PL-259 -> RG-8 installation help

[n2te at yahoo.com]

OK... I give up.  I'm trying to install some PL-259's on some standard RG8 (not 8x or 58) cable that I just got in from the Wireman.  (They said they sell miles of this stuff.) The cable looks great. But installing the connectors is proving to be rather challenging. (Uh... let me slightly rephrase that. Impossible.)  It's been a few years since I've been on the air and had the "pleasure" of the connector installation experience. What can be so difficult? Strip the cable, screw down the connector, solder everything in, and jump up and down with joy.  A trained monkey could do it. (I think I need one ...)  But this time around something just seems different.  I tried numerous PL-259's in the junk drawer that appear to be from different mfg'rs but no luck. The problem seems to be the outer diameter of the black plastic insulation jacket on this cable. RG8 is RG8 is RG8. Yes? MAYBE I can get ONE or 2 turns of the PL-259 onto the outer plastic cable insulation, but that's it. What am I doing wrong? Doesn't matter which connector I try. And no matter how much brute force I exert no luck. The cable insulation is obviously slightly too big for the ID of the PL-259 connectors that it will accept.

I also see that there are crimp-on PL-259's available which I've never used. I've always used the traditional Amphenol UHF connectors.  Anyone have any experience using the crimp-on type?  Reliable?

 

 I'm just about ready to jump off a bridge. How difficult can this possibly be? Am I missing something here? The Youtube videos make it look so easy.  Any suggestions would be most appreciated.  My anti-depressant-rash-decision-making preventative medication runs out at midnight tonight and after that I'd rather not speculate what these connectors will drive me to do. LOL Any suggestions? 

 

 Thanks.
 Ed - N2TE
 (n2te at yahoo.com)

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