Crimp tool

[WeKnowMC]

Hi,

I am currently in the process of following the install instructions to create an antenna enclosure for the OGN-R station at Berwick-upon-Tweed, so the antenna can be mounted outside. I have a 10m length RG-8X coax cable and some SMA connectors. I am wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction as to where I can purchase an appropriate crimp tool to attach the SMA connectors to the ends of the RG-8X cable.

Thanks

[exfirepro]

Samuel,

I bought mine for about £20 off e-bay, from a company in Lancashire (I think), called 'Cases and Enclosures' but the company doesn't seem to list them anymore. The other UK sites are pretty expensive, though I did find this one, which should be OK....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Signstek-Coax-RF-Connector-Crimping-Tool-for-RG-58-59-62-8x-141-142-200/222797539841?epid=1743264148&hash=item33dfc4aa01:g:f9gAAOSw-RhaXPMO

...or you can buy from China for about £25, but would need to wait for delivery.

Alternatively, I could probably pop down from Edinburgh with mine and give you a hand once the weather improves. I will PM you my phone number.

Regards

Peter

[Deker]

I got this one from Maplin £12, quite well made too.
https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/coaxial-connector-crimping-tool-a38qw

Deker.

[Ian Melville]

Deker, that is the one that used to be in the OGN installation manual. I shied away from it as one of the responses to a question implied it was not suitable for SMA connectors. I assume it worked for you?

There are lots of crimp tools out there, many will do the job. The problem is that they may not state explicitly that they are compatible with RG8X to SMA terminations, which makes it a lottery to find one. Trial and error could be expensive in connectors and crimp tools.

[Keithvinning]

I use the maplins one which is 👍

[WeKnowMC]

Hi all,

A long overdue update to this:
I decided to go with the maplins one a little while ago. So far I have only crimped one connector on and it seems to have worked fine.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions

[Ian Melville]

We are going to need to fing a new source of these now Maplins has gone belly up.