Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 09-09-2016, 18:52   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,768
Ground Plane for ICOM M802

My boat has a ICOM M802 SSB with a tall insulated backstay. I have not used the radio much . In the bilge is the usual thin copper foil-it is green and scroungy and it was terminated to the large bronze rudder rudder fitting with a cable clamp and this has crumbled from oxidation. I read long ago in a lil book by a man who was supposed to be a main authority that its better to just run No.6 copper wires from the antenna tuner to large bronze seacocks and this gives the better ground than the copper foil. Does it? Thanks
geoleo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 03:15   #2
Registered User
 
transmitterdan's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: Valiant 42
Posts: 6,008
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

No, copper wire is not the best choice. Best to use thicker copper strap 50-75mm (2-3") wide to the nearest bronze fitting that is in contact with water. The rudder fitting may be ok as long as the fitting itself is also in contact with the water. A bronze seacock is also good if it is close to the tuner.
transmitterdan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 03:21   #3
Moderator
 
Dockhead's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,764
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

How much worse is a heavy copper cable for this?

I have copper strapping I acquired for this purpose, but I can't get it though my lazarette bulkhead. I do have some heavy battery cabling.
__________________
"You sea! I resign myself to you also . . . . I guess what you mean,
I behold from the beach your crooked inviting fingers,
I believe you refuse to go back without feeling of me;
We must have a turn together . . . . I undress . . . . hurry me out of sight of the land,
Cushion me soft . . . . rock me in billowy drowse,
Dash me with amorous wet . . . . I can repay you."
Walt Whitman
Dockhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 07:06   #4
Registered User
 
transmitterdan's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: Valiant 42
Posts: 6,008
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

You don't need a lot of strap. How much do you have that it won't fit?
transmitterdan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 08:14   #5
Moderator
 
Dockhead's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,764
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

Quote:
Originally Posted by transmitterdan View Post
You don't need a lot of strap. How much do you have that it won't fit?
The way it has to be routed makes it almost impossible to use a strap. How much worse is the heavy cable?

The total run is probably 4 meters.
__________________
"You sea! I resign myself to you also . . . . I guess what you mean,
I behold from the beach your crooked inviting fingers,
I believe you refuse to go back without feeling of me;
We must have a turn together . . . . I undress . . . . hurry me out of sight of the land,
Cushion me soft . . . . rock me in billowy drowse,
Dash me with amorous wet . . . . I can repay you."
Walt Whitman
Dockhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 08:26   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Miami
Boat: Boatless
Posts: 608
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

Also buy some radials and run them to improve your ground. Easy, cheap and no haul out necessary.
Roniszoro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 08:41   #7
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Florida
Boat: Irwin 43 Mk111 CC, Sloop
Posts: 386
Send a message via Skype™ to adlib2
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

Quote:
Originally Posted by geoleo View Post
My boat has a ICOM M802 SSB with a tall insulated backstay. I have not used the radio much . In the bilge is the usual thin copper foil-it is green and scroungy and it was terminated to the large bronze rudder rudder fitting with a cable clamp and this has crumbled from oxidation. I read long ago in a lil book by a man who was supposed to be a main authority that its better to just run No.6 copper wires from the antenna tuner to large bronze seacocks and this gives the better ground than the copper foil. Does it? Thanks
I have the same M802 and Antenna set-up plus a 12in x 18 in ground plate. Use 3in Cu strap from ground plate to automatic tuner located in the lazarette. I drilled a hole to route through the bulkhead.
I often get Australia from North America.
adlib2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 09:11   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Blue Mountain Ont
Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 400 40 ft "Camp David
Posts: 608
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

Buy a KISS SSB ground and all it a day. Not expensive and they work

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
CampDavid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 09:11   #9
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Cruising, now in USVIs
Boat: Taswell 43
Posts: 1,034
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

