HF Radio on the Vega

[kevinwoods.vega]

I'm looking for creative ideas about locations for an HF radio to install either semi-perminantly on the boat, or to take it on and off for my times away.

Questions:

1) radios need direct battery connections, as they can intermittently chomp 20A of power in transmit mode. Also, they suggest keeping wire runs to minimum length. Thoughts about running wire direct to the battery? Or do you connect through the main power switch into the House Battery?

2) this is not a marine-grade, salt resistent radio, so I'm looking for a clever location to avoid getting wet, while still being handy.

3) has anyone had success installing a rail-mounted multi-band (80, 40, 20, 17,15, 10M) antenna, using just the rail and lifelines as a counterpoise? Any thoughts about installation of antenna tuners?
Also, I'd be pleased to connect with other Vega Hams, on or off-line.

Kevin Vega 1039 VE7KHI

PS, Spring shakedown sailing in the Georgia Strait, BC has been delightful. Trip to Pricess Louisa Inlet set for next week.

 

[groundhogyh]

I just did a websearch on shortwave vs. HF radio frequencies.Seems like they are similar.
I believe people that hook up shortwave systems on boats often use the backstay as the antenna? Think I have seen devices that you can put in line with your backstay that electrically isolate (provide a cut) in the backstay so you can make it into an antenna at the same time, be mechanically strong to do the normal backstay work.Hope this helps somewhat...roy

 

[stevebirch2002]

Hi Kevin

I'm a Radio Ham (G6RDU) but VHF only!!!!!

Cheers

Stevie B

 

[fotofundi]

Hi Kevin

Sounds like you are in about the same state I have reached regarding HF on my Vega.

I have run the Tx power supply from the battery selector switch and back to the engine block using the same bolt that makes the negative connection to the batteries. I replaced the original supply cables from the battery with new cable and use gold plated connectors as used for mega watt sound systems to reduce resistance build-up through deterioration of the connections.

My Yaesu FT857D currently sits at the aft end of the s'board bookshelf. This is just a temp arrangement as I take it home with me and haven't decided the best way of securing it while under way and still keep it easy to remove.

I use a 'backpacker' vertical 80 10m on the stern rail and a 3m length of 1" plumbing copper pipe that I dangle over the side, either while moored or underway, secured to the aft s'board cleat and wired to the antenna mounting bracket for a ground plane. I only have a manual portable tuner at present and that has to sit next to the radio so I can twiddle the knobs. Have picked up Japan and other such far away places on Rx with this aerial but only tried Tx last week for all of 5 mins. As you probably know, propagation is pretty unreliable at present so results from that brief test were not great. Also my engine alternator was not suppressed and made using the radio with the engine running (to keep battery drain to a minimum) impossible, hence the short trial.

I doubt you will find the stern rails will provide enough ground plane to get a decent SWR and have read that people who cruise full time use a sintered copper plate bolted to the outside of the hull, or lengths of copper braid run up and down the inside the hull ammounting to a minimum of 100sq ft of surface area, so even my copper pipe is way too small.

The US Power Squadron publish a book "Marine Amateur Radio" that gives a lot of useful information. The only other one I know of is "Marine SSB Operation" by J. Michael Gale. Copies of this come up on eBay and I believe it may have been recently updated and republished.

Hope this is of some help, I will let you know how I get on with the copper pipe ground plane when I next get down to the boat.

Cheers

David
V1696
5B4AJT

 

[timoheikkinen]

kevinwoods.vega kirjoitti:

 

[wemccourt]

Hi Kevin,

My experience (armchair) has been that most HF radios use the back stays as their antenna as these are the longest run of exposed wire on the boat.

The backstays are insulated from the masthead and at the hull penetrations and jumpered together near the top to create a long wire which is end fed like a "ZEPP" antenna using an automatic tuner like an SGC or ICOM AN4. This length of wire should work for 80 thru 10M and altho I have no fist hand experience with an HF radio on a boat, I run an ICOM706 Mk2G in my car and it's quite east to install/remove as your needs change. It's all plugs at the radio end, the wiring would remain for the next time out.

I envy your cruise to Princess Louisa. I've read all about the area and used to live in Portland, OR but never got that far north only as far as Port Angeles. The "Curve of Time" has a special place in my library!

