[time-nuts] HP 5370B low frequency modulation

[Peter Vince]

I was surprised to read that crimping is considered most reliable.  I 
work in broadcast television, and we have rows and rows of video 
patch panels.  Decades ago, the coaxs were soldered to the MUSA 
connectors on the bay, but in recent years they have been terminated 
in BNC plugs crimped onto the cables, and those plugged in the back 
of the bay-mounted MUSAs.  We are very critical of this system: it 
may be easy for the installation people to terminate the cables in 
their workshop, then plug them in where required, but after several 
years these connections prove very unreliable, and frequently need a 
good wiggle.  Now of course I don't know if it is the crimping, or 
poor connection on the BNC centre-pins, but it is not unheard of to 
have a poor connection, go to investigate, and find the BNC comes off 
the cable in your hand!  Perhaps the relevant part of your phrase was 
"adequate" crimping.

	Peter (London, England)


>...Of course, the best is avoiding gold
>contacts for solder joints at all and never use nickel plated surfaces for
>solder joints!
>The NASA does have similar special procedures as the ESA.
>The best is using adequate crimping processes where possible.
>regards,
>
>Arnold