Placement of VHF antenna on 260 Hunter
- Thread starter sfr
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I'm not very familiar with the 260, but my 23.5 has an area where the outboard mounts that would allow a hole to be cut into the side. Inside on the 23.5, this area has no liner is fairly easy to access. I would try to find a similar place to pass the cable through that is not of the top, but rather the side to help prevent water from penetrating. A drip loop before it enters will stop any water that wants to run down the cable. Don't buy into anyone telling you that you have to use large diameter coax like RG213 or LMR400. Your run will be short and the RG8X or RG58 that may come with your antenna will be fine.
The hardest thing for most people, and many don't realize, is properly installing a PL259 connector. There are lots of methods people use to get them soldered on properly, and I'd suggest you search Youtube for some instructions. I like crimp-on connectors myself, but that requires a specific crimping tool. Don't crimp a connector with pliers, unless your making emergency repairs and that's all you've got. I also reinforce the connector with 3 concentric layers of heatshrink at the base of the connector. Where the cable attaches to the connector is a major stress point and I have never had a cable with three layers of heatshrink fail at the connector. I have test cables that I've used regularly for over ten years that are still in very good condition because of this.
If your antenna has a connector at the base, seal the connector with electrical tape at the least. It will last a few months in the weather. Tape is fine, especially if you trailer and disconnect it often. If it were at the top of the mast, I would seal with butyl tape. First, a wrap of electrical tape to make removal of the butyl easy if necessary, then a wrap of butyl tape over that, then wrap the butyl in electrical tape. This is how professionals seal connectors on exposed connectors and I have seen some after ten years or more still sealed.
Don't know which antenna you are installing, but height is the single most effective thing you can do to improve performance.
The hardest thing for most people, and many don't realize, is properly installing a PL259 connector. There are lots of methods people use to get them soldered on properly, and I'd suggest you search Youtube for some instructions. I like crimp-on connectors myself, but that requires a specific crimping tool. Don't crimp a connector with pliers, unless your making emergency repairs and that's all you've got. I also reinforce the connector with 3 concentric layers of heatshrink at the base of the connector. Where the cable attaches to the connector is a major stress point and I have never had a cable with three layers of heatshrink fail at the connector. I have test cables that I've used regularly for over ten years that are still in very good condition because of this.
If your antenna has a connector at the base, seal the connector with electrical tape at the least. It will last a few months in the weather. Tape is fine, especially if you trailer and disconnect it often. If it were at the top of the mast, I would seal with butyl tape. First, a wrap of electrical tape to make removal of the butyl easy if necessary, then a wrap of butyl tape over that, then wrap the butyl in electrical tape. This is how professionals seal connectors on exposed connectors and I have seen some after ten years or more still sealed.
Don't know which antenna you are installing, but height is the single most effective thing you can do to improve performance.
As someone who has in the past had to climb 300'+ cell towers to repair connections when my employees did not do this procedure, and antenna connectors failed, I can personally certify this is the proper procedure for ensuring that your RF connections stay 100% dry. Although you didn't add that the electrical tape should ALWAYS be wrapped in a smooth spiral from the bottom up (relative to the final installation), to create a roofing shingle type overlap so any water will drop down over the tape seam and not get caught in the seam. Over the winter in freezing and thawing conditions a tape wrap done upside down will often fail, and after a few years need replaced.
sfr;
I would suggest putting the antenna on top of the mast. If you want some more inforation, send me your phone number to davecondon@mindspring.com. I installed over 250 on the 26 and 260 Hunter sailboats.
crazy dave condon
I would suggest putting the antenna on top of the mast. If you want some more inforation, send me your phone number to davecondon@mindspring.com. I installed over 250 on the 26 and 260 Hunter sailboats.
crazy dave condon
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