how do i locate the coax cable in my mast? I can hear it banging around in there but cant find the end in my boat.
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
1976 Catalina 27
- Thread starter icravewaves
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,505
Well It has to come out of the mast at both ends. An antenna would be on the top of the mast. You can climb the mst to get at that end or you can lower the mast and work on the ground. Easier.
At eh base it will either come out of the mast below decks at the base of the mast, or can exit the mast at the base above deck. It will then be connected to a lead that runs into the boat and to the radio. If you are having trouble finding it at the mast base, start at the radio and follow the wire till you see where it goes up the mast.
Think of it as a "Where's Waldo" type of problem.
At eh base it will either come out of the mast below decks at the base of the mast, or can exit the mast at the base above deck. It will then be connected to a lead that runs into the boat and to the radio. If you are having trouble finding it at the mast base, start at the radio and follow the wire till you see where it goes up the mast.
Think of it as a "Where's Waldo" type of problem.
If you can hear it "banging around in there" then there is a chance that it has been disconnected and you only have an end fitting inside the mast. The cable may be hanging in there loose. The connection from the radio to the mast may have been removed. Is the mast deck-stepped? If so, the connection would possibly be just inside the base of the mast, if there is a connection. Does your radio have any reception? If not, I'd bet that the cable in the boat was removed.
Thanks!
I found it and it seems to be all intact so far.
i am going to connect my new 25 watt radio and test it out.
It appears like it hasnt been used for awhile because the end has no connection piece.
Thanks for the replies!
I am new to boating,and its one project at a time.
I found it and it seems to be all intact so far.
i am going to connect my new 25 watt radio and test it out.
It appears like it hasnt been used for awhile because the end has no connection piece.
Thanks for the replies!
I am new to boating,and its one project at a time.
You might have wires for anchor light, steaming lights, spreader lights (or deck light) hanging loose. You might also have a PVC conduit that is loosened up in there as well. The conduit would be to contain the wires. When my boat was about 20 years old, the PVC conduit had degraded to the point where the plastic failed and came loose from the rivets that were intended to hold it in place. I replaced the conduit, but now, after another 15 years, I wonder when it will fail again!
Besides the coax, in the mast there can be wiring to lighting at the top of the mast , or midway up on the mast, or on the spreaders, wiring for wind speed/direction at the top of the mast, halyards for the main sail, jib, spinnaker, spinnaker pole up and a possibly a few other items. In short there's a lot going on in there. Any of those wires or lines can bang around. It is like the clappers in a bell - not conducive to sleep. There's several strategies to restore quiet. One is to put the wires in a conduit such as PVC pipe. Modern masts usually have a conduit as part of the extrusion. Some people put foam swimming noodles on wires outside of a conduit, or zip ties with the tails left on to dampen the impact of the wires on the mast. I found a big natural sponge in one mast I owned shoved up with some sort of pole. It served to dampen the slapping - and it made the halyards run with difficulty. I missed it when I took it out.