Connectors, Connectors and Connectors

[WRUE951]

Anyone ever think of the numerous types of UHF connectors we have to choose from..  The list i show below is just a small handful but seems to  be the most common types we encounter..   The Question of the day is:  Which one is better for our purpose?    Just in my shack i'm using 5 different types due to the equipment manufactures choice.  Most recently i got a Hytera mobile with BNC connectors..  When you think about it,, we have spent a lot of cash on our connector adapter arsenal..   I challenge NotARubicon to do a video on this to open our minds..   Which one is really better???? 

• 4.3-10 connector, a new proprietary connector not to be confused with DIN 4.3/10 one
• Belling-Lee connector, also called IEC 61169-2 connector,
• BNC connector (Bayonet Neill Neill-Concelman). (IEC 61169-8 and IEC 61169-63)
• C-type connector (Concelman)
• Dezifix connector, hermaphrodite connector
• DIN 7/16 connector (DIN 47223 and IEC 61169-4^[1]), a high-power 50 Ω connector
• GR connector (officially the General Radio Type 874)
• LC/LT connector, a high voltage connector originally developed by the US Navy^[3]
• Musa connector, a 50 Ω connector used in telecommunications and broadcast video
• N connector "Type N" (Neill) 50 Ω or 75 Ω characteristic impedance connector (IEC 61169-16^[4])
• NMD connector, standing for Network Measurements Division, are usually available as 3.5 mm, 2.9 mm, 2.4 mm, and 1.85 mm connectors.
• NMO mount connector (new Motorola mount),
• SC connector, screw version of C connector
• SR connector based on the BNC connector
• TNC connector (threaded Neill-Concelman)
• Twin-BNC (Twinax) Twinax connectors are used with 78 Ω or 95 Ω conductor cables and operate from 0–200 MHz.
• UHF connector (e.g., PL-259/SO-239).

[SteveShannon]

Most of us hobbyists will only run across four main connectors for mainstream UHF: SMA for handhelds, PL259/SO239, N, and BNC. 

And sometimes the F connector.

[WRXB215]

@Sshannon I've been confused more than once on the PL259/SO239 you mention. Are you saying that they are actually the same thing? Thanks.

[SteveShannon]

1 minute ago, WRXB215 said:

@Sshannon I've been confused more than once on the PL259/SO239 you mention. Are you saying that they are actually the same thing? Thanks.

Yes.

SO-239 is the SOcket.  PL-259 is the PLug.  I have no idea why the number is different. 

[WRXB215]

Thank you @Sshannon, that clears it up. I will click the thanks when I get some new reactions.

[SteveShannon]

25 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

Thank you @Sshannon, that clears it up. I will click the thanks when I get some new reactions.

One nice thing about the PL-259 and SO-239.  There’s only one of each.  A PL-259 will fit into an SO-239 every time.

With other connectors you have to specify gender (N-male and N-female) and sometimes, such as with the SMA, that can take multiple forms: male, female, RP male, and RP female.

[SteveShannon]

The names SO-239 and PL-259 came from the US Army Signal Corps.