How To Make A Mast From Wooden Post To Put Antenna On
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18-04-2021, 15:10 | #1 |
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Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Vancouver B.C.Canada Boat: Macgregor 26S Posts: 414 Images: 1
| VHF antenna on mast Does the VHF antenna need to stick out the top of the mast to work properly, or will it work if mounted further down as long as the antenna does not touch the mast (aside from mounting bracket). |
18-04-2021, 15:45 | #2 |
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Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Grand Manan,N.B.,Canada N44.40 W66.50 Boat: Mascot 28 pilothouse motorsailer 28ft Posts: 2,325 Images: 1 | Re: VHF antenna on mast You can mount the antenna on stern rail or deck & it will perform satisfactorily.Avoid mounting it anywhere "inboard" where it will be in the "cone" of the stays,as this area acts like a shield,partially blocking radio frequencies. Cheers/ Len __________________ |
18-04-2021, 16:03 | #3 |
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Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Minnesota Boat: Hunter 26 Posts: 2,510 | Re: VHF antenna on mast Quote: Originally Posted by BugzyCan Does the VHF antenna need to stick out the top of the mast to work properly, or will it work if mounted further down as long as the antenna does not touch the mast (aside from mounting bracket). Antennas work poorly when they are close, in the horizontal direction, to an aluminum mast. Close is less than about three feet, and it's usually not practical to get them further away than that on a trailer sailor. On a larger boat they can be mounted on the spreaders although this introduces its own complexities. Have a look at the Shakespeare 5242-A. It has a removable whip that you can easily take off when your moving the boat on a trailer. The electrical portion of the assembly remains sealed when this is done so there's no need to cap it or cover it. It won't perform as well as a fiberglass antenna in the same spot, but height is king and you'll be better off than you would with a fiberglass antenna down low. You can put the antenna down low somewhere as described upthread but it will cut your range in about half. Depends what you want to get out of your VHF. __________________ |
18-04-2021, 17:37 | #4 |
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Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lakewood Ranch, FLORIDA Boat: Alden 50, Sarasota, Florida Posts: 2,867 | Re: VHF antenna on mast Quote: Originally Posted by BugzyCan Does the VHF antenna need to stick out the top of the mast to work properly, or will it work if mounted further down as long as the antenna does not touch the mast (aside from mounting bracket). Any metal in close proximity in the same plane can and usually will both detune the resonant frequency of the antenna as well as alter it's impedance. How much effect is variable and you might not even notice the effect on reduced ERP unless you are on the fringe of reception range but why take the chance? Other options always exist on any boat. |
19-04-2021, 09:05 | #5 |
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Join Date: May 2013 Location: Morro Bay, CA Boat: Herreshoff 28 modified ketch- wood Posts: 359 | Re: VHF antenna on mast I just use my handheld most of the time. My main VHF antenna can be secured to a halyard on the mizzen in a couple of minutes if I need it. |
19-04-2021, 16:29 | #6 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Lake Macquarie, NSW, Australia Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 45 Posts: 44 | Re: VHF antenna on mast Quote: Originally Posted by bailsout I just use my handheld most of the time. My main VHF antenna can be secured to a halyard on the mizzen in a couple of minutes if I need it. That�s very innovative. Well done. |
19-04-2021, 17:27 | #7 |
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Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Vancouver B.C.Canada Boat: Macgregor 26S Posts: 414 Images: 1
| Re: VHF antenna on mast Usage is, I want to be able to listen to VHF while sailing, and I am unable to do that currently because my antenna is on stern rail and the tiller pilot interferes with reception. I see there are a number of folding antenna mounts that would do what I want. The idea of removing the antenna when I take down the mast, and putting it back on before I raise it, would likely mean I would forget to mount it.. I have that problem already with the wind indicator, but it is a good suggestion. |
19-04-2021, 18:18 | #8 |
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Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Martinique Island French Caribbean Boat: Cal-40 Posts: 334 | Re: VHF antenna on mast As VHF radios are for the most part line of sight the higher your antenna the more range you get however, long runs of coax will also have loss of performance so don�t cut corners on coax cable. Use high quality heavy cable. |
20-04-2021, 12:13 | #9 |
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Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Somewhere warm Boat: Morgan 462 Posts: 1,832 | Re: VHF antenna on mast Height of antenna is important for VHF. Distance to horizon in nm is 1.17 x sqrt(height in feet). height --- distance to horizon 5' ---- 2.4nm Of course you also can add distance to horizon at antenna of the station you are talking with. But if you intend to speak with other small boats, your antenna should be high. I don't see how it would be a good solution to string up the antenna from a halyard. Lots of motion will soon break the coaxial center conductor. Seems to me a spreader mount is best for your usage. What would be the problem with that? Why does autopilot on tiller interfere with VHF? Electrical noise? __________________ |
20-04-2021, 13:10 | #10 |
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Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Portland Oregon Boat: Bristol Channel Cutter and Lemsteraak Posts: 107 | Re: VHF antenna on mast What about an old wood mast? If you mount an antenna on a spreader like the last contributor suggested would the mast still be an interference? |
20-04-2021, 18:15 | #11 |
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Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Minnesota Boat: Hunter 26 Posts: 2,510 | Re: VHF antenna on mast Quote: Originally Posted by waterman46 Seems to me a spreader mount is best for your usage. What would be the problem with that? The OP has a 26' trailer sailor. Spreader tips are particularly vulnerable and difficult to protect when moving the boat with the mast down. Quote: Originally Posted by Lemsteraak What about an old wood mast? If you mount an antenna on a spreader like the last contributor suggested would the mast still be an interference? Generally, wood masts are transparent to VHF, that is, they have little effect on the pattern. __________________ |
12-05-2021, 16:01 | #12 |
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Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Vancouver B.C.Canada Boat: Macgregor 26S Posts: 414 Images: 1
| Re: VHF antenna on mast So I have everything to mount the antenna on top of mast. Now discover, when it sticks out the top, it interferes with spinning of weather vane. |
12-05-2021, 16:44 | #13 |
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Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Minnesota Boat: Hunter 26 Posts: 2,510 | Re: VHF antenna on mast Not in any sort of material way. It probably distorts the pattern a little, but not much. Might make it a little better, might make it a little worse. The shape of the mast and position of the cap stays and backstay will probably have just as much effect with that kind of antenna. __________________ |
12-05-2021, 18:05 | #14 |
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Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Vancouver B.C.Canada Boat: Macgregor 26S Posts: 414 Images: 1
| Re: VHF antenna on mast I got that sorted, drilled a hole through the stainless steel backstay mount, put weather indicator on there, and antenna then had lots of space out the top. |
12-05-2021, 18:40 | #15 |
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Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Minnesota Boat: Hunter 26 Posts: 2,510 | Re: VHF antenna on mast The important thing is to clamp the wire on both sides of the hole so it doesn't move, movement causes chafe. https://www.mcmaster.com/3177T46/ Then use a rubber grommet, though you can get away with sealant https://www.mcmaster.com/grommets/grommets-6/ You can get cushion clamps and rubber grommets at chandleries and auto parts places if you don't want to get them at mcmaster-carr, though the selection isn't as good. Or you can put a barrel in the mast and terminate the cable on both sides:
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How To Make A Mast From Wooden Post To Put Antenna On
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