vhf antennas and coaxl cables?????

[woodster]

ok if you are to have a vhf radio and want to mount a antenna on the mast what would be a good choice ...say something like a shakspeare 5215-c-x 36" or is there a better choice ...reviues i have read say its a favorite with sail boats ....all in put welcome plz...

regards

woody

 

[Mike B1026]

I would recommend a Metz unit:http://www.metzcommunication.com/

We hear a lot about negative business experiences today but I wanted to give a positive report to Metz Communications (Antennae manufacturer) http://www.metzcommunication.com/products.htm They make a variety of antennae's including marine VHF.

When I bought my boat (used) five years ago it came with a Metz antennae. Since the boat is a 1992, as far as I know, the antennae could be 18 years old.

The top of the unit has a plastic top to seal it from salt water intrusion. Mine had cracked from UV rays. I was about to buy another one, when I decided to call Metz to see the the top cover was replaceable. The gentleman I spoke to was very helpful and answered my questions in an unhurried way. He said for me to send him the antennae and they would take a look at it. They would also check it for output etc. He then said they would repair it or replace it depending what they found. He mentioned they have a lifetime warranty. I never asked for him to do anything special, just if it was repairable.

About a week after I sent it, UPS showed up with a brand new unit.

Great company and according to their website: "U.S. Coast Guard uses the Metz Manta 6 antenna exclusively"

 

[KD3PC]

2nd vote for the Metz, I have a Manta and would do it over again..

 

[Bill Roosa]

Don't scimp on the cable

The full story is getting the RF energy to the antenna then radiating it. My point is that having a great antenna without being able to get the signal to it is a wast of money.
FTR, I prefer a 1/2 wave vertical dipole as it gives 4 db gain over a 1/4 wave stick that are available in the stores.
Also watch your cable, transceiver, and antenna impedance. 50 ohm is standard. What ever you do, do not use 75 ohm TV coax.

 

[FourPoints]

I have the shakspeare antenna on my boat as after buying the boat, I found out just a couple days before it was getting launched that the antenna was missing (it was missed by the survey too), so I picked it up at the local west marine. I have no complaints, and I seem to have pretty good range with it.

However I can throw one more comment about the great customer service at Metz. My friend had his mast down this spring for some major refiting which included a new VHF cable, we took a look at the antenna, which as far as we knew was as old as the boat (1984) and looked severly UV degraded. Since he had alot of VHF problems last season he called Metz to see if he could get a replacement coil in case that was at fault. They took his CC number and charged him for the shipping cost and to keep on file as in case he didn't return the old antenna, and two days later he had a brand new antenna in hand. Shipped the old one back to Metz in the same packaging the new one arrived in. The whole thing cost him about $10.

 

[Don12364]

They are not high technology; usually 1/4 wave dipole with just a simple matching coil at the base and a length of 50Ω co-ax.
Motorboaters use 1/2 wave antennas because they don't have an aluminium mast to act as a ground plane.
You gets what you pays for.
Try not to make any cable joints above deck.

 

[Snotter]

When you attach the antenna mount to the mast make sure that it is as close to the mast head as possible. You don't want any of the antenna to parrallel the mast so that Rf energy doesn't couple to the mast.