VHF Radio issues

[tgebler]

My 2000 396 AC had a problem last year while transmitting. As we were getting the boat ready, we noticed frayed cable at the antenna. How hard is it to run new cable from the antenna to the radio?

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

[Tireless]

I have a similar boat, in the 44 CMY. My antenna is mounted on the port side on the side of the arch. Your seats on your flybridge wrap around from you dash. There is also an access panel on the inner side of the arch.

Try to attach your new coax cable to the end of the old one and fish it through. I think you will need a new antenna as the coax and the antenna are all one piece.

Greg

[RGrew176]

I agree with Greg that a new antenna is the best way to go. A good, not cheap antenna is the way to go.

[Viper]

Greg is correct. While some antennas have a coax connector built into the bottom of the antenna where you would hook up your coax cable, most antennas come with a hardwired cable that you can't remove as it's soldered internally. As such, this type of failure usually means antenna replacement.

If yours is the hardwired type, as a temporary measure, if you have enough good cable between the antenna and the bad part, you could cut the bad section out and install a coax coupler to mend it. The caveat is that adding more connections increases signal loss, and if the connector is exposed to the elements, moisture will eventually enter the connector unless it's waterproof. Once moisture gets in, you'll start having problems again.

[bud37]

Source of the post My 2000 396 AC had a problem last year while transmitting. As we were getting the boat ready, we noticed frayed cable at the antenna. How hard is it to run new cable from the antenna to the radio?

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

If that antenna is original to the boat a new antenna would be best as there has been improvements and quite a range of good product now while considering the antenna could be your only tool of defence and help in an emergency.

Hopefully you can pull the new cable thru with the old, but you still might have to fish it thru ( fish tape etc ) if the old cable is wire tied to a bundle behind panels etc. Good luck with it.

[Tireless]

Okay folks, now that we are on this topic, what would your recommendation be for a new antenna, Make, length, etc.? I have considered it myself as I am not sure if it is the original or not, so it would be 14 years old.

Thoughts?

Greg

[waybomb]

The tallest antenna you can use!
Had 19 footers on my aft cabin. Tips were about 27 feet off the water. I had some range.

[tgebler]

Thanks for all the comments. I would like recommendations on antennas. I am boughting on the three rivers around Pittsburgh so I don't think a tall antenna is necessary. We primarily use the radio to talk to the lock masters. Thanks again.

[tgebler]

I meant "boating". By the way, any recommendations for a vendor of good antennas?

[Viper]

Typically the longer the antenna the higher the dB gain. The higher the gain, the more focused the beam, the more focused the beam the further you can transmit. Gain and height gives you distance but limited to the horizon as the signal is typically line of sight. That's why in general terms the higher you mount the antenna the better.

The application you're using the antenna in matters too. A very long antenna with high gain for example on a sailboat that rolls a lot will experience transmission and reception cutting in and out as the focused beam moves up and down. When it does that, part of the beam is shooting to the sky and the other part is pointing into the water. Think of it as a very focused beam from a lighthouse. For a sailboat, the round pattern of a short antenna with a 3dB gain mounted at the top of their mast works better. They get a wide signal distribution even when they're rolling and the height gets them distance.

For us power boaters, I wouldn't go with anything less than a 6dB gain antenna or a even better a 9dB unit. Depends too on the body of water you boat in. If you can see the shore with the naked eye on the horizon opposite side of the lake and that's usually the conditions you boat in, you're probably just fine with a 6dB antenna. If you mount it high, you'll get over the horizon that you can see from the ground. Mounting a 9dB unit will get you even further over the horizon. Of course the guy you're transmitting to needs to have the right configuration to receive our signal as well. I had a 25 footer on a convertible I used to own and it worked awesome but those are well suited for sedan bridge boats. I don't think I'd put one on my aft cabin, might look a little out of place.

AND please, lock your antenna in a perfect vertical position and not swept back. On tighter beams of a 6 or 9dB antenna, you're shooting into the water and the sky, and could be getting poor performance communicating with a guy right in from of you. Not the best use of it. If you want to do that, take the sailboat route and get a 3 foot 3dB gain antenna and sweep it back if that's the look that turns you on.

For the money, Shakespeare and Glomex are good. You get what you pay for though in construction so look for the best model you're willing to pay for.