Thoughts on new SSB/Ham installation

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Tropic Cat

Where would one mount the 24' whip? If not on top of the mast, do the mast and rigging create 'dead' spots in the radiating pattern?

Technically yes, especially for the ground wave conpoment.
Practially no, you won't notice any bad effects especilly when most transmission paths will be on a multipath skywave.

[CrystalDawn]

Originally Posted by westsail42

If you mean using your backstay AS an antenna, it usually invloves splicing special rigging insulators near the top and bottom (out of hands reach for safety) of the backstay then wiring the center section to the autotuner.

Of course, since we are talking electricity, your back stay must be conductive. Meaning wire-rope. If you have synthetic rigging (unlikely) then forget what I just said .

Hi,

I have an antenna up forward, a stay with an insulator on both ends. I would like to use this stay. But I would also want to set my radio and tuner in the aft cabin and run a wire about 33 feet to antenna. Is there a wire I can run that far without losing signal or creating radiation along the insde of the boat? Also this is a steel hull boat.

[SoonerSailor]

Having your antenna distant from the transceiver is not a problem on a boat. The length of the coax run from transceiver to antenna tuner is not critical. The antenna tuner still needs to be as close to the antenna feed point as possible, however.

There is a pretty good and concise discussion of these issues, and also of antenna and grounding issues, at the end ofthe ICOM 802 owners and installation manual, which you can get from Icom at this link:
ic-m802

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by CrystalDawn

Hi,

I have an antenna up forward, a stay with an insulator on both ends. I would like to use this stay. But I would also want to set my radio and tuner in the aft cabin and run a wire about 33 feet to antenna. Is there a wire I can run that far without losing signal or creating radiation along the insde of the boat? Also this is a steel hull boat.

Do not do this. The radiating aspects of the antenna start at the output of the tuner. In this instance the first 33 feet of the antenna will be radiating into the steel hull. Keep the wire from the tuner to where it exits the deck as short as possible (say less than 12 inches).

Originally Posted by SoonerSailor

..... The antenna tuner still needs to be as close to the antenna feed point as possible, however.

Yes... Yes... Yes...

Originally Posted by SoonerSailor

.....There is a pretty good and concise discussion of these issues, and also of antenna and grounding issues, at the end ofthe ICOM 802 owners and installation manual, which you can get from Icom at this link:
ic-m802

See also many threads on CF about HF's and antennas.

[Hal]

Think surface area for each of the wires for your ground. No need to try and make a pipe out of it.