‰  NOW 13 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM SEPTEMBER 2015 QST PAGE 62  ‰

BUT WHOS COUNTING?  I WAS FRUSTRATED WHILE TRYING TO REPAIR SOME TRS AUDIO
PATCH CORDS.  EVERYTHING I TRIED FAILED.  AFTER CONTEMPLATING MY FAILURES,
I REALIZED THAT SOLDERING THE COPPER FOIL MADE IT BRITTLE.  THEN I TOOK A
CLOSER LOOK AT THE ORIGINAL, TINY TERMINALS INSIDE THE PATCH CONNECTORS.
THEY HAD ONE STRIKING DIFFERENCE AS COMPARED TO THE USUAL TERMINALS THEY
WERE INSULATION PIERCING.  I FIGURED OUT THAT THIS APPROACH USED NO HEAT NO
BRITTLE COPPER FOIL, AND RELIED ON THE OUTER JACKET FOR SUPPORT HENCE THE
ƒ  QST DE W1AW  ‰
PIERCING.  ALL I HAD TO DO WAS FIND A SIMILAR TERMINAL AND ID BE IN
BUSINESS.  THIS WAS IN THE DARK DAYS BEFORE THE INTERNET.  I FINALLY FOUND
RADIO SHACKS TELEPHONE SPADE LUGS, PART NUMBER 64 3070.  THEY STILL OFFER
THEM RELATIVELY CHEAPLY IN PACKS OF 24.  THESE, PLUS THE PROPER CRIMP TOOL,
WILL ELIMINATE MUCH OF THE DRAMA.  IF YOU NEED SOMETHING OTHER THAN A SPADE
LUG ON THE END OF YOUR HEADSET LEADS, HOWEVER, YOU NOW HAVE A NEW PROBLEM.
‰  END OF 13 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