need connectors? use a subject dammit! (was (no subject))

[Brett Lymn]

According to Mr. ortel:
>
>I understand it's common practice to use 'type-N' coax connectors or like=
>=20
>components at the end of the antenna and at the end of the=20
>transmitter/receiver.
>if you only need one antenna, why not solder it?
>

maintainability mainly - you can disconnect the antenna to work on the
board or the antenna, shift things about and so forth.  Sure, you can
desolder and resolder but this has it's own problems, you cannot do
this forever because the copper tracks on the board start to lift
after a surprisingly small number of resolderings.  Also there is the
issue of mechanical support that the connector provides.  If you do
not mechanically support the cable somehow then it is ridiculously
easy to rip the copper tracks off the board.  The doing and undoing of
these supports then adds to your problems when you want to shift
things about.

>do you lose db if you skip the connector? compared to the about 1 db you=20
>lose from typical type-n connectors.

More than likely not - there may be a small impedance mismatch in the
transition but probably not big.

-- 
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Brett Lymn, Computer Systems Administrator, BAE SYSTEMS
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