Try the KISS. It takes the place of the copper foil, is easy to install, and works well.
sailcrazy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 09:34   #10
Registered User
 
mdvick's Avatar

Join Date: May 2011
Location: Body in La Vernia,TX - Heart at Sail anywhere
Posts: 170
Send a message via Skype™ to mdvick
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

I have exactly the same set up you do, save yourself time and money and use the K I S S ground array.It is worth every cent easy to use and works unbelievably well.
mdvick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 09:41   #11
Registered User
 
Cheechako's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,477
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

I just lined the stern of my boat right near the tuner on a couple boats. The plane was great in both. You don't need to run the strapping toward the bilge.
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard











Cheechako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 10:01   #12
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Cayuga Lake NY - or on the boat somewhere south of there
Boat: Caliber 40
Posts: 1,355
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

People sometimes get very picky about what you MUST do to have an adequate ground plane. I have found from my experience and others that it is all more forgiving than some imagine. Yes it is better to have copper strapping from the tuner to the thru hull. Would a batter cable work? yes probably it would be OK. What I would do is lay the copper strapping wherever it was possible and bridge any gaps (i.e. through a bulkhead or whatever) with battery cable WELL attached at both ends. My personal experience is that 99% of the problems are in the connections.
sck5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 10:05   #13
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Florida
Boat: Irwin 43 Mk111 CC, Sloop
Posts: 386
Send a message via Skype™ to adlib2
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

Quote:
Originally Posted by geoleo View Post
My boat has a ICOM M802 SSB with a tall insulated backstay. I have not used the radio much . In the bilge is the usual thin copper foil-it is green and scroungy and it was terminated to the large bronze rudder rudder fitting with a cable clamp and this has crumbled from oxidation. I read long ago in a lil book by a man who was supposed to be a main authority that its better to just run No.6 copper wires from the antenna tuner to large bronze seacocks and this gives the better ground than the copper foil. Does it? Thanks


Specifications:KISS-SSBTM


[FONT='Arial Black', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]KISS-SSB [/FONT]TM

Radial Counterpoise Grounding System for Marine or Land use.

This heavy duty performer is designed primarily for boats using HF SSB marine bands. Input power up to 500 watts. Copper conductors are permanently sealed in durable PVC tubing.

All copper conductors. Stainless Steel 5/16 Ring Terminal. Heavy duty 47 inch 10 AWG Marine tinned copper lead connection. Tested with 1.2 to 1 or better SWR on SSB HF frequencies. Tested with 1.2 to 1 or better on 2mhz through 29mhz Ham freq.

Tested with 1.2 to 1 or better on Winlink and Sailmail frequencies.
adlib2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 18:30   #14
Registered User
 
transmitterdan's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: Valiant 42
Posts: 6,008
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dockhead View Post
The way it has to be routed makes it almost impossible to use a strap. How much worse is the heavy cable?

The total run is probably 4 meters.


4 meters is a bit long for a ground strap IMO. Is there no thru hull nearer?

What you might do is use a short piece of copper tubing to get through the bulkhead. Attach copper strap for the rest of the run on either side. Strap can either be soldered to the copper tubing or clamped.
transmitterdan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2016, 18:58   #15
Registered User

Join Date: May 2016
Location: mackay, queensland. australia
Boat: e.a jack (builder), g.l watson (designer), 6.2 mtr wll sailboat
Posts: 532
Re: Ground Plane for ICOM M802

kiss counter pose hf earth system
knockabout is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
icom

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Ground Plane DeborahLee Marine Electronics 24 04-03-2013 06:46
For Sale: ICOM M802 SSB, ICOM AT-140 Tuner, Pactor PTCIIpro with III Paul L Classifieds Archive 1 25-07-2012 18:34
Length of Copper Straps for Ground Plane roverhi Marine Electronics 22 23-05-2010 16:05
Ground Plane Tape for HF Radio roverhi Marine Electronics 29 02-10-2009 15:05
SSB - where can my ground plane be? esper General Sailing Forum 1 25-03-2009 09:25

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:47.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.