Has anyone installed an antenna system for an SSB on a 376, or any Hunter with a B&R Rig for that matter? If so, how was it done and are you pleased with the set up? Thanks in advance Doug Alden
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
R
Ron
A Ham
Doug... I am a Ham Radio Operator and use a wire antenna on the boat. Depending on what radio you use you may be able to get an automatic antenna tuner to fit your needs. Icom uses a AH3 or AH4 which tunes a long wire to most bands. It doesn't require a counterpoise to balance out the system and you will get reasonably good results. You can either mount the wire permanently or haul it up and down with a halyard. In case you didn't know, the SSB Marine bands and the Ham Bands are very close in frequency so what works for one will work for the other. Also, as of April 15, 2000 the morse code requirment to qualify for a Ham license is only 5wpm for all classes of license. With the ham you can do so much more, like phone patching to the folks back home. Most of the Islands in the Caribbean have 2 meter repeats which are Ham only. And if you take a shine to the morse code it opens up a whole new world of radio. Yesterday I chatted it up (code) with a fella in Yugoslovia from my home in Houston. Good luck Ron Talisman KA5HZV
Doug... I am a Ham Radio Operator and use a wire antenna on the boat. Depending on what radio you use you may be able to get an automatic antenna tuner to fit your needs. Icom uses a AH3 or AH4 which tunes a long wire to most bands. It doesn't require a counterpoise to balance out the system and you will get reasonably good results. You can either mount the wire permanently or haul it up and down with a halyard. In case you didn't know, the SSB Marine bands and the Ham Bands are very close in frequency so what works for one will work for the other. Also, as of April 15, 2000 the morse code requirment to qualify for a Ham license is only 5wpm for all classes of license. With the ham you can do so much more, like phone patching to the folks back home. Most of the Islands in the Caribbean have 2 meter repeats which are Ham only. And if you take a shine to the morse code it opens up a whole new world of radio. Yesterday I chatted it up (code) with a fella in Yugoslovia from my home in Houston. Good luck Ron Talisman KA5HZV
R
Ron
P.S.
Forgot to mention; You can make phonecalls via, "The Maritime Mobile Services Network," on 14.300mHz (20 Meters Ham) Ron
Forgot to mention; You can make phonecalls via, "The Maritime Mobile Services Network," on 14.300mHz (20 Meters Ham) Ron
C
Curt Morris
An Antenna for the H-376
Doug, Putting a high frequency antenna for marine SSB or Ham radio on any sailboat can be a challenge due to limited space and the need to get adequate grounding on an insulated fiberglass platform. Quite frankly, I have been a licensed ham radio operator since I was a young teenager 40 years ago. I have used all types of antennas from various locations around the world. In my view the sailboat presents the greatest challenge for a high frequency antenna installation. So the tips I give are not a recommendation, but a record of my experience and what worked for me. I have successfully installed a 50 watt output SSB/CW transceiver on my H-376 using a stern rail mounted ham whip antenna matched by an antenna tuner. I use a standard rail mount available from Radio Shack. The coax feeds from the mount, into the rail for about 2 feet and then comes out below deck in the wood compartment at the stern adjacent to the aft berth. It is then run to the transceiver. I keep my transceiver in the aft berth as I can then use the built in easy chair. Most operators might prefer the nav station as an operating location. I use copper ground flashing(about 2-3inches wide) from the stern rail, under the cabin sole to the mast keel ground. It is bolted to the mast ground lug in the bilge. The transceiver and antenna tuner are all tied to the long run of copper flashing ( you can get the ground flashing at West Marine). It is a neat ground installation totally hidden and secured with epoxy to the hull. My first contact from the Marina on the 10meter ham band (28mhz) was a ham in Honduras. Other stateside contacts took place on the 20meter band (14mhz). The key is to ground everything properly; the more copper you use the better. The lifelines and stancions also become part of you ground counterpoise. The experts are divided on the grounding of the lifelines; some say it adds to your overall lighting protection as an added benefit (charges in the air are more easily bled to ground thereby lowering the probability of a strike). Others say the grounded life lines might distort the pattern of your radiated signal. Whatever... my system works and I have not been hit with lightning. A whip antenna is not the best antenna in the world, but if you don't want to limit your operation to hoisted wires at anchor, it works very well. You might also try a Shakespeare SSB whip with auto tuner and grounding I described. The antenna is 23ft high and will have to be mounted probably near your stern lockers. It maybe more efficient, but becomes a lot to manage in docking and rough seas. This summer I will probably upgrade my whip antenna to the Australian made Outbacker (12 feet) which is larger and very rugged. It will be mounted on the stern rail. My current American made Hustler (about 7ft) was originally designed to be used on a car or mobile home. My curent tuner is a mechanical one; an auto tuner is on the buy list. I will most likely go with the SGC 230 which has superb matching capabilities on short antennas. I suggest you read some articles available on sailboat antenna and ground systems published by Gordon West of West Marine; others are available from the Seven Seas Cruising Association (www.ssca.org). A final point, I found that the A/C pump, refrigerator pump, and battery charger can throw out a lot of interference( underway you would not be using the charger and the same with the A/C unless you have a generator). So, I shut these items down when operating. Theoretically you might be able to supress all the electrical "crud" with proper filtering at the units. I have not gotten around to that and am not sure the hassle would be worth it. Best of luck, Curt K7KNM s/v Smooth Operator H-376
