VHF Radio Mount Location Suggestions

[gweisheipl]

To: All Owners of 31' 1983 Hunters

I am looking for photo suggestions or ideas where to mount a new VHF radio in my boat. The old mount location will not work because it is tied into bolts which are too short for the new mount bracket. I was thinking about the top of the hanging locker for the Quarter Berth. I need to stay close to the old location for the coax and power.

See the attached photo to view the existing location of the old radio.

Thanks,

Greg W.
SlipAway

 

[Guest]

VHF radio

Hi Greg, you will be a much happier skipper if you mount the radio at the helm. Our H28 had the radio next to the navigation station. Hard to hear, difficult to get to while underway, etc. Our current boat (P42) has the radio at the helm.

If your boat does not have a helm guard, I recommend that you add one. It brings a great deal of potential to things close at hand. I installed one on our H28 and to it we added:

1. Cockpit table.
2. Binocular holder.
3. Beverage holder.
4. VHF radio.

Terry Cox

 

[Steve Dion]

Greg:

Aren't those bolts the jib track? Why not just replace those bolts?

Another option might be under the shelf where your chart light is mounted.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Wouldn't it be worth the effort to move the radio to the cockpit as others have suggested?

Splicing and running 12VDC to the cockpit can be pretty easy on most boats and although you can't splice coax, you can extend it with the proper connector to put the radio where you are most likely to need it.

 

[SlipAway]

VHF Radio Mount

Steve:

Yes, the current bolts may be for the Jib Car track above. I haven't really looked, but was wondering what they might hold up on the deck. I thought maybe it was to hold down the top portion of the boat to the lower portion because they are every six inches or so. The problem is the size of the bolts don't really fit through the openings on the radio mount and trying to open up or widen the openings in the plastic mount is difficult. I suppose I could attempt to clamp down and drill out. Lets say I attempt to put the new radio back into the same spot and lengthen the bolts, what do I need to do to leakproof or re-bed the new bolts?

As for the first suggestion about mounting at the helm, it would be exposed to the weather. I use a handheld at the helm and works well for leaving and returning back to the marina. If I need to reach out, I use the radio down below.

Thanks,

Greg W.
SlipAway

 

[Steve Dion]

Greg:

You can remove the bolts from the jib track. Then get new ones of the correct length. Use some Life Caulk with a squirt down the hole. Push the screw all the way down into the hole and have some hold the screw driver on the screw head and only tighten the nut not the screw. You can alway double nut the screws too. Put one nut on for the track. Mount your radio bracket and then use a seperate nut on the radio bracket. I think this is what I did, but it has been too many years to remember.

 

[Allan12210]

I used bolt extensions on mine. They look like really long nuts (maybe 1 1/2 inches). I screwed them over the exposed ends of a couple of the bolt ends protruding through from the deck. Then you can just screw a short bolt into them ( upthrough the radio mounting bracket). You should find them in the hardware store near the threaded rod section.

Allan

 

[SlipAway]

VHF Radio

Allan:

The bolt extensions are a great idea! I will look around for some and that will certainly be easier than removing the existing bolts. I never thought of that and that is the beauty of this board. Hopefully I can find them now.

Thanks,

Greg W
SlipAway

 

[rbijas]

You Can Splice Coax! Simply Add A Male To Male Threaded Connector For Coax At Radio Shack. While There Pick Up (2) Easy On Type Male Connectors The Additional Amout Of Good Quality Cable And Put One Male On Each End Of The Coax After You Run It Up To The Radio.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Don't go to radio shack

You can't get VHF coax at radio shack. All you will get there is cable tv. completely different application. If you use cable tv (75-90 ohm impedance) on your 50 ohm VHF radio you will get very poor results. Use RG-8 cable and either 259 or N type connectors.

 

[rbijas]

Re: Don't go to radio shack

You can't get VHF coax at radio shack. All you will get there is cable tv. completely different application. If you use cable tv (75-90 ohm impedance) on your 50 ohm VHF radio you will get very poor results. Use RG-8 cable and either 259 or N type connectors.

gee, sorry haven't been in one in years! why didn't you just direct him to a marine supply store so he could use the idea ?
rick

 

[stephen Penny]

I mounted my updated VFH radio above the navigation table on my Hunter 31 and connected it to a gps antenna. I then programmed my MMSI distress signal code into it. I also have a Horizon 851 handheld, floatable, weatherproof VHF/GPS with my MMSI programmed into it that use in the cockpit.