Radio antenna on tower options

[fireflymedic]

I believe my hand held walkie picks up better to port side but it works for talking to close boats which is why I put it in.

 

[slickstick]

Here are pics of the mount I used and radio

https://jetboaters.net/threads/my-2016-yamaha-242x-thread-more-photos-added-6-14-19.9464/page-10#post-286538

Also linked in my signature under 242X link (if you don't see my signature turn your phone on its side)

It's hard for me to tell from the pictures, where does the cable come out at the base of the tower? Is there a way to keep it concealed straight down into the boat or do you need to drill another hole for the cable to come out at the base and it's exposed for a short bit before being tucked back in to run to the helm?

 

[fireflymedic]

I drilled a hole in beside the base. You can easily run it in the void up to the helm. I would mention if you drop your tower alot you probably would eventually pinch the cable in the block that tower sits in . I never lower my tower.

 

[jocolo21]

the taller the antenna and the rougher the water the more the antenna will sway and direct the frequency to the water and shorter stronger antenna will sway less and transmit straighter. theres a bunch that will argue with me but dont care , airline pilot , and these frequencies are line of sight. if you have a 8' antenna like most do and you have 4' wave tha mean you boat will rock mostly sida to side , so will your antenna is 8' tall and you are standing still in calm wtwer it will have , probably, grater range. but if you are rocking side by side most od the transmition is hitting the ocean a 4 ' antenna is sturdier therefore lef rocking side to side. i was able to transmit to boat us in Lauderdale 35 miles out of miami with my 4 ' while my friend in distress with an 8" couldnt. Mine was mounted lower on the side of my 2019 ar242se. MY EXPERIENCE.

 

[Julian]

the taller the antenna and the rougher the water the more the antenna will sway and direct the frequency to the water and shorter stronger antenna will sway less and transmit straighter. theres a bunch that will argue with me but dont care , airline pilot , and these frequencies are line of sight. if you have a 8' antenna like most do and you have 4' wave tha mean you boat will rock mostly sida to side , so will your antenna is 8' tall and you are standing still in calm wtwer it will have , probably, grater range. but if you are rocking side by side most od the transmition is hitting the ocean a 4 ' antenna is sturdier therefore lef rocking side to side. i was able to transmit to boat us in Lauderdale 35 miles out of miami with my 4 ' while my friend in distress with an 8" couldnt. Mine was mounted lower on the side of my 2019 ar242se. MY EXPERIENCE.

I'm struggling with the geometry on this theory. A boat in waves rocking will have the same angle to the water 1' off the water as it is 12' off the water.....right?

This also reminds me of why we now take a drift anchor with us when we cross (it is useful for fishing in the current), but also good if your have engine issues. Drop the drift anchor, attached to the bow, and keep the bow into the waves reducing lateral rocking. We learned this after the 2017 Bimini rescue at sea. The couple we rescued had been out on the rolling wakes for perhaps 2 hours and were so sea sick they could barely move.

 

[Julian]

Ok, I had to go and research this, and, of course, found a good page that talks about DB gain on antennas and how to chose them:

Antenna Selector Guide - Shakespeare Marine Antennas

shakespeare-ce.com

This is what would come into play with @jocolo21 's wave issue. What it means however is that your short antenna will not reach as far as a longer one, but will be more consistent in those shorter distances if you are in waves.

 

[Elliott]

Of course, you could always just use a handheld VHF (good to 3-8 miles) and a satellite communicator (like a Garmin InReach) good anywhere in the world (to summon assistance/tow or rescue). You have the added safety of the units being: wearable (attach to your PFD), fully independent power sources and the Garmin provides redundant GPS navigation.

A fixed mount VHF marine radio only has a range of about 25 miles, and it has a range of probably 0 miles if - you have a serious electrical failure, a fire, hit something that causes a major hull breach, have some other flooding issue and etc. and etc.

The Garmin costs about the same as a fixed VHF radio, and a basic communications plan cost about the same as 4 gallons of fuel per month. You can also use the Garmin on land (hiking, driving in remote areas, foreign countries).

 

[jocolo21]

There is a diagram, if i find it ill post it

 

[Nexus]

Ok, I had to go and research this, and, of course, found a good page that talks about DB gain on antennas and how to chose them:

Antenna Selector Guide - Shakespeare Marine Antennas

shakespeare-ce.com

This is what would come into play with @jocolo21 's wave issue. What it means however is that your short antenna will not reach as far as a longer one, but will be more consistent in those shorter distances if you are in waves.

Agree, but not an expert in any fashion. It looks like the db value changes the shape of the transmission. But using their range calculator, the 4' should transmit farther than the 3' whip (same db). Like you said, a larger (ie. 6db) antenna would work better in calmer waters. I like the idea of a drift anchor.

Of course, a lot of other things come into play like, but not limited to, quality/power/type of both radios, atmospheric conditions, type/quality of anttena/wires/connectors, interferencen from other sources, etc...

