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16-03-2013, 22:55
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#76
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Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
Quote:
Originally Posted by s/v Jedi
Where are you going to buy those? I recommend the US versions because opening up only requires removing connetions while I think the EU version might require adding a diode, which is a pain because it's micro SMD.
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Definitely US. I'll have my father bring the gear over when he comes to the UK for our summer cruise.
I would have done it anyway for the sake of price, but to avoid soldering micro SMD's clinches the deal! That's way beyond my soldering abilities!
Meanwhile I will register my call sign and start playing with APRS over Internet to try to understand it better.
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17-03-2013, 00:55
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#77
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cruiser
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Probably in an anchorage or a boatyard..
Boat: Ebbtide 33' steel cutter
Posts: 5,030
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
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17-03-2013, 05:17
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#78
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always in motion is the future
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,757
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I want to create a "boat monitor" telling me the inside temperature, battery voltage, bilge alarm etc. I think it's gonna be easy using the Tinytrack4 in telemetry mode
__________________
“It’s a trap!” - Admiral Ackbar.
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17-03-2013, 05:24
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#79
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Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
Quote:
Originally Posted by s/v Jedi
I want to create a "boat monitor" telling me the inside temperature, battery voltage, bilge alarm etc. I think it's gonna be easy using the Tinytrack4 in telemetry mode
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You can easily do that with GSM mobile telephony. E.g., GSM Marine Boat & Yatch alarms.
I would think that would use a lot less power than having a VHF/UHF radio running all the time.
Still, it's a fascinating project. Keep us informed!
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17-03-2013, 05:36
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#80
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always in motion is the future
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,757
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dockhead
You can easily do that with GSM mobile telephony. E.g., GSM Marine Boat & Yatch alarms.
I would think that would use a lot less power than having a VHF/UHF radio running all the time.
Still, it's a fascinating project. Keep us informed!
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Yes, but you are assuming that mobile phone connectivity is everywhere... signals are very weak and reliability is very low here; this marina is a 13km drive into the jungle from Gatun locks...
Power is not a problem for boats with solar panels. I would love to create a version that monitors a NMEA2000 network and send updates from any data I wish on that...
__________________
“It’s a trap!” - Admiral Ackbar.
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17-03-2013, 14:44
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#81
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 44
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
Quote:
Originally Posted by s/v Jedi
Ah, gain. You are misinformed. The Galaxy 5400 is a single dipole so it has a 3dB gain
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I also prefer dipoles but those bogus gain figures drives me crazy. Note how they leave out the most important thing, what that dB figure relates to!
A dipole, per definition, has 0dBd gain, which is 2.15 dBi. Fiberglass antennas are often perfect dipoles at VHF. End-fed whip antennas have exactly the same gain, but their radiation pattern is not quite as optimal resulting in slightly worse field strengths in the desired direction.
While Shakespear and Metz are decent products for leisure boats, and certainly better than the crap Glomex produces, they are not top class. If You want he best you should look at Procom and AC-Marine from Denmark and Comrod from Norway. These antennas are on almost every commercial ship out there, just like Sailor radios.
A really good antenna should come with, or at least be orderable with, an N connector.
/Marcus
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17-03-2013, 19:37
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#82
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always in motion is the future
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,757
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Hereis the info about the integration of APRS and Winlink2000. The first time you do this using just your Kenwood radio without a computer, you really freak out
http://www.winlink.org/aprslink
__________________
“It’s a trap!” - Admiral Ackbar.
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18-03-2013, 03:34
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#83
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Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
Quote:
Originally Posted by s/v Jedi
Hereis the info about the integration of APRS and Winlink2000. The first time you do this using just your Kenwood radio without a computer, you really freak out
http://www.winlink.org/aprslink
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Cool, thanks! Wow!
You're a bad influence on me! I will order these Kenwood radios this week
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18-03-2013, 10:42
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#84
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always in motion is the future
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,757
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
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18-03-2013, 10:52
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#85
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Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
Quote:
Originally Posted by s/v Jedi
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Thanks, but I don't use IThings! (Other than an IPad).
My primary phone is a Nokia N9 running a Meego shell over Linux; much more to my taste.
I do have an Android tablet (a nice thing); it looks like there is quite a good set of APRS apps for Android! APRSdroid - APRS for Android
I will get registered and start playing with it. Maybe let's exchange call signs by PM?
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18-03-2013, 14:03
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#86
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always in motion is the future
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,757
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dockhead
Thanks, but I don't use IThings! (Other than an IPad).
My primary phone is a Nokia N9 running a Meego shell over Linux; much more to my taste.
I do have an Android tablet (a nice thing); it looks like there is quite a good set of APRS apps for Android! APRSdroid - APRS for Android
I will get registered and start playing with it. Maybe let's exchange call signs by PM?
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The world knows my call I have many now though with all that APRS business, but the main one is the boat at KI4CIS-9. My HT is KI4CIS-7. There is also a KI4CIR-7 around on the maps and that is my better half
This is my hood: Google Maps APRS
p.s. that APRS app also runs on iPad I believe... when you have GPS in it
p.p.s. I'm also an iGate now... see here which packets I gated to Internet: http://aprs.fi/#!v=gated&call=a%2FKI...3600&tail=3600
Zoom out a bit and see how amazing the range is...
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18-03-2013, 15:00
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#87
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Townsville
Boat: Wright 10
Posts: 16
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
Great thread guys.
Sorry for the left of field question, but Jedi what exact is this?
I can't see a chimney that needs cleaning
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18-03-2013, 15:07
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#88
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: '76 Allied Seawind II, 32'
Posts: 9,626
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AGC
Great thread guys.
Sorry for the left of field question, but Jedi what exact is this?
I can't see a chimney that needs cleaning
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It's a static dissipator to keep the big bright things away
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18-03-2013, 15:11
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#89
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Townsville
Boat: Wright 10
Posts: 16
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Re: Please Recommend a Quality VHF Masthead Antenna
Ah right! That makes sense. Cheers.
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18-03-2013, 18:42
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#90
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Aboard
Boat: Seaton 60' Ketch
Posts: 1,338
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shipraiser
I also prefer dipoles but those bogus gain figures drives me crazy. Note how they leave out the most important thing, what that dB figure relates to!
A dipole, per definition, has 0dBd gain, which is 2.15 dBi. Fiberglass antennas are often perfect dipoles at VHF. End-fed whip antennas have exactly the same gain, but their radiation pattern is not quite as optimal resulting in slightly worse field strengths in the desired direction.
While Shakespear and Metz are decent products for leisure boats, and certainly better than the crap Glomex produces, they are not top class. If You want he best you should look at Procom and AC-Marine from Denmark and Comrod from Norway. These antennas are on almost every commercial ship out there, just like Sailor radios.
A really good antenna should come with, or at least be orderable with, an N connector.
/Marcus
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In re the N conn, exactly!
And it's easy to remove and solder in a bulkhead N on the back of a radio the same way we used to solder in so 239 conns to Collins and Heathkit replacing the RCA conns
We really need to move beyond the PL259 world as had most commercial radio
S
__________________
Scott Berg
WAØLSS
SV CHARDONNAY
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