We have a
steel Amazon 49 built by SP Metalcraft in 1988. There is an
Icom M700Pro and an AT-120 tuner already installed. The lead in wire from the
antenna tuner to the backstay has been cut, is now too short, and needs to be replaced.
While looking for a source of GT-150 wire, I came across a site in
Germany called
www.yachtfunk.com. In their site they make a statement that whenever the lead in wire goes through a metal
deck or bulkhead, you need a minimum 30 mm (about an inch and a quarter) hole with an insulated feedthrough to keep the conductor centered. This is required to prevent "capacitive loss" as the wire goes through the
deck. In my
boat, there is a very small hole drilled in the deck, not much larger than the wire. It is sealed with some type of
marine sealant, but the hole is certainly not very large.
Anyone have thoughts on this? On a
steel boat, how did you get your wire from inside the
cabin to the backstay? Appreciate any sharing.
Steve Brown
Orontes II
Amazon 49, currently lying
La Paz, Mexico