SSB INSTALLATION

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LINDA O'BRIEN

RECENTLY MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A PASSAGE 450 AND AS THERE IS NO BACKSTAY WE ARE WONDERING WHERE ONE MOUNTS THE ANTENNA. CAN ANYBODY HELP.
 
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George Kornreich

Several choices

Just did this on our 430, and considered all the options. You can use a freestanding 23 foor whip, but that is more often done on power boats where there is a place to mount an upper standoff. You can hoist up a dipole free wire antenna when you want to use the radio (but this is more for Hams). You can cut the shrouds and use these for the antenna, but Hunter advised me that the mast should be taken down to properly do that, and, though I have read of no rigging failures as a result, that's often in the back of my mind. So here's what we did: we ran an additional cable from the toe rail to the lower spreader, where there was an available "socket" (don't know a better term for this). Any good rigger can do the job. So as not to "light up" anyone who may contact the antenna cable while transmitting, we placed the lower insulator above head level (for the average size guy, that is... Wilt the Stilt would still need to be careful). If you'd like to go this route I can give you more specifics... just email me at georgek2@earthlink.net. If you'd like to cut the side shrouds, Chris Oldham has the diagram on his Website ( I think that's www.passagemaker.com or something close).
 
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Bob Bass

SSB Solved

I mounted a 23' free standing whip on the top of a rear arch made of aluminum tubing. Talk to Shakesphere about which one is free standing. Otherwise, you might have to mount it to the hull and put a brace on the aft rail. I didn't like the idea of messing with the rigging. You might consider installing an aft arch. Sure is handy for many things.
 
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Dan Arsenault

Try an Outbacker

I am a ham and we have good luck with the Outbacker brand antenna. It is only 5-6 ft tall and there is a marine ssb version and a ham version which we use with good results. Check out the Amatuer Electronics Supply site at www.aesham.com and find the nearest store. If you call them they can send you more imformation. I think for us sailors it's the best option as I wouldn't trust the insulated backstay connectors anyway. Good luck, Dan Arsenault KG8KG Serendipity Too
 
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