Which coax connector?

[SuperDave4x4]

Well I'm about to order some coax and a hood/fender mount, but my question is which end connector should I order? Since I am using a hood/fender mount I can't use the traditional pl-259 connector, I have to use the stud/open ended connector or the "Fire-Ring" connector by firestik. There Coax is RG-5/8A/U. I don't know if it's considered good or not.

Which connector should I order? Here they are. Will one ground better than the other? Just looking for some help.


[Please login or register to view this link]

[Please login or register to view this link]

I'm ready to order so any input is greatly appreciated. Also I've decided on a 4ft Wilson Silverload antenna.

[SuperDave4x4]

So, I've read that the "Fire-Flex" coax is crap, is the true???? I have some grey RG8X at the house, but I don't know how to convert one of the ends to a "stud" style connetor. I would really appreciate some info or pictures on how to do this correctly. I want a nice secure connection.

Thanks

[jessejamesdallas]

Get the Terminal stud mount....All you have to do to the coax, is on one end, cut off the connector, then take about a inch or inch and a half of the black plastic (or in your case "Gray") off. Be sure NOT to cut into the white plastic insulator that is under the wire mesh!

Next, where you cut off the outer plastic, you will need to spread the ground mesh wire apart, so that you can pull the center conductor wire (with the white plastic) threw the hole.

Then twist the wire mesh so it looks like a solid wire. Then cut off maybe a half inch of the white plastic so that the center copper conductor wire is visible. The center conductor wire will connect to the center of your Lug Mount. (there should be a screw there) Then the ground braid that you twisted into a solid looking wire go's to a good grounding point. (which can be a near-by screw) Pending on where you need to run the ground, you may need to strip off more than a inch or two, so you can get to where there is a place to ground. DON'T LET THE GROUND BRAID TOUCH THE CENTER OF THE MOUNTING LUG, WHERE YOU SCREWED THE CENTER CONDUCTOR WIRE ON! (this would cause it to short...Good idea to wrap the ground wire up with electrical tape)

The Fire Ring deals use a round washer that go's under the mounting bolt of the lug for a ground. There "OK", but sometimes don't get a good enough ground, or can loose ground after a while because of moisture creating rust under the mount.

Also, you can crimp small ring terminals on the ends of the coax that you stripped back, so that it's easier to get on the screws...I would also add some solder to the crimp, to be sure of a good contact.

[SuperDave4x4]

Thanks Jesse! That shouldn't be a problem at all.

The Firestik hood mount has a hole predrilled to mount the ground for the antenna to it. How else should I go about grounding the mount so that my SWR will be low? I should ground the fender that it's beig mounted to to the frame correct?