VHF Antenna Selection

[svana]

I suppose it’s somewhat trivial, but I’m looking for a shorter VHF antenna to connect while we putter in/around Tampa Bay and am debating between the Shakespeare QC3 vs QC4 (3’ vs 4’). I installed my hardwired ICOM for our Bimini trips but an 8’ antenna is serious overkill for our day to day ops. All of the writeups are mainly debating 4’ vs 8’ (rightfully so - as I said, 3’ vs 4’ is probably trivial). The 4’ seems more popular but it’s the thicker fiberglass type vs the 3’ is more of a “whip” style. Does anybody have any experience with either on our size boat? It’s mounted on the rear STBD grab rail for what it’s worth. I feel like I lean the 3’ since it won’t be as visible but would like to hear from others.

 

[David Martin]

Its all about height for range ............how about a quick mount to put a 3 or 4 ft on the Bimini top poles. that puts a 4 ft almost 8 ft in the air. It would take some searching for quick release mounts and wire push clips to quickly snap the wire to the Bimini top poles. Just a thought.........but you are correct Tampa bay does not require an all out system.

I'm in Charlette bay and most hand Helds work perfect for bay communication 30 miles off shore different story. I probably rely on my cell phone to much........I only have a hand held for the abandon ship call.....my cell is water proof so a call to the coast guard would be my first instinct. I have a grab bag for the fire/sinking.....jump with the bag.......phone in pocket, radio in bag......opps forgot wife need to swim back.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Trying to find the post, but someone had a nice swivel fold down vhf antenna here on the forums which I liked.

 

[svana]

Its all about height for range ............how about a quick mount to put a 3 or 4 ft on the Bimini top poles. that puts a 4 ft almost 8 ft in the air. It would take some searching for quick release mounts and wire push clips to quickly snap the wire to the Bimini top poles. Just a thought.........but you are correct Tampa bay does not require an all out system.

I'm in Charlette bay and most hand Helds work perfect for bay communication 30 miles off shore different story. I probably rely on my cell phone to much........I only have a hand held for the abandon ship call.....my cell is water proof so a call to the coast guard would be my first instinct. I have a grab bag for the fire/sinking.....jump with the bag.......phone in pocket, radio in bag......opps forgot wife need to swim back.

We’ve got a handheld too and honestly I was wondering what the range difference was between the two. I know the theory but of course real world application is a different story. No part of the bay is any more than 5mi from shore.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I get 5 miles with my handheld, actually a bit more. Standard Horizon HX890 Class H DSC VHF What is nice is the DSC.

 

[svana]

I get 5 miles with my handheld, actually a bit more. Standard Horizon HX890 Class H DSC VHF What is nice is the DSC.

Nice. I've got the Cobra MR HH500 which I believe should be similar, FAQ shows 6 miles. Also DSC, but I honestly haven't used it. I've got DSC and AIS on my hardwired unit as well. Thankfully my radio utilization experience has only been limited to hailing the dock and communicating between boats on Bimini runs.

 

[David Martin]

I'm sure your radio dash mount has more wattage than the hand held(better distance)............they don't put the high wattage in hand Helds know the old give you brain cancer thing, but also its a battery problem, high wattage would suck a 9v down quick I'm sure.

I would just keep it simple and mount the wip on a windshield mount or on the Bimini top somewhere. The dash radio should be plenty for Tampa bay.

This might be a good time to start a thread for emergency procedures that everyone has prepared for...........we all have thought this out right.......hehe

 

[svana]

Just got off the phone with Shakespeare about the difference between the 2 antenna’s, basically saying they’ve got a 5mi difference between the two but obviously a lot of variables. 10-15mi vs 20ish. I committed to the 3’ since it’s more of a whip style and the farthest point in the bay is only like 5mi from shore, even if I go offshore it wouldn’t be more than a couple miles. That’s also not even accounting for surrounding boats. If I was gonna take a 20mi trip out or something I’d maybe consider just taking the big boy.

As for the emergency procedures, not a bad idea, I haven't messed with the radio settings much besides the MRIS. Also added an EPIRB, but not radio-related. Keep an inReach onboard when we go to Bimini as well.

 

[Julian]

We’ve got a handheld too and honestly I was wondering what the range difference was between the two. I know the theory but of course real world application is a different story. No part of the bay is any more than 5mi from shore.

When we lost a boat in bimini that ran out of fuel and it only had a handheld radio it took us much longer to locate that boat. I would never use a shorter antenna than I could just for looks. I use a full size marine radio with full size antenna mounted on the top of tower, with a handheld for back up.

