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Installing VHF antenna at Mast head?

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ssteakley
Captain

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USA
467 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/09/2002 : 15:50:10

I have a 250wk and I want to install an antenna at the mast head. My boat is in a slip so this means going up the mast. If anyone has done this and can detail the steps to take I would apprecialte it. Including the through deck fitting for the cable and how to fish the cable back to the control panel area. Is it better to drill a hole in the bottom of the mast, drop the cable down and then fish it through or fish the cable up from the bottom of the mast? Details like that.
thanks,
Steve Steakley
Moon Chaser #385WK

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mday
Navigator

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197 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2002 : 14:22:14

Steve,

I haven't attempted to climb the mast, but my VHF antenna is installed on the masthead and I'll describe the setup I have and then what I think isn't particularly good about it. This was already done to the boat when I bought it. The cable from the radio was run into the aft starboard cabin wall, which is hollow, then out onto the ceiling of the cabin along the hatch opening and up through the roof of the cabin behind the mast. I would think you would definitely NOT want to run anything into the mast from below because of the potential for creating leaks into the cabin and creating problems lowering the mast when needed. From the wire out of the roof of the cabin, there's a connector to a cable running into the base of the mast and up to the masthead. The things I don't like about this are the wire running over the ceiling of the cabin. Even though it's neatly dressed with cable clamps, I'd prefer not to have to look at it. I'm not sure if there's a wiring channel somewhere, but I've heard responses in the forum about running wiring up through where the forward cabin lights are. Maybe someone else can comment on this. The wiring to the anchor light and the deck light must run somewhere similar. The second negative thing is the connector, which lies on the top of the cabin behind the mast exposed to the elements. It's a good connector, and you need to do something to allow the mast to be taken down. Generally, you want to make as few connections in your antenna cable as possible to reduce loss of power. The radio seems to work well, though.

I'll take a camera to the boat this weekend and try to take some detailed pictures of the wiring if it turns out nobody responds with a superior method.

Max Day
C250 WB 380
Lake Pleasant, AZ

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jguyot
1st Mate

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USA
97 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2002 : 21:15:58

Steve

I am pretty sure you will have an extremely difficult time installing the antenna on the mast without taking it down <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>. To be able to run that wire inside the mast, you need to have acess to both the top (you really can't see much unless you take the masthead off either) & bottom of the mast to see the conduit inside it to snake the wire down it. If you don't put it inside the conduit, your halyards might chafe it.

So, you might want to rail mount the antenna for now & then install the mast head mount the next time you take the mast down ......

Good luck

Jerry Guyot
250WK #586
"Sail La Vie"

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2002 : 11:55:46

In agreement with Jerry...about doing this with the mast down... It not that hard to drop the mast.

A rail mounted antenna works pretty good... it might serve your needs unless your just needing maximum range.

I opted for a location just inside the companionway on the starboard side and mounted the radio hanging from the ceiling. Its face is about three inches back from the hatch opening....This allows using the radio without going below.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224

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Rick Evans
1st Mate

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USA
38 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2002 : 18:05:42

I've climbed the mast several times and it really isn't hard. I'll be happy to tell you the step by step (no pun intended) if you want to try it. However, I agree with the rest of the crew that your best option is simply to drop the mast and step it later. I helped one fellow run an antenna on his mast and it was so much easier once we took it down. Admittedly, it was a Hunter and not the same configuration, but I would still recommend not climbing your mast for this project.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/19/2002 : 19:47:13

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I helped one fellow run an antenna on his mast and it was so much easier once we took it down. Admittedly, it was a Hunter and not the same configuration, but I would still recommend not climbing your mast for this project.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
Whew! Be glad you didn't climb the mast of a Hunter! I saw the broken mast of a Hunter 240 recently, and was shocked--it looked about as strong as a Coors can. (It broke when a shroud rubbed on a piling as the boat was backing out of its slip.)

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette "Passage" in SW CT

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ssteakley
Captain

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USA
467 Posts

Response Posted - 07/27/2002 : 19:04:32

Well since Canyon Lake is banned from boating and the outlook is not good for at least a month I am going to take the boat out and do a bottom job and install the VHF radio/antenna at the top of the mast. I decided to install at the mast head since we have so many hills around our lake and I want to try not t clutter up the stern area of my boat. All I have to do now is locate a trailor I can rent from someone in the Central Texas area and get permission from the Comal County Judge to get my boat out since I will have to motor over to one of the two usable ramps on the lake. I appreciate everyone's comments, it helps to have all the experiences detailed since this is new territory for me!
Steve Steakley
Moon Chaser #385 WK

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mday
Navigator

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197 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2002 : 20:08:26

Steve,

I tried to email you a set of pictures of my radio and the wiring for reference. Did you get them?

Max Day
C250 WB 380
Lake Pleasant, AZ

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ssteakley
Captain

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USA
467 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2002 : 22:48:16

Max,
I did not get the pics...I recently changed my email address to ssteakley@austin.rr.com. Anyway I have successfully installed VHF Coax through the mast and installed a VHF antenna. The next part will be to install the through deck fitting and fish the coax to the control panel. I plan to have this project completed by Labor Day when I will return Moon Chaser to Canyon Lake....I just hope they re-open the lake to boating soon after,
Steve Steakley

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