As you might guess, I get through quite a few so239 chassis mounts and that number will only increase in time. But I see some chassis mounts with brown inserts for 4 quid each and others with white nylon (ptfe??) for a quid! Anbd frankly, at normal power levels and normal useage, I really struggle to see a difference except with soldering.

Has anyone got real world evidence that for normal amateur ops its better to soend 4 quid or so on a socket that I can also buy for a pound?

On the DC bands there's probably little to choose.
Personally, it's very rarely that I use anything other than N types, for larger cables, and BNC or SMA for thinner patch cables.

Cheers

Tony

DC bands?...that's a battery and a bulb isn't it?, flash your CW away!

Bottom line NO they are not all equal, you pointed one obvious concern out , cheap insulation that melts if you don't solder very carefully, but there are more problems than that with many of the cheaper ones, really crap plating, inaccurate threading, and undersize wobbly OD fits, plus very soft centre socket metal parts that stretch/bend easily resulting in poor plug centre pin contact after a plug has gone in and out of them a few times.

Like many things in this hobby, you pay your money, and take your choice.
I only ever buy good quality plugs and sockets, but I can understand your concern, cheaper sockets means cheaper manufacture, etc., but cheaper manufacture can lead to later more complaints when sockets start going iffy.
Portable antennas really need good quality sockets, as they will get lots of "plug in plug out" treatment in their time, fixed antennas might get away with slightly cheaper one, as you tend to shove it up, connect it up, and it remains there static for quite some time.

Cheers both. Both actually answering as I would have! Guess we are all too long in the tooth...

Thanks again
D

got to be honest, if I were buying a commercially made antenna, and it came with a cheap SO239, I'd be very disappointed.

Fair point

I've commented a couple of times in the past about cheap chinese ones.

Also mentioned before that I don't think SO239s are really the right thing for outside use, they are the most common cause of water getting into the coax.
BNC or N type are better.

On antennas and ununs where I do for some reason use an SO239, I don't use a chassis mount, I use about 15" of high quality coax, then a crimp on SO239 (soldered centre conductor) then cover the joint with a water proof umbrella, any water running down the coax or antenna can't get to the joint, but air can from the bottom. (I posted a photo on here several years ago)

If it is a long term permanent installation, I also spray the joint with Tectyl 506, as I do on commercial antennas with an SO239 at the base.

It was nearly 6 years ago!

viewtopic.php?f=43&t=68712&hilit=water

Steve I fully agree, which is why i started supplying bnc fitted ununs. I also did a brisk trade in bnc to so239 adaptors! I gave these away free.
Most users seem.to want so239...who am.i to argue?

aye well thats cos they canna fit a bayonet neil concelman