I think a summary is in order:
No connector is ideal. :-). But, the Molex connectors
seem to be a good compromise for QRP types.
Page 22.6 of the 1997 ARRL Handbook depicts a 12 volt
connector recommended by the ARRL Field Services
Department (not by the ARRL BOD, who makes "official
decisions for the organization."). This "standard" is
cross polarized to those found on HW-9s--BEWARE.
It features the widely available Molex connector sold
by Radio Shack, but doesn't handle enough power
for high power mobile radios. I don't doubt they melt
if you try and pass 25 amps through them.
Another connector that has gotten a lot of favorable
use is the Anderson Power Pole connectors
These are modular connectors which handle much more
current, but you may need to resort to mail order to get them.
They are single circuit blocks you slide together to to
form connectors--for a 2 wire circuit you need 4 blocks.
I discovered that while the brute force approach of
forcing these connectors together is probably futile,
one can cleverly slide these apart, reassemble them
incorrectly, and wreak havoc.
Most people recommend a little superglue to fix this
problem.
I suspect the expensive crimp tool works best--at $650
I'm not going to find out. Soldering doesn't always
seem to work--infant mortality intermittents seem
to crop up. Someone suggested the flux causing
the problem. I think it may also be wire stiffening and
solder buildup fouling up the flat spring mechanism.
But, I think that once the Powerpole connector works,
it lasts many more cycles and has lower loss
than Molex connectors. Model car/airplane builders
seem to like them.
--Zack Lau W1VT
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