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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

VHF deck connector

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/27/2004 : 09:46:44

those of us who trailer sail, and also have mast mounted VHF antennas (mine has a splitter for the FM radio also-great reception)
are forced to have some kind of deck connection.
I use a cable clam with RG8U cable coming through it. I have a Shakespeare centeripin connectors on both ends of the cable, as I don't have the skill to solder VHF cable. Even the Ancor engineer I talked to said that he couldn't do it either, I don't feel so bad. The end of the connector has shrink wrap on it. I grease both ends of the connector with dielectrig grease.
My cable clam leaked on my keys trip so I must take it apart, epoxy my hole thru the deck, and then seal it before reinstalling it.
I would love to find a long thru hull connector, but I have only been able to find a 2" long one, which is too short.
Anybody out ther have a source for longer female to female connectors, or have a better method to have a VHF deck connector?

Frank Gloss
Formerly 89WK/TR
85 Ericson 32-3 shoal draft "Molto Bene"

Edited by - on

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 03/27/2004 : 10:09:14

I hate those pin connecters and I also could not find a long enough thru hull so I went with two cable grips from West Marine.One is screwed to the deck the other to the mast.One triplex,one duplex and the antenna wire all run through the grips to a junction box at the top of wall in the head.I wrapped the wires starting at the bottom nut working up with rigging tape and have never had a leak.This may or may not be practical for a trailer sailor,I'm in slip.

Edited by - on

StSimon
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Response Posted - 03/27/2004 : 10:12:45

I don't understand from your post what the problem is. I just last night replaced my through deck fitting for my vhf. It was the normal 2" or so version. There's not a huge amount sticking out above and below but there is enough to tighten it down and screw on the fittings.

What exactly is your situation/problem?

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 03/27/2004 : 10:45:11

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 03/27/2004 : 20:34:33

You said a mouth full in your initial thread there Frank

!

I'm not 100% sure of everything you're describing but I'll share what I've had excellent results with.

This is the Ancor coax cable deck fitting - mine has yet to leak. Maybe the gland is dry rotted and simply needs replaced?

I have a PL259 just above the deck and another where the cable exits the mast with a PL258 in between. This allows me to easily disconnect the antenna wire when closing up shop Sunday evenings.

As for soldering, my father always said, you're not gonna learn any younger! I think most learn via trial by fire

! Compared to surface mount components, coax is a cakewalk.

Good luck!

Edited by - OJ on 03/27/2004 20:35:30

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2004 : 08:22:03

OJ,
I have tried several times to solder VHF cable, and I keep on melting the inner core.

Like Dirty Harry once said, "A man has got to know his limitations"
Like working on engines, soldering VHF cable is mine.

Do you use RG 58 or 8X cable with that connector?

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2004 : 08:48:57

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Gloss
 
I have tried several times to solder VHF cable, and I keep on melting the inner core.

Do you use RG 58 or 8X cable with that connector?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

RG-8X from the radio to the mast, RG-8U inside the mast - there are sleeves that thread into the connector to accomodate different diameter cabling.

As copper melts at about 1083 degrees C, that must be some soldering iron you have there Frank

Edited by - OJ on 03/28/2004 08:57:03

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2004 : 09:13:14

OJ
I haven't been melting the copper, but the plastic insulating material surrounding the inner copper wire, and inside the shielding. I have tried using a pencil iron, and also a soldering gun and keep on melting it.

If someone could teach me how to do this, it would "make my day"

Well, other than my leak thru the cable clam, my radio works fine. It would be kind of nice to have some kind of signal strength meter or something like that to measure the signal at the top of the mast. You figure that I have one connector at the radio, two to go thru the deck, and one at the top of mast, and two more at my signal splitter. Lots of places for signal degradation.
I also have an ICOM M-88 handheld for backup.

Edited by - on

StSimon
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2004 : 11:52:47

Hey St Simon
My problem is the thickness of my deck. I have an 89 model with an 1 1/4" thick deck. By the time you add washers, and 1/8" thick of sealant to each side you just don't have enough room to properly tighten down the male connector.
What year is your boat, and how thick is your deck?
Is St Simon your name?

Actually St Simon is our dog's name and the name of the island where we were married.

I'm not sure of the thickness of my deck but is probaably about 1 1/4" as well. She is an '84 model. I didn't use the connector in the photo above. Mine was a simple threaded connector about 2" long. I unscrewed the stoppers on one end and pulled it through. I took the new one, globbed some marine grade silicone on it and slid it in. I tightened up the threaded washers and that's it. The connectors on the end of the RG-8 fit with no extra room. No soldering, no fuss.

Hope this helps.

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2004 : 12:18:52

Frank...Radio Shack connectors are very difficult for even experienced technicians to solder. The piece the holds the center connector is a low melt plastic for one thing. The second is that the connectors are nickle plated rather than silver plated.

Save yourself a ton of grief... go to an electronics supply house and ask for an amphenol or high quality silver plated connector. It will have high quality dielectric holding the center conductor and the silver plating will solder very easily. Dont be fooled by the connector as it will at first seem that the dull looking and maybe if a bit old, black spotched silver connector is inferior to the bright shiny nickle plated. Nickle plating is very hard to solder to and if used, should first be filed off down to the base brass. This means a small round file to go inside the holes. Save the grief and get silver plated.

Before soldering the connector on the cable, the braid on the cable needs to be tinned. Again, cheap cable from Radio shack has about 40% braided shielding making tinning the braid very difficult. High quality cable has double the braid or more and will tin very easily.

Once the braid is tinned and the length of the braid trimmed (I like to use one of the thumb sized tubing cutters to do this and its done after the braid is tinned)to proper length, then screw on the connector. Use a high heat soldering gun so that the heat doesn't have to be there too long and heat up the area around a hold, when its hot, insert a fine run of solder and flow it. Repeat for the other three holes and then immediately use a wet rag to cool the connector. Finish by soldering the center conductor and cut it flush with end.

The secret is... quality cable and connectors.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2004 : 14:25:34

Arlyn,
I only use Ancor products for my electrical work. That includes connectors, and cable. I was under the impression that Ancor products were about as good as it gets for boats. The exception to this is my gold plated Shakespeare centerpin connectors which is what I'm currently using on my VHF antenna wiring.
I don't think I have ever used a Radio Shack product in my boat. I don't see where I said that I did.

Well, ancor does not make panels. I believe the last panel I bought was by Blue Sea systems.

When my VHF connectors fail, I'll try to find some

Edited by - on

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