Spectra antenna connector

ExKa|iBuR · Post by **ExKa|iBuR** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:38 pm

Hey all;

I've got a Spectra who's Mini-UHF connector could use replacing. The center pin has managed to get spread out quite abit after years of use and it sometimes manages to wiggle loose losing reliable contact. I've solved the problem slightly by putting some solder on the Mini-UHF connector that's going into the radio, to make it more snug, but that's just a band-aid solution.

How easy/hard is it to replace the Mini-U connector, or should I just forget it?

-Mike

thehead7 · Post by **thehead7** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 1:40 am

Simply put, it's a pain...

I greatly dislike the mini-uhf connector to begin with, but that's neither here nor there.

It is kind of a pain to replace the connector. Depending on the radio, you may have to desolder a transistor who's pins protrude to the component side of the PA board. The transistor is mounted to the chassis underneath the board. Also, you must desolder the red wire that goes to the PA board.

Next, you need to remove the nut that holds the MINI UHF to the chassis and push it back through some. You should be able now to remove the PA board (Of course, you have to remove all of the screws securing the board)

The connector is fed by coax, which must be desoldered from the board. Replace it with the same length of coax terminated to the same type of UHF connector. Before you solder the new assembly on, make sure that you orient the coax in such a way that when you maneuver the connector into it's hole, it will not twist the coax... (Am I making sense here?)

Lightly put, it's a bit of a pain... Good luck!

-Head

ExKa|iBuR · Post by **ExKa|iBuR** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 2:11 am

Jesus.

I think I'll just make a pig-tail, put a bunch of solder on the center pin of the pig-tail connector so it fits snugly and be done with it!

-Mike

spectragod · Post by **spectragod** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 7:04 am

It's not as bad as thehead7 makes it sound. I have replaced those connectors in under 1/2 hour, you do need the right tools, but it can be done. I sure wouldn't go the pigtail route, I would just fix it right.

SG

thehead7 · Post by **thehead7** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 10:57 am

No doubt that Spectragod is correct, but I really don't have fun doing that, for some reason.

For some reason, I just really hate doing them, haha. I think part of the problem is, I've only done a couple. He is right, though. Making a pigtail isn't the way about it. Of course, you can't go wrong by making a good pigtail AFTER you replace the connector so that the connector on the radio won't have the stress of being engaged and disengaged. You could also replace it with a different type of connector. I wouldn't recommend BNC for mobile use, but TNC would be okay, and if you find the right type of bulkhead mount connector, Type N would be fine, as well (but it would be a bit more of a pain to install. Perhaps someone here has done it, I haven't).

SG is right, though, you have to have the right tools. If you don't have them, pick them up, they may come in handy down the road. If you already have a crimper, you may just need the die for the smaller stuff... If you need to know where to order connectors and cable, let us know. Actual cost of parts for the replacement should be six bucks or under.

I didn't mean to discourage you from fixing it properly, but it can be a bit of a pain the first time...

Have fun,
Head

nozzle75 · Post by **nozzle75** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 6:20 pm

Anybody know what the Moto part # is of the replacement chassis-mount connector?

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 7:03 pm

When I converted a Spectra railroad radio into a standard dash-mount spectra, I cut off the coax (which was terminated by a regular UHF connector), put on a radio shack BNC and went from there. It has worked well since "doing the surgery" nearly a year ago. The radio has since become an Astro Spectra.

It wasn't really hard to do at all. But because I was working with a VHF spectra, I didn't have to desolder that transistor, however the donor 900Mhz spectra did have to have it desoldered.

-Josh

kcbooboo · Post by **kcbooboo** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 7:03 pm

The part number varies depending on the power level of the PA, so it would help to know the power and frequency range of the radio you want the part number for.

I don't have anything on the high power trunk-mount radios.

They do list it as a coax cable assembly, mini-UHF, so perhaps the coax is attached to the connector and you just need to deal with the end on the PA circuit board. I've replaced some of the coax cables that come into the PA from the RF board on a MaxTrac, and they're really quite easy to get off, once you realize that the ground bracket stays on the board and is not to be removed.

Bob M.

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 7:15 pm

I'm seeing the following part numbers:
308026M01 - Cable and Mini-UHF connector, includes nut and washer. For low and medium power

3280089M02 - Rubber gasket for use with above (and below)

3080261M02 - Cable and Mini-UHF connector, includes nut and washer. For high power.

These don't seem to be band specific. The list I'm looking at seem to cover all models (there are some band specific items that are listed with several part numbers, for each band)

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 7:27 pm

I should have mentioned. These p/n's are for Astro Spectras, but IIRC they're the same parts.

jackhackett · Post by **jackhackett** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:23 am

That first number should be 3080261M01