Doug, Putting a high frequency antenna for marine SSB or Ham radio on any sailboat can be a challenge due to limited space and the need to get adequate grounding on an insulated fiberglass platform. Quite frankly, I have been a licensed ham radio operator since I was a young teenager 40 years ago. I have used all types of antennas from various locations around the world. In my view the sailboat presents the greatest challenge for a high frequency antenna installation. So the tips I give are not a recommendation, but a record of my experience and what worked for me. I have successfully installed a 50 watt output SSB/CW transceiver on my H-376 using a stern rail mounted ham whip antenna matched by an antenna tuner. I use a standard rail mount available from Radio Shack. The coax feeds from the mount, into the rail for about 2 feet and then comes out below deck in the wood compartment at the stern adjacent to the aft berth. It is then run to the transceiver. I keep my transceiver in the aft berth as I can then use the built in easy chair. Most operators might prefer the nav station as an operating location. I use copper ground flashing(about 2-3inches wide) from the stern rail, under the cabin sole to the mast keel ground. It is bolted to the mast ground lug in the bilge. The transceiver and antenna tuner are all tied to the long run of copper flashing ( you can get the ground flashing at West Marine). It is a neat ground installation totally hidden and secured with epoxy to the hull. My first contact from the Marina on the 10meter ham band (28mhz) was a ham in Honduras. Other stateside contacts took place on the 20meter band (14mhz). The key is to ground everything properly; the more copper you use the better. The lifelines and stancions also become part of you ground counterpoise. The experts are divided on the grounding of the lifelines; some say it adds to your overall lighting protection as an added benefit (charges in the air are more easily bled to ground thereby lowering the probability of a strike). Others say the grounded life lines might distort the pattern of your radiated signal. Whatever... my system works and I have not been hit with lightning. A whip antenna is not the best antenna in the world, but if you don't want to limit your operation to hoisted wires at anchor, it works very well. You might also try a Shakespeare SSB whip with auto tuner and grounding I described. The antenna is 23ft high and will have to be mounted probably near your stern lockers. It maybe more efficient, but becomes a lot to manage in docking and rough seas. This summer I will probably upgrade my whip antenna to the Australian made Outbacker (12 feet) which is larger and very rugged. It will be mounted on the stern rail. My current American made Hustler (about 7ft) was originally designed to be used on a car or mobile home. My curent tuner is a mechanical one; an auto tuner is on the buy list. I will most likely go with the SGC 230 which has superb matching capabilities on short antennas. I suggest you read some articles available on sailboat antenna and ground systems published by Gordon West of West Marine; others are available from the Seven Seas Cruising Association (www.ssca.org). A final point, I found that the A/C pump, refrigerator pump, and battery charger can throw out a lot of interference( underway you would not be using the charger and the same with the A/C unless you have a generator). So, I shut these items down when operating. Theoretically you might be able to supress all the electrical "crud" with proper filtering at the units. I have not gotten around to that and am not sure the hassle would be worth it. Best of luck, Curt K7KNM s/v Smooth Operator H-376
G
George Kornreich
Added a seperate "shroud"
We looked for a neat installatiion similar to that done with a backstay many boats but impossible with the B&R. We didn't want to cut the shrouds, as to do that correctly and safely, we were told, requires the mast to be removed and retuned on the bench. If you look up at your upper spreaders you'll probably see an extra hole on each side similar to the one the shroud attaches to. We ran a new cable from that attachment point to a padeye mounted on the deck just aft of the chainplate attachment on the starboard side, and incorporated two isolators onto this setup just as you would do with a backstay. The automatic tuner is located just below deck in a cabinet, and connected to the "antenna" by a "GTO" wire, and a hose clamp joins them. Excellent results! I strongly agree that the "ground" (counterpoise) is at least as important or maybe more so, and must be of sufficient size. We used flat copper foil, and also tied it into a metal holding tank fitting or two.
We looked for a neat installatiion similar to that done with a backstay many boats but impossible with the B&R. We didn't want to cut the shrouds, as to do that correctly and safely, we were told, requires the mast to be removed and retuned on the bench. If you look up at your upper spreaders you'll probably see an extra hole on each side similar to the one the shroud attaches to. We ran a new cable from that attachment point to a padeye mounted on the deck just aft of the chainplate attachment on the starboard side, and incorporated two isolators onto this setup just as you would do with a backstay. The automatic tuner is located just below deck in a cabinet, and connected to the "antenna" by a "GTO" wire, and a hose clamp joins them. Excellent results! I strongly agree that the "ground" (counterpoise) is at least as important or maybe more so, and must be of sufficient size. We used flat copper foil, and also tied it into a metal holding tank fitting or two.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.