather from the thread that you're actually
going to put on a coaxial cable plug (not a jack), and connnect that
to a female-to-female (jack-to-jack) connector that is mounted in the
wall plate. So the end of it in the room is a jack.

And to avoid confusion down the road, these are also called
F-connectors.

And iirc I once tried pliers and it didnt' work well.

They also have screw-on F connectors, and for me they didnt' work too
well either, but maybe I didn't do something right.

On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:06:13 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Is it BNC RG-58?

No, that is for real radios, and real coax. The ones you want are for
type F, either RG-6, or more likely RG-59.

And compression connectors (with the proper tool) are better. You'll
need the proper ones for the cable type, RG6 or RG59.

Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Thanks. When I was in the store I didn't see screw-on ones, but I'll
ask.

I think I found the screw on ones at Radio Shack. I've worked in the
electronics industry most of my life an I'm picky about things like
connectors. The screw on ones I got really work great!

On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:20:39 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

Okay, understand now. Being an EE, hopefully he used RG-6q, rather than
the cheap stuff. Are there other non-connected jacks?

Yes there are. All bedrooms have one connected and one non-connected
jack.

Do you have room in on the splitter, or will you need to get a
bigger one?

The splitter doesn't have room for all of them. But all of the cables
are there, labeled, and there is enough for all we use. It is fairly
easy to get to.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:06:13 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

No, that is for real radios, and real coax. The ones you want are for
type F, either RG-6, or more likely RG-59.

Is one of these the older style? The cable is the older style.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:07:22 -0500, mm
wrote:

Just for the record, I gather from the thread that you're actually
going to put on a coaxial cable plug (not a jack), and connnect that
to a female-to-female (jack-to-jack) connector that is mounted in the
wall plate. So the end of it in the room is a jack.

Right.


And to avoid confusion down the road, these are also called
F-connectors.

OK, I didn't know that.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:06:13 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

No, that is for real radios, and real coax. The ones you want are for
type F, either RG-6, or more likely RG-59.

It is RG-59.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Nov 8, 12:20�pm, Tony wrote:
Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Thanks. �When I was in the store I didn't see screw-on ones, but I'll
ask.

I think I found the screw on ones at Radio Shack. �I've worked in the
electronics industry most of my life an I'm picky about things like
connectors. �The screw on ones I got really work great!

screw on ones are very bad for satellite use, where they must carry
power.

dont use for sats............

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:54:49 -0500, Jan Philips
wrote:

I need to attach one coaxial cable jack. I've never done it before
but I know the idea. I don't have a crimping tool. Can it be crimped
well enough with pliers instead of a proper crimping tool?

OK, it is on. The twist type was easy to do. I'll have to wait
before I can test it. The package says the twist type is for antenna
only, use a crimp or solder type for cable. I'll see if it works well
enough.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:33:57 -0500, Jan Philips
wrote:


OK, it is on.

And thanks for all the useful replies.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

wrote in message
...
On Nov 8, 12:20?pm, Tony wrote:
Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors.
You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Thanks. ?When I was in the store I didn't see screw-on ones, but I'll
ask.

I think I found the screw on ones at Radio Shack. ?I've worked in the
electronics industry most of my life an I'm picky about things like
connectors. ?The screw on ones I got really work great!

screw on ones are very bad for satellite use, where they must carry
power.

dont use for sats............

The screw on type and the crimp on type suck, but if you don't have
compression tools and fittings, you do the best you can

Jan Philips wrote:
On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:06:13 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

No, that is for real radios, and real coax. The ones you want are for
type F, either RG-6, or more likely RG-59.

