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Antenna question:

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/23/2007 : 23:23:56

My PRETTY PENNY wasn't equipped with a masthead antenna. A close friend is giving me his 3 year old 12 volt Furuno VHF because he was given a new one with a GPS connection. I would rather not go the expense and trouble of installing a masthead antenna. Could anyone suggest an alternate rig, i.e. mounting it on the backstay, or...? I know a lower mount would somewhat limit transmission distance, but it's a compromise I can live with. Thanks.

Frank Farmer
Long Beach, CA
aa.diver@verizon.net
http://mysite.verizon.net/aa.diver

PRETTY PENNY
'01 C-250 WK, Hull #558

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2007 : 00:10:53

P.S.:

Is it possible to connect a rail mount or back stay mount antenna to a hand held VHF radio for longer range?

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KD4AO
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2007 : 07:52:03

The answer to the second question is YES in most cases. It will require an adapter for the coax connector. Most antennas come with a PL-259 connector and handhelds have several different connectors, older units used a BNC and many newer units use a TNC or some other smaller connector. The good news is that Radio Shack carries most adapters, just take the handheld with you to the store.

The rail mount antenna will work fairly well for a fixed VHF radio as well, the difference in height of about 25 ft will only come into play if you go beyond 15 or 20 miles off shore.

Bob

Edited by - KD4AO on 01/24/2007 07:55:21

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2007 : 12:40:23

Thanks, Bob, I think I'll try and get the hand held extender set up first. I'll post the results.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2007 : 14:22:19

I don't see that a mast mounted antenna would be more expensive. More initial work to install, yes. Radio quality is all about antenna height. Radio help in an emergency is all about having it ready to go. I would recommend setting your new VHF up with a masthead antenna and using the hanheld as backup. My two cents.

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piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2007 : 15:54:38

Frank, to install on mast, guess u need bosuns chair or were you gonna hire someone to climb? Both involve costs!

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2007 : 09:27:30

I should add that no fixed antenna is any good when a boat is lying on its side (or sinking). I'd keep the handheld free of external connections and ready to go anywhere at any time. The Coast Guard has towers and sensitive receivers along the coasts that can pick up even a handheld at considerable distances, even if other boats can't. Line-of-sight is the essential issue, and from a couple of hundred feet up, the CG has about the same line of sight to a handheld as to a mast-top antenna. (Althought with just 5 watts, the handheld can be "stepped on" more easily by other transmissions, which is one reason we're supposed to avoid chatting on 16.)

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2007 : 09:48:34

Frank, I originally had a mast maunted antennae but had problems with swrs and couldn't resolve the problem after two replacement units and so I put a Shakespeare 6'stick mounted on the transom with an attachment to the top of the sternrail for support. The swrs were flat right out of the box and the unit has worked perfectly the past ten years. The only problem encountered so far is that on one occasion as I was in need for support I reached out and grabbed the antennae, that's a no no

. Fortunately the Shakespeare is reasonably priced. Dave's place is perhaps thirty miles north of me with a 400' berm between us yet I pickup strong signals from there often, which might be accounted for by the hight of their antennae as Dave has pointed out.

Val on the hard DAGNABTI #3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2007 : 10:54:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tinob
 Dave's place is perhaps thirty miles north of me with a 400' berm between us yet I pickup strong signals from there often...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Val: 400' on Long Island? Is there a mountain range there I've never seen? (400' would be a mountain on Long Island.) From my side, Mt. Sinai Hospital towers over everything else on the island!

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2007 : 11:33:48

Val, what are "problems with swrs"? What are swrs's? Lemme guess:
short wave radio signals? I want a stern mount antenna to plug into my hand held.

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KD4AO
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2007 : 12:19:16

SWR is "Standing Wave Ratio" a term that most boaters don't want to get involved with. A high SWR is caused by an impedance mismatch between the antenna and the radio. This is more prevalent when a metal part of the boat has to be an element of the antenna, such as an artificial ground. Most antennas for fiberglass boats are end fed half wave antennas which do not rely on any artificial ground. Quarter wave and the popular five eights wave require an artificial ground to balance the antenna and keep the SWR low. When feeding an antenna from a handheld there is likely to be some amount of SWR but since the power is low, 1 and 5 watts, it usually doesn't cause noticeable problems. I agree with Dave above, that the handheld should be avaiable as a handheld at all times. However if you have a plan to keep the rubber ducky closeby for immediate use then it shouldn't be a problem. Bob

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2007 : 08:59:09

Dave, the mountain range that you question is in West Hills, Huntington. While running through there in the eighties, along Mount Misery Road (I think), I came upon a marker recording the spot as the highest elevation on Long Island @ 473'

Any West Hillians here about care to check my info. My memory is showing the effect of age and in need of assistance.

Val on the hard DAGNABIT,# 3936,Patchogue, N.Y.

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2007 : 09:08:20

Dave,

Huntington Historical Society responded to my question regarding Long Islands highest elevation. They say that Jayne's Hill in West Hills section of Huntington is the Island's highest @ 400.4 feet and note that it was a favorite trek of Walt Whitman. Wonder if "Leaves of Grass" was an product of those walks.

Val on the hard DAGNABIT,#3936,Patchogue,N.Y.

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