Good Luck!

Bill McCourt - WF1L
Reston, VA

 

[Vega1447]

My 6 month old UV protective strip for the headsail is allowing a white
spiral (unprotected headsail) to appear at lower end of furled headsail -
maybe 1 cm wide.

I am guessing that this is due to hard sailing that has stretched either
the foot of the sail or the leach and so changed the geometry?

Should I complain to the sailmaker who fitted the UV protective strip?

Is there any remedial action that I can take?

Thanks

John

V 1447 Breakaway

John A. Kinsella Ph: +353-61-202148 (Direct)
+353-61-333644 x 2148 (Switch)
Mathematics Dept. e-mail: John.Kinsella@...
University of Limerick FAX: +353-61-334927
IRELAND Web: John Kinsella's Website

 

[btfag0s]

It sounds more likely that the sail isn't rolled tightly enough. Try using a
little tension on the sheet when you are pulling on the reefing line to furl
it.

Alisdair

 

[kevinwoods.vega]

Roy,

Thanks for getting back. Yes, the backstay antenna is a popular setup. It works like a sizzling darn particulary on large (very large) sloops. They suggest that the "inserted, insulated portion" of the backstay should be 30' or more in length for successful High Frequency (HF) propagation.

For larger boats, with the luxury (and liability) of height this works. They also recommend that at least the lower and upper 3-4 feet of the backstay - NOT - be included in the antenna length, as there are risks of radiation burns in the cockpit, and there are electromagnetic complications that set in at the upper end, if the antenna terminates near something big & metal, like a mast.

The relatively short backstay on the Vega, and the lower, split backstay configuration - all but precludes - the use of this strategy. Once the recommended off-set lengths at top and bottom are factored in, there may be about 15 feet left. It seems hardly worthwhile to compromise the integrity of a backstay on a VEGA for a small antenna.(once again size sometimes matters!)

It seems the BEST and easiest way to get true HF propogation (between 3.5 MHz and 32 MHz) with potential to reach right around the world, is an inverted-V dipole antenna, fed with a coaxial cable in the middle, hoisted on the spinnaker halyard to the masthead, then with the two arms (about 24' long) sloping down to the pulpet and pushpit rails. They can be very inexpensive to make - perhaps $10.

This approach clearly works best (only?)when relaxed at anchor.

When underway, a short multi-band antenna (such as my "Outbacker") can be mounted on the stern rail or on the back deck outside the coaming. Here, its relatively free from the risk of interfering with sailing operations while underway.

That's what I'm looking to do, but I look forward to trying out an inverted V.

With the longer radio wavelengths such as 20 and 40 meters, I'll be able to send and receive email at sea, and easily talk with the UK and europe from the west coast of British Columbia. Shorter wavelenghs, such a 2 meters and Marine VHF, communication is basically limited to line-of-sight.I'm still wondering if anyone has had happy outcomes with a rear mounted 1/4 wavelength HF antenna. I'm looking for any installation tips at all.Thanks,

Kevin

 

[btfag0s]

I only use HF for downloading wefax, so don't need a particularly good
setup, however I've isolated my backstay without compromising its integrity
- I simply inserted nylon eyes inside the steel eyes on the stay when
rigging

If you are really looking for a long wire I met up with a couple who cruise
the world in a Rebel (http://www.oceancruisingclub.org/content/view/1158/82/
) and I recall them telling me about their setup, where, if I recall
correctly, they isolated and use the top guard rail (with a balun to tune
it?). Personally, I think the idea of transmitting 25W of RF at head height
is a bit silly ... Alisdair

 

[groundhogyh]

I'm not an expert... But one thing I have heard
is that when new, you can get some uncovered
areas. As the headsail settles in and wraps
tighter, those bare spots are supposed to close up.

I just ordered a 150 furler headsail today.
Doyle Annapolis. Was impressed with the guy
and he's full service. Not that much more
than offshore sails.

 

[groundhogyh]

U understand quite a bit about this.
Try to figure out what the quarter wave antenna
does to work with such a small length.
To make a monopole look longer , a common
trick is to add series inductance at the base.
Ie. Those old cell phone antennas for ur car.
Squiggly thing at bottom.

There may be one of those insulator gadgets
made for small boats..