Okay to solder U.F. cable to PCB board on controller?

[BeauS]

The antenna connector shown here where the arrow is, broke off but the pin is still there. The round piece surrounding the pin came loose.

Would soldering the cable right to the PCB board give me a reliable connection?

20160425_225733.jpg

 

[BDOG]

If you attempt this. Lightly sand the pin to remove a layer of oxidation. Then see if you can pre tin the pin and have solder by itself stick to the pin. Dont apply much. If it sticks then try and solder the wire to the pin. If the solder holds the wire you would actually have a better connection than a plug in connector from a continuity standpoint.

However, a connector has a slight amount of "give" . Soldering a flexible wire to a non flexible pin does not have as much tolerance to movement of the wire that a connector would.

Take your time and dont overheat the pin. Touch the soldering iron for a moment and dab the solder. Then pull the iron away. Repeat this process until the pin is hot enough to accept the solder.

 

[x11freak]

OMG! That's a LOT of white stuff... there were only tiny dots on mine... good luck with the repair!

 

[BeauS]

If you attempt this. Lightly sand the pin to remove a layer of oxidation. Then see if you can pre tin the pin and have solder by itself stick to the pin. Dont apply much. If it sticks then try and solder the wire to the pin. If the solder holds the wire you would actually have a better connection than a plug in connector from a continuity standpoint.

However, a connector has a slight amount of "give" . Soldering a flexible wire to a non flexible pin does not have as much tolerance to movement of the wire that a connector would.

Take your time and dont overheat the pin. Touch the soldering iron for a moment and dab the solder. Then pull the iron away. Repeat this process until the pin is hot enough to accept the solder.

Thank you for the advice, I can do it! Just need patience.

 

[mcphipps]

And a steady hand.

 

[BeauS]

If you attempt this. Lightly sand the pin to remove a layer of oxidation. Then see if you can pre tin the pin and have solder by itself stick to the pin. Dont apply much. If it sticks then try and solder the wire to the pin. If the solder holds the wire you would actually have a better connection than a plug in connector from a continuity standpoint.

However, a connector has a slight amount of "give" . Soldering a flexible wire to a non flexible pin does not have as much tolerance to movement of the wire that a connector would.

Take your time and dont overheat the pin. Touch the soldering iron for a moment and dab the solder. Then pull the iron away. Repeat this process until the pin is hot enough to accept the solder.

The pin actually broke off on me on the very bottom of the 3 U.F. connections.

I had to solder the cable straight to the PCB board by a tiny little metal joint. It was hell!!

I have continuity from ground to the pin at the end of the cable. Roughly 4 ohms continuity.

Compared it to the good U.F. cable connection above it, roughly 4 ohms as well. Not sure where to go from here.

20160428_225041.jpg

 

[BDOG]

If there is any movement of that solder joint side to side or front to back the wire that is connected will most likely lift and tear the traces on the PCB. Think of a band aid on the skin that when pulled off pulls the skin up before it peels off. The wire that is soldered on will peel the traces up and break connection if put under any stress or strain. Completely immobilizing that wire where it connects with a good size dab of hot glue might help to keep it planted.

Oh, 4 ohms is nearly a direct short so the resistance you are reading is just the resistance from the length of wire itself.

 

[BeauS]

If there is any movement of that solder joint side to side or front to back the wire that is connected will most likely lift and tear the traces on the PCB. Think of a band aid on the skin that when pulled off pulls the skin up before it peels off. The wire that is soldered on will peel the traces up and break connection if put under any stress or strain. Completely immobilizing that wire where it connects with a good size dab of hot glue might help to keep it planted.

Oh, 4 ohms is nearly a direct short so the resistance you are reading is just the resistance from the length of wire itself.

Okay, what should I be seeing? Have it set to continuity still? Transmitter power on?

Also the positive lead on the meter to the pin on the SMA connector on the U.F. cable?

Negative lead to the ground on the PCB board?

 

[BeauS]

If there is any movement of that solder joint side to side or front to back the wire that is connected will most likely lift and tear the traces on the PCB. Think of a band aid on the skin that when pulled off pulls the skin up before it peels off. The wire that is soldered on will peel the traces up and break connection if put under any stress or strain. Completely immobilizing that wire where it connects with a good size dab of hot glue might help to keep it planted.

Oh, 4 ohms continuity is nearly a direct short so the resistance you are reading is just the resistance from the length of wire itself.

What if I'm seeing .2 ohms continuity across the wire on the 5.8 and .4 ohms across the 2.4?

 

[BDOG]

Differnt wire thicknesses and material will affect the resistance. Larger wire or more strands typically decreases resistance and smaller wire / less strands increases resistance.

Now you can throw all that out the window if one wire is say copper and the other wire is silver or gold.