Is one of these the older style? The cable is the older style.
RG-59 is the old residential standard, because it was cheap, thin, and
flexible. When Cable/Satt and HD came along, they needed better signal
quality, so they switched to the thicker RG-6. Current standard is
RG-6Q, for Quad Shield. If you are just on an antenna, the RG-59 should
be fine for now, and may work even if you get fancier TVs and signal
sources later, if it was carefully installed. At some point, if you have
problems, you may want to replace selected runs of the 59 with 6.
Hopefully, the EE didn't staple it to any studs, or run it around any
tight corners, so you can just attach the new cable to one end, and pull
it back through using the old cable as a pull cord. Premade RG-6Q cables
with good compression fittings are widely available in 25, 50, and 100
foot coils. Being lazy, if I ever get around to rewiring this place,
that is what I will probably use. A decent compression tool costs a lot
more than a crimper, and I hate to buy expensive tools for a 1-time job.
(Unless I can sweet-talk the satt guy at work into letting me borrow the
company tool kit for a weekend, or something...)

--
aem sends...

On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:22:29 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

RG-59 is the old residential standard, because it was cheap, thin, and
flexible. When Cable/Satt and HD came along, they needed better signal
quality, so they switched to the thicker RG-6.

The house is wired with RG-59. We have HD in another room and it
seems to work OK.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

Tony wrote:
Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors.
You can probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Thanks. When I was in the store I didn't see screw-on ones, but I'll
ask.

I think I found the screw on ones at Radio Shack. I've worked in the
electronics industry most of my life an I'm picky about things like
connectors. The screw on ones I got really work great!

By working great they certainly screw on well. but they aren't known for
longevity and performance. Even the cable TV companies who are well
known for "economy" work will not use twist on connectors.

On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:15:06 -0500, George
wrote:

Tony wrote:
Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors.
You can probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Thanks. When I was in the store I didn't see screw-on ones, but I'll
ask.

I think I found the screw on ones at Radio Shack. I've worked in the
electronics industry most of my life an I'm picky about things like
connectors. The screw on ones I got really work great!

By working great they certainly screw on well. but they aren't known for
longevity and performance. Even the cable TV companies who are well
known for "economy" work will not use twist on connectors.

I have used twist-on connectors once. There were a lot of noise and
interference problems. Crimped connectors were better, but came off
too easily. Compression connectors stay on.

BTW, The only compression connectors I have are for RG6.
--
46 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us

"How could you ask me to believe in God when there's
absolutely no evidence that I can see?" -- Jodie Foster

George wrote:
Tony wrote:
Jan Philips wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:

If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors.
You can probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Thanks. When I was in the store I didn't see screw-on ones, but I'll
ask.

I think I found the screw on ones at Radio Shack. I've worked in the
electronics industry most of my life an I'm picky about things like
connectors. The screw on ones I got really work great!

By working great they certainly screw on well. but they aren't known for
longevity and performance. Even the cable TV companies who are well
known for "economy" work will not use twist on connectors.

I must have good luck with them, although I have never had satellite and
haven't had cable since.... 1984. Now it's an off air antenna with a
rotator.

On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:30:36 -0500, Tony
wrote:

I must have good luck with them, although I have never had satellite and
haven't had cable since.... 1984. Now it's an off air antenna with a
rotator.

You don't see those much anymore. I was in a store a couple of years
ago and there was a guy who had cable all his life, but was giving it
up for an antenna. He didn't know how an antenna setup worked.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Nov 7, 8:50*pm, Jan Philips
wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:
If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart

Thanks. *When I was in the store I didn't see screw-on ones, but I'll
ask.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

HD or Lowe's is probably the best place to find them.I think they cost
10 for $6.00 for the screw on kind I hate F connectors, it not a
matter of if they are going to fail it is a matter of when. The
biggest maintenance task the cable guys do is going around replacing
cable ends. Its not that the ends are poorly made, they are poorly
designed. The cables copper center conductor that forms the male part
of the connector will eventually corrode.

Jan Philips wrote:

I must have good luck with them, although I have never had satellite and
haven't had cable since.... 1984. Now it's an off air antenna with a
rotator.

You don't see those much anymore. I was in a store a couple of years
ago and there was a guy who had cable all his life, but was giving it
up for an antenna. He didn't know how an antenna setup worked.

I don't recall seeing them in HD, but Lowe's and Menards have TV
antennas. I think Menards has rotators as well.

