BACKGROUND:
It's been a 'while' since I used to play around with this type of connector - those who are into the world of radio equipment programming will instantly recognise this one!.
I cannot recall which equipment brand this was used with (possibly Kenwood) but in any case these are really difficult to find if programming retro portable radio equipment is your thing.
UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER - Rectangular Plug With Short Tail
Country of origin is not known (the plug and cable sheath are basically unmarked except the sheath has the letters AN stamped onto it)
8 Way connector using Gold plated "pressure sprung contacts"
The connector is moulded to the tail i.e you cannot easily get inside the connector
There is a slight "lip" top and bottom of the connector for locking into place onto the side of the portable radio equipment being accessed and programmed.
Even though the connector is 8 way, the "tail" however only has 4 conductors plus a foil outer shield
Looking at the connector side, tail at the base ...
For the sake of identifying those fingers, I have called the top most finger, Contact 1 and so on with the Contact number towards the tail, the closest to the tail being Contact 8
Contact 1 = Brown
Contact 2 = White
Contact 3 = N/C
Contact 4 = N/C
Contact 5 = N/C
Contact 6 = N/C
Contact 7 = Black
Contact 8 = Red
The outer Aluminium foil is extremely thin and would be extremely difficult to use as a signal ground (there is no drain wire running through the cable), although perhaps a conductive clamping system would work. Extreme care is needed if removing the outer sheath as it is likely the foil will come away as well!
I could not establish that the outer foil is actually connected to any of the fingers, open circuit showing on every finger with regard to the foil.
DIMENSIONS:
Plug: 29.9mm top to bottom
Not a true rectangular shape, top is 19mm wide while the base of the rectangle is 13mm
Extremely small 3mm lip runs across the top and the bottom of the plug & the face of the plug also has a 'step' built into it
The cable 'tail' is 90mm length with bare (tinned) wires (4)
COSMETIC CONDITION:
CLEAN
NO damage to the fingers, plug body or the tail sheath
Gold fingers are clean
I have now packed this special connector into a sealed clear plastic packet, awaiting someone who can make use of this connector ...
