Solar/SSB project

[FlyBri737]

Here is a photo of my latest two projects.  I added a Icom-710 with a 23 whip antenna. Just beyond that is (2) 75watt solar panels. The SSB radio itself was a pretty easy install. The hardest part was running the coax and other wires back to the tuner. I used a Dynaplate with copper foil leading to the tuner for the ground. I had some extra foil that I laid in the aft bunk which may total about 3 square feet. I left open the option of adding more based on performance, but I have been more than pleased with the range. I have been doing comparisons with a friend of mine who has an insulated back stay and much more ground surface and I am getting the same range he is. This was completely installed by a neophite. (me) The solar panels were mounted with 1" stainless tubing and all the connections are just bimini type hardware. I used a Xantrex charge controller to manage the voltage. So far I have seen 8.1 amps a times. I am hoping once I get away from my house and the trees and the shade they produce, that I will be able to get closer to 8.8a during the midday... All these projects took was a little planning and brushing off the fear of failure  My wife thinks I am nuts now cause all I want to do is get radio checks and watch my amp meter!

 

[Gregg]

SSB

Brian - It would be great if you could post a series of pictures showing close-ups of antenna and solar panel mounts, charge controller connections, and ground system.I'd like to add HF to my boat this summer, and with no backstay, I'd need a whip also. Really interested in how you worked out the ground.

 

[FlyBri737]

Greg...

Give me a day or two and I will post them. I am on a short break from the hosipital after having the newest sailor delevered at 0325 this morning!I am not sure the installations would win any award, but I am very happy with the performance of both installs....Brian

 

[FlyBri737]

SSB/solar photos are now posted Greg

Let me know if you need more info or anything.Brian

 

[Gregg]

Dynaplate

Brian - Thanks for taking the time to post those photos, and congratulations on the new crew member!Just a 'few' questions. Dynaplate is copper foil? How many feet of it did you run through the boat? Looks like I saw the foil going to the tuner - how is it attached to the tuner - wing nut on a bolt or did you use a connector? In the first photo, it looks like the foil is secured to a bolt - was that an existing bolt? Last radio question - what is the antenna that you used?And finally, what is the rating on those solar panels?Wow - more than a few questions, I guess. I'm hoping to install my Icom 706 this season.Gregg

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Gregg, I have a Dynaplate.

But first, Brian does good work doesn't he? The Dynaplate is a bronze 'brick' available in various sizes. The bronze is not solid. It can be best described as BBs molded into the shape needed. Have you ever seen those carburetor fuel filters made of the same stuff. It's the same idea. Hold one one your hand and pour a glass of water on it. The water goes right through. The idea of them is that they have lots of surface area to act as a ground plane. The studs in the picture are inside the hull and tie your electronics' ground to the plate. These are kinda cool. Not much drag either, because they are only 1/2" thick with a tapered leading edge.

 

[Gregg]

Think I've got it now Fred.....

*! The dynaplate is bolted to the underside of the hull. Makes sense. In lieu of drilling holes in my hull, I wonder if grounding to the engine block would work.

 

[Brian]

more

Thanks for the wishes.. mom is feeding right now You got ther info onthe dynaplate.. The foil attaches to the tuner with a wingnut and a washer. Then, it can be run troughout the boat touching any piece of metal below the waterline to act as the counterpoise to get a good skywave for long distance signals. This is not an easy project on a Hunter trying to feed that foil all through the boat. The dynaplate is supposed to give you the same type of counterpoise without running all that foil. You still have to have foil running from the tuner to the dynaplate, not wire, even if you don't plan to lay more foil.. It has something to do with the way the waves travel. (above my pay grade Theplan was to try the plate first, and then ad more foil as a last resort..Signal is good...so hopefully I am done with that.The panels are 75 watts each. They put out around 21 volts, but are stepped down by the charge controller 14.3 (or whatever you program it to do) With direct sun, you can they are rated at 4.4 amps a piece. I am getting over 8amps right now for about 4 hours a day..probably putting in about 40-45 total.. makes a big difference in how often I have to fire up the engine..Both projects were really a lot of fun cause you can see them working everyday.Brian

 

[Brian]

Oh yeah

Get "Single Side band for Idiyachts." and the same lady wrote another book about HF email.. It comes with a CD rom with all kinds of trial weatherfax programs.. email programs and and great installation diagrams,,,,Brian

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Gregg, I don't know. The guru's like Gordon West

say to install a copper screen (like screen door material, only metal) on the hull below your antenna. The problem I found was that the square footages they recommend are impractical, especially for a 'beam' boat like Hunters. It should be sandwiched in the hull at lay-up time. It's a no cost item too. The whole idea is to provide counter pose for the signal to go where it's suppose to. But I'm not into this stuff. I just installed a ham to keep in touch while traveling.

 

[Gregg]

All right - good info Brian......

and Fred's right - you do nice work. Now you have to get yourself a ham ticket, so you'll have more people to talk to from the boat - not just radio checks!

 

[Brian]

mesh

I agree with the issue of the screen mesh. I had thought about that as well. Burt like yousay, it really would need to bdeon during lay up. I have thought about getting the ham ticket as well, but right now I seem to have so many irons in the fire that I don't really have the time to focus on it...Greg.. If you go to the IcomAmerica.com website, they have some great links to installs for SSb and some it is written by Gordon West. Also Sailnet,com has a few good articles as well...Let me know how the install goes..Brian