VHF Antennae installation Hunter 23.5

[david.lemay]

Hi,

I am upgrading a 1993 Hunter 23.5 and want to install a VHF radio. I bought the unit here on Hunter Owners Store (Solara VHF) and wondered what kind of antennae to install and where. I have been thinking of running it to the top of the mast and maybe installing a through hull fitting to run it into the cabin top with some kind of quick connect on the outside like the mast lights have. Just wondering what other owners have come up with...

David.

 

[Don12364]

VHF Antenna

David,
Put the antenna at the masthead if possible for best VHF range.
VHF plug/sockets are not good news above deck due to problems in ensuring watertightness. Better to use a deck gland and pass the co-axial cable through and make the connection to the VHF set in the headlinings if there is room.
The deck gland is simply a large rubber plug, often with a slit in it, leading to a hole a little smaller than the cable. The cable goes through the plug which is then clamped to the deck with a metal ring so all is water tight.
The standard plug and socket is type PL259 obtainable in most chandlers. These are easy to solder but rather big (29mm dia = 1.1") so you will need to make a hole that size in the deck.
You can use a BNC plug and socket and these are only 15mm = 0.6" diameter but are more fiddly to solder and assemble. There are crimp versions but you would need a special crimp tool.

Then again you can do as I did and just make the ends of the leads up into pigtails and use two sections of the common choc strip connector as in the link below. Put it in a small plastic box if you can find one or just cover with tape. This gives the smallest hole in the deck and the easiest disconnect when taking the mast down. It could even be just through the deck and sealed with silicone.
Remember you may need this for a Mayday call so make a proper job of the whole installation.
http://www.qvsdirect.com/QA-5A-12-Way-Strip-Connector-pr-16196.html

 

[Mark Major]

I installed mine on the masthead as well, supporting the coaxial wire from the thru-bolts with a strain relief made of some twine, and again a strain relief thru-fitting in the hole drilled to its size on the top, and then bottom of the mast. Crimped connectors are less expensive, available from Radio Shack at @ $5.95 a pair. They also have connectors that do not require crimping for that price, each. I used one at the top of the mast and bottom, then a double ended adapter, to a fitting from the cable through the deck (see attached photo). If you are lucky you will be able to find a male/female set of fittings so you don't have to have this double ended adapter. I've employed both crimped and crimp-free fittings and prefer the crimp-free because of ease of use, and ease of re-fitting. (I've stepped my mast whilst still connected and these are easily re-attached). Also, having used both types of fittings find that the crimp free fitting can be removed allowing wire inspection and re-connecting. My crimp fittings I would ignore and finally lost transmission quality over time due to corrosion. Speaking of, whenever I make electrical connections I use a product called "Corrosion-X" to provide a barrier to the elements.

I drilled a hole large enough for the fitting to pass when I originally installed crimped fitting wire commercially purchased. It leaked eventually, of course, and I've glassed it over. Now, through the deck on my 1986 H23 I drilled a hole only large enough for the wire. I found an aluminum plate sandwiched in the 3" fabrication so if you go for the larger hole you will need a hole saw, not a paddle bit.

Additionally I carry an emergency antennae that will attach directly to the back of the VHF unit in the event of dis-masting.

 

[Bobbi Ullinger]

I also went for the mast head option, as VHF is line of sight, and the increase in distance that a signal will travel is as much a function of antenna height as it is of radio transmission power. However, with a masthead antenna, be sure to go with a shorter low gain antenna. High gain antennae designed for powerboats are not as effective for masthead use once a boat begins to heel.

I did, however, put a double female thru deck fitting just forward of the mast, and have never had problems with it leaking in 16 years. It seemed to make more sense to me to have something that was properly bedded passing through the deck than to rely on the tightness of a piece of rubber around the cable to keep from leaking.

When I installed the cable in the mast, I installed a 1/2" conduit inside the mast with pop rivets every foot or so, to keep the antenna and masthead light cables from slapping the inside of the mast.

One thing I did learn, where the wire passes through the mast, use a grommet that is made for outdoor use that will not deteriorate in the sunlight. Mine need replaced at both the top and the bottom of the mast, since they've both fallen apart.

 

[MikeH]

David, we have a 260, but we mounted our antenna near the masthead so I wanted to respond. We installed thru-deck fittings for our VHF, masthead light and wind instruments - as shown in the attached picture. We ran the cables down through the deck and into the ceiling. At the top of the mast we actually didn't go all the way up - there are bridges that we just clear up here and we didn't want more height. So, we came through the mast about 3 feet down from the head, put in a rubber grommet and ran the cable through (while the mast was laying down, BTW). Reception and broadcast distance is excellent - up to 3 miles on good days, which is enough for our needs. Hope that helps!

 

[Bob 04 H260]

VHF antenna install

I have a new to me H260 that has never had a VHF. I just bought a Raymarine 55 class D, DSC radio.
I wanted a mast head mounted antenna but was concerned with keeping the connectors and cable dry and corrosion free.
I just ordered a new antenna kit with the connectors and cable complete with a lifetime warranty. The connectors are rated as waterproof but in addition to that they have rubber sleeves that cover the connections. In the kit they supply a nylon plate to seal the entrance of the wire through the deck. I did not want to use this on my boat so ordered a double female connector from them to feed through the deck by the mast. I also ordered a new windex that fits on the antenna. They are located,

http://www.imtra.com/product/antenn...nas/3_ft_masthead_antennas/gxra106slssb18.htm

The range between two sailboats with mast head mounted antennas in calm conditions should be about 25 miles, longer if you are talking to a shore station with a very high antenna (eg. Coast Guard).

Bob

 

[George H260]

My VHF installation is very similar to what others have done. There are some additional comments and pictures that may help you at this link:

http://h260.com/vhf/vhf.html

 

[Bob 04 H260]

George

Great job George. I'm looking for a couple of the s/s feed-through-strain-relief you used on the mast for the coax. Do you remember where you picked them up ?
thanks, Bob

 

[George H260]

Great job George. I'm looking for a couple of the s/s feed-through-strain-relief you used on the mast for the coax. Do you remember where you picked them up ?
thanks, Bob

Shakespeare 4184 Cable Outlet

Shop around: About $8.00

 

[david.lemay]

Thanks for all the good advice! I've got parts on order and hope to complete the job before trailing the boat down to the Isle of Palms near Charleston and try it out there.

David.

 

[david.lemay]

Hunter 23.5 VHF project photos...

Here are some of the details on my VHF installation project.

The windex standoff was optional since Davis Instruments makes a windex that integrates with a VHF antennae. I chose to build a standoff since I already owned a windex. Also, the masthead light had been broken off by the previous owner along with the structure that it attached to on the top of the mast and the standoff provided a surface on which to mount the light. I like the aft position and visibility of the windex from the helm with this setup. The hardest part was routing the wire through the mast. After half a day of trial and error I discovered that a small drill driver bit attached to a fishing line would come all the way to the foot of the mast and then the antennae wire could be drawn through by the fishing line. The radio works great and now we listen to the weather as we set up the boat.

David.