DIY UBC57xlt BNC adaptor

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JG-103

DIY UBC57xlt BNC adaptor

Post by JG-103 »

Here it is, the DIY to making a BNC adaptor for the UBC 57xlt.

As those with a 57xlt will know, it comes with a screw in antenna, which isnt good when the majority of antennas on the market are for BNC types (such as the UBC 72xlt and 92xlt) and you need a replacement antenna or want a better antenna in order to pick up more frequencies and what not.

The pics are crap coz its done with a 4 megapixel camera

You Need:
1x Socket Banana plain 4mm economical model. 125vac. (50c at dick smiths)
Image

1x BNC Socket to RCA Plug video adaptor ($4 at dick smiths)
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1x Soldering kit (variable cost)

You Might Need:
Some thin bits of copper wire such as from some audio cable or what not. (variable cost)

Added info
The Banana sockets come in black, yellow or red, doesnt matter which one you get, they are the same. I just grabbed the black one, part number is p1722.
Grab a couple just in case you lose one or what not, they are only 50 cents and you might as well grab another video adaptor just in case you make a mistake or stuff it up

The video adaptor cost me $4 at dick smiths but then again if you shop around im sure u might be able to get it cheaper.

Steps
Now unscrew the nuts on the socket and take all the stuff off it, so your just left with the center

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Now if you screw this into the the UBC57xlt antenna jack, you will see that it fits perfectly as it is the same size and everything to the screw in the antenna

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Now place the banana socket into the RCA plug like so

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Solder the the banana jack to the rca plug, the rca plug is touching the side interior walls of the banana socket in my adaptor, so im presuming you would have to do the same, but im unsure.

Image

When i did mine, i heated the video adaptor too much without realising and the plastic inside the BNC socket

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melted, so if u can, try and avoid doing that, then you will save the following steps.

Because mine melted, the BNC plug ( the one on the end of the BNC type antennas) would connect properly, so once the solder had cooled, i melted the plastic down to the very bottom of the BNC socket

Image

to the point where the BNC socket could connect properly to the plug, then whilst the plastic was unset, i placed copper wire (thin stuff like in audio cable and what not) into it and allowed it to set

(PIC)

that is because of that piece of metal in the middle of the plastic as you can see here

(PIC)

It curled over in the heat when the plastic melted, and that is what the thin piece of metal in the BNC plug, shown here

(PIC)

goes into, so what i did was made it curl full over so it laid flat, it then was covered by the melted plastic, and the copper wire was the substitute for it.

When i placed the copper wire in the plastic, i made it so it was touching the walls of the socket, which probably isnt spose too, but it works great which is the main thing.

So if you be careful as to not melt that plastic, then u wont need to do any of that.

Now screw the adaptor into the antenna jack on the scanner and there you have it, a BNC adaptor for the 57xlt

(PIC)
Last edited by JG-103 on Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Turbo
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Post by Turbo »

Cheers! Will give it a crack over the weekend!
JG-103

Post by JG-103 »

crap pics sorry
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