What is this antenna's purpose?

BEENONLANDTOOLONG · #1 (**permalink**) 07-03-2011

I saw this on a 80' sailing vessel the other day and someone asked me and I had not a clue.So I blew the chance to ask the operator of the vessel as the owner showed up and they took off for Newport.
Thanks for any ideas...Just curious...

SVAuspicious · #2 (**permalink**) 07-03-2011

It's a quadrifilar helix (QFH) antenna for direct download of 137(ish) MHz imagery satellites for weather pictures. Good stuff.

BEENONLANDTOOLONG · #3 (**permalink**) 07-03-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVAuspicious

It's a quadrifilar helix (QFH) antenna for direct download of 137(ish) MHz imagery satellites for weather pictures. Good stuff.

Thank you....

SVAuspicious · #4 (**permalink**) 07-04-2011

It's relatively inexpensive to do yourself. See WXtoImg: software to decode APT and WEFAX signals from weather satellites . There are lots of instructions on the Internet to make the antenna yourself.

BEENONLANDTOOLONG · #5 (**permalink**) 07-04-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVAuspicious

It's relatively inexpensive to do yourself. See WXtoImg: software to decode APT and WEFAX signals from weather satellites . There are lots of instructions on the Internet to make the antenna yourself.

Thanks for the link.Pretty cool stuff.
Being that I have been away from sailing and boating for quite awhile a lot of things amaze me.The things that are available,if you have the desire or $$$, just blows me away.Some make sense to me some do not,but the option to have real time weather is just really cool.AIS is another thing that I got introduced to last year and it is just really a nice thing to know when a big ship ,who is on autopilot,is aiming your way doing 22KTs.
Not to mention the accuracy of the new GPS units.I plotted in the #9 buoy of the entrance channel to Morehead City when coming back from the Bahamas and damn if the autopilot didn't just bring us close enough that I took over the helm and let "auto" take a rest.The autopilot did most of the steering,I just would take it off long enough to adjust the sail trim then turn it back on and watch it drive the boat better than I ...
Thanks again for the link and taking time to answer my query.