Chinese SO 239s

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Sangoma
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Location: Coventry
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Chinese SO 239s

Unread post by Sangoma »

How many get caught by them, or have strange faults in the shack because of them?

Some years ago I bought 20, then after I assembled a project, discovered that the threads are 16X1, which is not correct.

The pl259 appears to tighten, but it is the threads getting tight, not pulling it together making it tight.

I then bought some "quality" ones from a local seller, only to find his idea of quality was just multiplying the price of the Chinese rubbish!

Earlier this year I bought some that are held in with a nut, not the 2 or 4 screws.

I checked them before fitting, and the pl259 doesn't pull down.
The threads looked OK, so I tried running a die down it, but it it too tight, no way to grip the socket.
It appears the tthread was cut with an improperly set split die, the pitch is correct, but the diameter is much too big.


The four hole square ones I can hold in a vice and re-cut the threads, and it works OK, but how many people can do that, in fact I wonder how many even notice they ere wrong?

Probably every socket on ebay or from the normal suppliers of non branded sockets is the same.
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M0XXQ
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Re: Chinese SO 239s

Unread post by M0XXQ »

I used to buy the ones with the red centre insulator as they were usually kosher, but the Chinese twigged onto this old trick and started using red plastic in the knock off/low quality connectors.
Today, I simply buy mine from RS Components or Mouser etc, guaranteed to be quality albeit a tad more expensive.
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G0BHD
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Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 5:01 pm
Location: Shropshire

Re: Chinese SO 239s

Unread post by G0BHD »

On The job I just finished I installed a decent enough quality TV antenna distribution amplifier, 16 output ways of F type connectors made by Labgear.
Can't fault the amp, but the wholesaler I sourced it from also sent a bag of "F plugs" for the coax ends.
I can only assume they were "Chinese wonders" as well, shoddy construction, very poor plating, and like you found the thread is not quite right! :D
Fitted the first few onto their coax's and tried to screw them into the amplifier and the thread went tight before the plug was properly seated, you could still wobble it about and push it back a forth a little.
Needless to say they went back! :D
Ordered some better quality replacements from RS, and they fitted perfectly, and fitted the coax itself better as well.
There are some shocking quality RF connectors about.
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