Challenge attaching 6-pin connector for TTL on TS-480

[AE7I]

I am in the process of connecting a new TS-480 to RemoteRig.  It was suggested that two cables should be fashioned out of the ~12-foot long Kenwood data cable.  I cut one end short (for the RRC-Radio).  The cable has a foil shield and 6 conductors and the pin layout appears to be (from 1 --> 6): white, black, bare ground wire, red, green and yellow.  I purchase "Ideal RJ-11 6P6C" modular telephone plugs as I already owned a crimping device for them.  The wires are stranded wire, all with insulation except for the bare ground wire.

Somehow, I managed to keep these flexible wires in the proper order and made up one cable that works.  However, I have failed several times with the second one.  I find it near impossible to keep the wires in the proper order when trimmed to 1/4" and the ground wire somehow distorted on insertion and grounded out the adjacent pin on subsequent VOM continuity checks.

QUESTIONS:
1. Am I using the wrong modular connector?
2. Are there any tricks to getting flexible stranded wires to maintain order on insertion?
3. Is it mandatory to use a shielded cable?  E.g. could I use flat cable with ferrite beads on each end?

Thanks for any assistance,
Craig AE7I

[dj0qn]

Hi Craig,

I see that no one answered yet.....

It is just a straight through cable with most or all wired. You have already done the "damage", but the easiest method is
to drive to the nearest Radio Shack, Fry's or equivalent and buy a normal 3-line telephone cable for a couple of Dollars.
The 3-line version has all wires connected, which you can see by looking at the connector on both sides.

The European version of the TS-480 already has a short and long cable, so no extra purchase or building is necessary.
I still bought a 3-line telephone cable to replace the long Kenwood one, because it is too stiff for my taste and stresses
the connector.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX