[chiph]

Tip for soldering the milspec connectors.

Slide your heatshrink tubing over the end of the wire. Strip the insulation from the wire so that the copper will bottom out in the connector cup, with about 1/16" (1-1.5mm) left bare beyond the end of the cup.

Clean the wire with some alcohol & a cotton wipe, taking the opportunity to twist the strands back together. Tin the wire with your solder. Use a large paperclip or tweezers to prevent heat transfer that might melt the insulation. Locking forceps can work if you bend the handle so that the jaws don't crush the wire.

Once the wire cools, coat it with a thin layer of flux. Then cut a length of solder to fit into the connector cup. Insert the tinned wire next to the solder strip and heat the cup. At the exact moment when the strip of solder melts and blends with the tinned wire, rock the wire away from, and then back down against the back of the cup, and remove heat. Hold it still while it cools.

Slide the heatshrink over the connector and shrink it with a heat gun. Don't use a lighter - it chars the insulation and you'll have to start over. Most hair dryers don't get hot enough (darn safety rules!)