I am still in the process of finishing my SSB installation. Just lost motivation recently but it seems to be coming back.
With the demise of the Kenwood TS-50, I purchased an Icom IC-707. It is an older radio but like the TS-50, it has very little in the way of bells and whistles. Simplistic sums up this radio. It has been opened to allow all band Tx. Not that I will ever use it, but...
As part of the on-going project, I will be installing a 35' Alternate Backstay Antenna. It will be connected to an MFJ-939 automatic antenna tuner. The MFJ is not marine grade by any stretch of the imagination. So one must improvise, adapt, and overcome.
I purchased a watertight box off of eBay to use as the housing for the tuner. The tuner is attached with #4 sheet metal screws to the bottom of the box. The screws are driven into the rubber feet. This seems to hold well but it might come loose under harsh sea conditions.
The three entry points are for control (left), radio (center), and antenna (right). Ground is on the right side of the box. The glands are sized for .25" cables. The antenna cable will be GTO-15.
I have a sea dog cable gland coming for the GTO-15 to exit the deck.
So there we go. Got that portion of the project done. Maybe it was enough to get my motivation back up. We will see.
With the demise of the Kenwood TS-50, I purchased an Icom IC-707. It is an older radio but like the TS-50, it has very little in the way of bells and whistles. Simplistic sums up this radio. It has been opened to allow all band Tx. Not that I will ever use it, but...
As part of the on-going project, I will be installing a 35' Alternate Backstay Antenna. It will be connected to an MFJ-939 automatic antenna tuner. The MFJ is not marine grade by any stretch of the imagination. So one must improvise, adapt, and overcome.
I purchased a watertight box off of eBay to use as the housing for the tuner. The tuner is attached with #4 sheet metal screws to the bottom of the box. The screws are driven into the rubber feet. This seems to hold well but it might come loose under harsh sea conditions.
The three entry points are for control (left), radio (center), and antenna (right). Ground is on the right side of the box. The glands are sized for .25" cables. The antenna cable will be GTO-15.
I have a sea dog cable gland coming for the GTO-15 to exit the deck.
So there we go. Got that portion of the project done. Maybe it was enough to get my motivation back up. We will see.