We have satellite (DirecTV), but we still use an antenna to receive our
local PBS station's additional programming that DirecTV is not
transmitting. This includes the MHz Worldview channel, which has news
broadcasts from many countries and many foreign-language movies
(subtitled, of course) -- Italian, Norwegian, French, Icelandic, etc.
Also Australian Rules Football!

Perce

On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:33:57 -0500, Jan Philips
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:54:49 -0500, Jan Philips
wrote:

I need to attach one coaxial cable jack. I've never done it before
but I know the idea. I don't have a crimping tool. Can it be crimped
well enough with pliers instead of a proper crimping tool?

OK, it is on. The twist type was easy to do. I'll have to wait
before I can test it. The package says the twist type is for antenna
only, use a crimp or solder type for cable.

That's interesting. It seems to me antenna signals are the weakest
signals such cables will carry, and if anything, they would need the
soldered connector because they are so weak.

But there are a lot of things I don't know.

I'll see if it works well
enough.

P&M

On Mon, 9 Nov 2009 21:01:02 -0800 (PST), JIMMIE
wrote:

designed. The cables copper center conductor that forms the male part
of the connector will eventually corrode.

Yes, I had the Cable Guy out here a couple of years ago about the
internet frequently dropping and he replaced a few connectors and
solved the problem.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:30:15 -0500, mm
wrote:

That's interesting. It seems to me antenna signals are the weakest
signals such cables will carry, and if anything, they would need the
soldered connector because they are so weak.

Other signals carry more information so they are probably more
susceptible to noise.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

Jan Philips wrote:
On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:30:36 -0500, Tony
wrote:

I must have good luck with them, although I have never had satellite and
haven't had cable since.... 1984. Now it's an off air antenna with a
rotator.

You don't see those much anymore. I was in a store a couple of years
ago and there was a guy who had cable all his life, but was giving it
up for an antenna. He didn't know how an antenna setup worked.

LOL, I suppose the younger generation doesn't know much about TV
antenna's. I had cable back when the best part of cable was having NO
Commercials! Now you pay twice!

Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
Jan Philips wrote:

I must have good luck with them, although I have never had satellite
and haven't had cable since.... 1984. Now it's an off air antenna
with a rotator.

You don't see those much anymore. I was in a store a couple of years
ago and there was a guy who had cable all his life, but was giving it
up for an antenna. He didn't know how an antenna setup worked.

I don't recall seeing them in HD, but Lowe's and Menards have TV
antennas. I think Menards has rotators as well.

We have satellite (DirecTV), but we still use an antenna to receive our
local PBS station's additional programming that DirecTV is not
transmitting. This includes the MHz Worldview channel, which has news
broadcasts from many countries and many foreign-language movies
(subtitled, of course) -- Italian, Norwegian, French, Icelandic, etc.
Also Australian Rules Football!

I just found a way to get one of my local PBS stations. I was really
missing it. The mountain behind me makes things tricky. It blocks a
lot of signals from the closer stations, and it plays tricks with the
stations I do receive. Some of my stations I have to turn the rotator
to a different direction than were the signal is coming from. I think
some of the signals bounce off the mountain and then to me. Actually it
helps in some ways because otherwise another mountain blocks the line of
site path to some of the channels.

JIMMIE wrote:
On Nov 7, 8:50 pm, Jan Philips
wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:22:45 -0500, "RBM" wrote:
If you go to radio shack, they should have screw on coax connectors. You can
probably get it to work with a pliers, but it may come apart
Thanks. When I was in the store I didn't see screw-on ones, but I'll
ask.
--
Replace you know what by j to email

HD or Lowe's is probably the best place to find them.I think they cost
10 for $6.00 for the screw on kind I hate F connectors, it not a
matter of if they are going to fail it is a matter of when. The
biggest maintenance task the cable guys do is going around replacing
cable ends. Its not that the ends are poorly made, they are poorly
designed. The cables copper center conductor that forms the male part
of the connector will eventually corrode.

Thats really the main reason why cable companies don't use/won't accept
big box quality connectors.