 

[Nexus]

I mounted a Shakespear quick connect antenna on my tower:

20200417_190312.jpg

• Nexus
• Dec 7, 2020

20200417_202754.jpg

• Nexus
• Dec 7, 2020

This is what it looks like (sorry, these are the best I have):

20200417_211639.jpg

• Nexus
• Dec 7, 2020

20200708_181200.jpg

• Nexus
• Dec 7, 2020

As others have said, I can remove the antenna completely, or fold it down if I just didn't like the look (haven't bothered). Of course swapping to a longer antenna would be a snap.

I put this on in anticipation of going to Bimini last summer, which never happened, but I've never had the opportunity to these the full range.

 

[slickstick]

I mounted a Shakespear quick connect antenna on my tower:

20200417_190312.jpg

• Nexus
• Dec 7, 2020

20200417_202754.jpg

• Nexus
• Dec 7, 2020

This is what it looks like (sorry, these are the best I have):

20200417_211639.jpg

• Nexus
• Dec 7, 2020

20200708_181200.jpg

• Nexus
• Dec 7, 2020

As others have said, I can remove the antenna completely, or fold it down if I just didn't like the look (haven't bothered). Of course swapping to a longer antenna would be a snap.

I put this on in anticipation of going to Bimini last summer, which never happened, but I've never had the opportunity to these the full range.

I like it! Do you have a link to that mount? It looks like it just clamps to the tower, no drilling? I saw Shakespeare makes a clamp mount but didn't look like it was big enough for the diameter of the tower (only 1-1.5"). I can't tell on that Scarab for sure but the tube on my 212X is over 2".

 

[slickstick]

What about power - do you all run from the radio at the helm back to the battery or tap onto something already at the helm?

 

[zipper]

What about power - do you all run from the radio at the helm back to the battery or tap onto something already at the helm?

Alot ot people install a 6-ckt. Blue Sea pos/neg fuse panel at the helm. Feed it from the battery with the correct sized wiring for the run of 100a and circuit breaker. Something like this. ST Blade Fuse Block - 6 Circuits with Negative Bus and Cover - Blue Sea Systems
You may find later you want to add trim tabs, an amp, lighting, chartplotter as well as the radio. That is what I did. It makes installation of all that (electrically) easier/cleaner. Although, I installed in port side storage locker due to the VHF and fishfinder being just above on the dash. I also fed my trim tabs and kenwood amp from it.

I liked this one so much that I also installed one on the Beneteau in the Navpod for the Axiom 9 RV, wind instruments, auto pilot as well as lighting and accessory needs.

 

[Nexus]

I like it! Do you have a link to that mount? It looks like it just clamps to the tower, no drilling? I saw Shakespeare makes a clamp mount but didn't look like it was big enough for the diameter of the tower (only 1-1.5"). I can't tell on that Scarab for sure but the tube on my 212X is over 2".

Yep, I shamelessly stole @kthrash 's idea of using a tower speaker mount and attaching my antenna to it. Here is part of the thread that better explains my install.

 

[Nexus]

What about power - do you all run from the radio at the helm back to the battery or tap onto something already at the helm?

I didn't want to risk drawing too much power through the OEM circuit breakers, so I ran a line from a switched power source (ie media system) to a relay that hooked directly to the battery (via fuse). I then connected a fuse box (similar to what @zipper has) to that line to run my accessories. May have been overkill but I'm comfortable that the system will not over tax the OEM circuits and, of course, still be protected.

 

[slickstick]

Yep, I shamelessly stole @kthrash 's idea of using a tower speaker mount and attaching my antenna to it. Here is part of the thread that better explains my install.

Looks good! I think I am going to try the same thing. Which Shakespeare QC mount did you use? The plate or the clamp one? Not sure if it matters.

 

[Nexus]

Looks good! I think I am going to try the same thing. Which Shakespeare QC mount did you use? The plate or the clamp one? Not sure if it matters.

It was this one. I just removed the base and put the bolt through hole.

 

[slickstick]

Alot ot people install a 6-ckt. Blue Sea pos/neg fuse panel at the helm. Feed it from the battery with the correct sized wiring for the run of 100a and circuit breaker. Something like this. ST Blade Fuse Block - 6 Circuits with Negative Bus and Cover - Blue Sea Systems
You may find later you want to add trim tabs, an amp, lighting, chartplotter as well as the radio. That is what I did. It makes installation of all that (electrically) easier/cleaner. Although, I installed in port side storage locker due to the VHF and fishfinder being just above on the dash. I also fed my trim tabs and kenwood amp from it.

I liked this one so much that I also installed one on the Beneteau in the Navpod for the Axiom 9 RV, wind instruments, auto pilot as well as lighting and accessory needs.

View attachment 138371

View attachment 138372

Anyone have tips on where you connect power to the battery if there is a battery shutoff and I want it to be on the other side of the disconnect so if the battery is shutoff it will cut power?

Also, what about where to ground? Is there a common place good for grounding near the helm on these boats?

 

[bigwaves]

It’s not a tower install but it’s a very clean install of my Standard Horizon VHF. I didn’t want to deal with a handheld....remembering to bring it, charging, is it charged?