Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Replacement BNC Cables

This is topic Replacement BNC Cables in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 10-28-2003, 09:59 PM:

I'm having a really tough time finding a good set of replacement cables for my test gear.

The originals were stolen by airline staff and, since they were a gift, I have no idea where to go for more -- they were purchased at a trade show so it's not like I could "go back to the source."

These were the BNC cables for the oscilloscope and they were super-thin and brass-colored -- my memory is that it seemed to have a transparent/translucent outer jacket and what I was actually seeing was braiding.

What I liked most about these cables was their thin, lightweight physical characteristics but also they never seemed to tangle.

I would appreciate any help locating exact or similar cables.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 10-28-2003, 10:02 PM:

How thin is thin?

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 10-28-2003, 10:06 PM:

Maybe 3mm diameter or so?

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 10-28-2003, 11:24 PM:

..and probably lot o' attenuation...

Stick with the 50-ohm 2" rigid copper feedline stock....good up to several thousand volts.... [beer]

(Seriously, sounds like they were teflon. Military/aircraft stuff...)

>>> Phil

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 10-29-2003, 07:04 AM:

Two inches? [Eek!]

Phil, that sounds unmanageable somehow. I can't tell if you're joking! [Confused]

Let's try it *this* way instead...

I need new BNC cables and I'd like to hear about people's favorite ones and where I could get 'em. I hate the ones that I have now because they always seem to get tangled no matter how carefully I put them away.

...and they aren't color coded. [puke]

(and, one more thing, we're also out of coffee.)

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-29-2003, 08:27 AM:

Some links to vendors of pre-made BNC Jumpers:

http://www.hangar18surplus.com/catalog/i101.html

http://www.coincarwash.com/html/supplieswv.html

http://www.etslan.com/Download/cat2k_ld.pdf

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-29-2003, 12:06 PM:

You aren't wanting BNC to BNC cables...you are wanting BNC to test probes...right? If so, just build your own. [Cool]

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 10-29-2003, 12:16 PM:

I would like to find a source of solder on male BNC cable connectors
All I can find these days are crimp on or twist on and they are for RG58 cable not nice flexible testprobe cable

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-29-2003, 12:51 PM:

More vendors of test probes:

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/hameg/pricelist.htm

http://www.pomonaelectronics.com/html/more_whats_new.htm

http://www.tucker.com/java/jsp/index.jsp?refurl=

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 10-29-2003, 02:39 PM:

Solder-type connectors tend to have inconsistent impedence (and thus an impedence mismatch with the characteristic impedence of the cable), causing VSWR problems. So they're discouraged for RF or high frequency applications. It turns out crimp is better.

This is probably why you're having trouble finding solder-type BNC connectors. On the other hand, usually you can solder crimp-type connectors.

--jhawk

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 10-29-2003, 04:47 PM:

Many of the older dubber mag preamps use a BNC for the ehad connection and I find the crimp ones don't solder very well

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 10-29-2003, 08:51 PM:

The best source I know for bnc video cables of all varieties and gauges is Markertek, their web site is markertek.com. The mostly deal with the big boys in coax (Belden, Gepco, Canare). They can also custom fabricate pretty much any length and connector you want. They have a seperate e-mail address (crimp@markertek.com), if you write and tell them what you need they will discuss speciality connectors and cable types with you. Stick with Belden and Canare, Gepco seems very stiff, IMHO.

Are you looking to solder just the center pin, or the whole thing? Kings and Trompeter still make BNC cables with the little hole in the lower part of the pin, but you still have to crimp the sleeve. I haven't run into a completely solder on bnc in many, many years.

Posted by Kris Brunton (Member # 432) on 10-29-2003, 10:21 PM:

I like the breakout's from BNC to pin staking plugs that Ponoma offers.

Ponoma - Breakouts

What are some of the favorite crimp connector BNC's out there that people like. I have tried a few brands out but have not found one yet that I actually really like.

Posted by John Anastasio (Member # 607) on 10-30-2003, 07:01 AM:

I've installed thousands of BNC crimp-on connectors (you can imagine how many there are in an entire television station with all RGB component systems) and found them to be superior to the soldered type. The crimp connectors use a gold-plated center pin which won't oxidize over time and if you do the job with the proper tools, they'll never come loose. Too many folks try to do the job with Radio Shack crimpers and then wonder why their connections fail. The other common mistake is using the wrong cable. It may be labelled RG-59, but there are different types.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-30-2003, 08:04 AM:

John makes an excellent point on the cable.

With BNCs...one absolutely match the cable to the connector...there are MANY different BNC cimps out there (even within one brand like AMP or KINGS)...you have to use the right crimp for the cable if you want to to be a success.

Steve

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-30-2003, 08:08 AM:

Pomona stuff so far seems to be the most rugged. My pin plug to BNC adaptors are about 15 years old now and still look like new. Pomona makes about every type of plug adaptor to BNC that could ever be needed. I also use their 6 foot BNC cables as well. All in all highly reccomended.
MArk @ CLACO