My brother and I rescued another boat that fortunately had a full size marine radio on board, which enabled us and the Coast Guard helicopter to locate them easily. This is covered in a long account I wrote here: https://jetboaters.net/threads/bimini-rescue-at-sea-from-2017.19085/

 

[svana]

When we lost a boat in bimini that ran out of fuel and it only had a handheld radio it took us much longer to locate that boat. I would never use a shorter antenna than I could just for looks. I use a full size marine radio with full size antenna mounted on the top of tower, with a handheld for back up.

My brother and I rescued another boat that fortunately had a full size marine radio on board, which enabled us and the Coast Guard helicopter to locate them easily. This is covered in a long account I wrote here: https://jetboaters.net/threads/bimini-rescue-at-sea-from-2017.19085/

Yes, I’ve read the story a couple times - however I’d say comparing the ride to Bimini vs puttering in/around Tampa Bay is a bit of apples to oranges. Of course you’re welcome to do as you’d like. An EPIRB, a handheld radio and a radio with a 3’ antenna is more than enough redundancy for me since I could essentially swim to shore in 99% of my applications. Heck at my distances I never even lose cell signal.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

When I was researching VHF radios I asked my friend who contacted some folks he knows that operate on the Pacific Ocean and they suggested this 4’ antenna.

Amazon.com

Here’s a couple threads on vhf antenna set ups.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/antenna-mount-on-210-fsh-tower.20813/

https://jetboaters.net/threads/fsh-195-sport-vhf-radio-antenna-install.42037/

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2019-212x-vhf-radio-install.31781/ The OP mentions he will keep an 8’ antenna on board for off shore and emergencies.

 

[zipper]

Was it @Mainah 's Pacific Arials set up?

https://jetboaters.net/media/removable-vhf-antenna-with-mount.5516/

Marine - Pacific Aerials

We have a proud boating tradition in New Zealand. We’re an island nation after all. The ocean has beenour primary playground for as long as we can remember. Because of this we’re known globally for our prowess on the big blue, with everything from boat design and building to winning the...

pacificaerials.co.nz

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

When we lost a boat in bimini that ran out of fuel and it only had a handheld radio it took us much longer to locate that boat. I would never use a shorter antenna than I could just for looks. I use a full size marine radio with full size antenna mounted on the top of tower, with a handheld for back up.

My brother and I rescued another boat that fortunately had a full size marine radio on board, which enabled us and the Coast Guard helicopter to locate them easily. This is covered in a long account I wrote here: https://jetboaters.net/threads/bimini-rescue-at-sea-from-2017.19085/

Thats a great write up Julian! And good on you and your brother for doing what needed to be done. That “other boat” had no business being on that trip with that level of prep or lack thereof, the “other boat” put themselves and others at risk.

Whether you like it or not those were heroic actions taken by you and your brother. You two were prepared and had conviction. Hero status.

I also saw the pic of your brother dodging water coming over the bow while at the helm with his PFD on. The USCG states that something like 88% of all drownings could have been prevented if the persons were wearing PFD’s.

Of all the great things mentioned in the rescue at sea write ups I would add the following, mental attitudes. When I was learning to fly small aircraft part of the ground school training were mental attitudes that could get you in trouble Aka dead. I don’t recall them all but here are the ones I remember.

1. It can’t happen to me.
2. I can handle it-

Couldn’t remember them all…I thought there were seven but looks like five. Boating has a lot of similarities with flying, one saying that holds true with aircraft and boats is Airplanes bite fools. Hazardous Attitudes

Trip planning, flight plan (float plan), WX / weather planning, pre flight, in flight / en route monitoring-trip distance miles stones at point X I should have made it here in this amount of time and with X amount of fuel consumed and X amount of fuel left in the tank at X GPH, abort plan-if X conditions are not met abort the trip and return to point of origin or divert to alternate port (airport), this is non negotiable. These are the basics for any flight taken. I read so many NTSB reports of pilots that didn’t make it due to things that could have been prevented. Know what the number one cause of GA (general aviation) accidents are? Inadvertent fuel exhaustion.

 

[svana]

Took the boat out last weekend. Not as though it's any sort of conclusive, only a data point, but the 3' whip was receiving clear signal from another boat 15' off-shore and the local coast guard stations in St Pete (15mi) and Sarasota (18mi). The antenna was mounted on the aft handrail. We did not attempt any transmissions.

 

[David Martin]

Sounds promising next time do a broadcast and see if you can comminate back. Their antennas , are vary tall towers and Thay put out a lots of watts so getting to you is easy for them.

 

[svana]

Sounds promising next time do a broadcast and see if you can comminate back. Their antennas , are vary tall towers and Thay put out a lots of watts so getting to you is easy for them.

Absolutely. I’m certain they’d be able to hear me far more than I could hear them lol. The CG stations anyways.