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VHF Antenna

3K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  hellosailor 
#1 ·
I don't go more than 10 - 12 miles from land. Ever. Really. Do I really need a masthead mounted VHF? I'm having trouble with the antenna and seriously considering getting the thing off the masthead and mounting it on the rail. This boat is new to me, but, my last boat I had problems with the antenna on the mast head as well.

Am I crazy or would the shorter cable and ease of keeping fittings clean more than make up for the shorter transmitting distance?

Most of the time I use a handheld anyway. My Standard Horizon waterproof handheld kept me in contact with a USCG station 10+ miles away the one time I really needed to talk and fix a failed stuffing box at the same time.

Talk me out of a stink pot setup. :D
 
#2 ·
Just a few thoughts :

It took me a while to trace the problem with my masthead antenna, but it eventually came down to the piece of coax between the mast base, and the radio. There's usually a connection at the mast base. Replaced everything between that and the radio, everything became fine.

My handheld is OK for talking to the coastguard because they have large antennas, high up, and excellent equipment.

Talking to other boats is a different matter. Even the masthead antenna is only just enough for talking to other sailboats over distances 5 to 10 miles.

It does strike me that a stern mounted antenna would make an excellent backup. If that backup gets used almost indefinitely, until the next time the mast is pulled, so be it!

Finally, if you do go for a stern mount, you still need a 3db sailboat antenna, not a higher gain power boat one, to handle the heel of a sailboat.
 
#5 ·
Hey,

In all honesty I don't think you need a mast mounted antenna. A rail mount would provide adequate performance. That being said, it's pretty rare for the ANTENNA to fail, it's almost always the cable or connectors. Do you pull the mast in the winter? If so, I would stick with the mast mount and just inspect / repair as necessary in the spring. If you leave the rig up all the time I would go with a antenna mounted on the rail where you can more easily access the connectors.

Barry
 
#6 ·
I don't know. A good VHF is one of the best pieces of safety gear you can have. I think it's worth investing in and the height of the antenna matters quite a bit. I didn't have one for two seasons because of bad wiring and now that I do I'm pretty happy about it. It also means I can properly monitor 16 which is a good thing to be doing in the harbor.

I think the coax wiring and connectors are a chronic problem. Coax doesn't like to be bent as much as regular stranded and the connectors used for deck fittings etc are often terrible and/or in places where wiring can be kicked or stepped on where it exits the deck (as was the case on my boat)

I invested in one of these this season and hope this will lead to long and corrosion free life for my all new mast coax cable.
Salty John: Cableport and other fine boat and yacht chandlery products.
 
#9 ·
Go on line and use a line of sight calculator. For a 30' height and a 6' foot receive height the max range is 11 miles. For 6' transmit and receive the range is six miles. Unless you're using a rubber duck antenna you should get reliable ranges out to 9.5 miles with most antennas and VHF transmitters. Going much beyond that you probably won't get reliable signals.
 
#11 ·
Almost all new VHF have DISC and many now are equipped with AIS. These both are safety measures. Not using the highest point is probably the best place to put it as well as the best and lowest resistance coax you can use.

I once had a 5 ft Shakespeare mounted off the stern of my boat....distance at best was 10 miles. Same coax and VHF now mounted top the top of the mast distance is at least 22 sometimes 30 depending on atmospheric conditions.

Dave
 
#12 ·
Whether you use HT or a mounted VHF, my recommendation is to have a backup (at least one, in addition to your primary). Murphy's law works aptly well in the marine envirnment. There are pros and cons to either side of this subject. The best thing to do is weigh options as they apply to you. Every person is different and so are their preferences. My opinion is to have a chassis mount radio with the antenna sitting on top the mast. I just want my signal to reach as far as possible if/when necessary. HTs usually only put out 5 watts or so, where the bigger units give a full 25W. I also prefer the least amount of connections between radio and antenna. Again, this is my opinion. Mounting your antenna on the rail limits your ability. A line of sight calculation will show just how much difference. Keep in mind this is theoretical distances. Atmospheric conditions can both hinder and enhance VHF performance. It just depends on what mother nature wants to dish out.

Good luck in your decision.
KG
 
#13 ·
I got screwed by Baron USA via an Ebay purchase Baron sent me a 8 ft. powerboat antenna instead of the 3 ft. sailboat antenna I ordered. Ebay/Pay Pal did refund my purchase (no response whatsoever from Baron) but I don't think this 8 ft. deck mount Shakespeare will work as well as a 3db. whip antenna off the mast head. Nor do I think I have the room on the stern rail or aft deck of my Hunter 25 to mount it but could shuffle a few things. Should I just sell the sucker and buy a 3 ft whip for the mast head or try to use the 8 ft.??? Advice?
 
#15 ·
The real issue is the 8ft antenna's gain. They are normally 6db which means a tighter focus - which could be a problem when you are sailing, and heeled. The reason sailboats normally use 3db antennas is that they work well on a heeling boat.

So, yes, I think you should sell it and get a 3db one for the mast. So you now have an 8ft antenna, AND your money back, which will, presumably, pay for a 3db one and leave you some change? How does this equate to getting screwed?
 
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