DAE realize they were stripping coax wrong for years?

I was helping a new guy in Phoenix and saw him leave a tiny bit more jacket on before crimping. My signal meter jumped 3 dB cleaner on the test. I always trimmed it flush, thinking that was the 'clean' way. Which method actually gives the better connection?

3 comments

3 Comments

finleybutler1mo ago

Signal jumped 3 dB cleaner" is a pretty big deal, it's not just luck. That tiny bit of extra jacket, does it act like a strain relief? I've always been told the braid needs to contact the connector body directly. But if leaving a sliver of jacket gives a cleaner signal, maybe the flush trim lets the center conductor get pushed back over time. Which connectors were you using, the standard hex crimp or something else?

phoenix8451mo ago

Signal jumped 3 dB cleaner" sounds like you just got lucky with that one test.

the_patricia1mo ago

Got lucky with that one test" makes it sound like a fluke, but a 3 dB jump is huge. It makes me wonder how many times you've actually tested this yourself. Have you ever tried the same cable with two different trim lengths back to back? What were your results? I'd trust a real measurement over just repeating what we've all been told about the braid.