HF-SSB Radio, Proper Installation Tips/Techniques, etc.

[DenisHeinrichs]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

What you have is an inverted-L antenna. In principle quite a good antenna. It's one of the little spoken benefits of ketches and schooners.

Usually I've seen a mizzen shroud for the vertical and then the triatic for the more or less horizontal part.

I can put a test regime together for you to assure yourself that removing the triatic is counterproductive. There are also some calculations that lead to relative "goodness" for which I'll need the length of the insulated traitic, the length of the jumper, the length of the insulated backstay, and the length of GTO-15 feed line from tuner to backstay attachment.

I often miss PMs so just post here or email me dave@auspiciousworks.com . Happy to help.


73 es sail fast de dave KO4MI

Thanks for the quick response!


Thanks for the offer of the test regime. I passed your message off to my rigger and he should be able to get the measurements in a week or so (when the weather warms up a bit). I was going to just trust your opinion and keep things the way the are, but on second thought, it may be wise to let you know the lengths of the items just for your thoughts as to whether or not they are appropriate.



Just so you know, my plans are to sail from here in Vancouver down to Mexico and then eventually across the S. Pacific. I would like to be able to access the standard cruising nets and of course SAR if necessary. I have not messed around enough yet, to know what frequencies would be most important to me.


Denis

ps. Does that angle between the backstay and the triatic matter much? I can get the rigger to check it as well.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by DenisHeinrichs

ps. Does that angle between the backstay and the triatic matter much? I can get the rigger to check it as well.

It matters. Not much at the level of modeling I'm going to do. I can get close enough from the mast heights you posted.

[stevead]

Apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere but I have been unable to find an answer in the threads dedicated to HF-SSB.

When installing a Dynaplate to act as the RF Ground, are there any concerns or things to be aware of if the hull has been antifouled with Copper Coat or Coppershield 2000 ?

Thanks.

[ka4wja]

Steve, no apologies needed...
Besides, I don't think this is something that has ever come up?

1) So, to be brief and clear...the answer is:
No, there should be no issues with "copper" and "bronze" together....nor especially the gold-plated hardware that is usually supplied with Dynaplates.

Originally Posted by stevead

Apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere but I have been unable to find an answer in the threads dedicated to HF-SSB.

When installing a Dynaplate to act as the RF Ground, are there any concerns or things to be aware of if the hull has been antifouled with Copper Coat or Coppershield 2000 ?
Thanks.

Copper Coat, Coppershield 2000, etc....or even a copper-plated hull, should have no more issues with a bronze dynaplate than they would with a bronze thru-hull.
{Fyi, bronze is an alloy of copper and tin...}


2) BTW, on a side note.....please be aware that the "Dynaplate" (and its associated copper strapping, connecting it to the grd terminal on your remote tuner) is just a way of connecting your remote tuner to your antenna ground....the sea water is your antenna ground....

Further, the longer the distance between the tuner grd terminal and the Dynaplate (or any underwater metal used as an antenna ground connection), the more the copper strapping acts as part of your antenna ground.

Won't delve deep into antenna grounds, just wanted to make sure everyone grasps that the "dynaplate" is not the "ground", just the terminal connecting the antenna to the sea water (i.e. "ground")


Hope this clarifies?

Fair winds.

John

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by ka4wja

Won't delve deep into antenna grounds, just wanted to make sure everyone grasps that the "dynaplate" is not the "ground", just the terminal connecting the antenna to the sea water (i.e. "ground")

It's also worth noting that sea water is an imperfect ground (as most grounds are). For modeling purposes, the ground is generally considered to be a plane about eight feet (if I recall correctly) below the surface.

Note also that grounds and counterpoises are different things despite some unfortunate overlap in terminology.

[ka4wja]

Hello to all...

IMPORTANT INFO HERE!!

Effective 7 Feb 2022
The US Coast Guard will no longer maintain an HF-SSB VOICE Radio Watch-standing, but rather will fulfill their IMO/GMDSS requirements with HF-DSC Watch-standing!
Of course they will maintain their requirement to provide two-way SSB Voice Comms (on the GMDSS SSB-Voice freqs), after initial contact has been signaled / established via HF-DSC....but they will not be monitoring the SSB-Voice channels for calls.

Please see this link for details:
https://www.regulations.gov/document...2020-0668-0006


MF/HF-DSC is the proper way to initially signal other vessels (> 10,000 of them) and the 100's of coast stations worldwide! (before then moving to an SSB Voice traffic channel for two-way Voice comms)
And, this has been the case for decades.
Whether for "routine" traffic, or for "safety", "urgency", or "Distress".

The fact that the USCG is finally discontinuing the SSB Voice Radio Watchstanding is not surprising.....especially with what I've observed when speaking to senior CAMSLANT personnel earlier this year (and from what I was told 2 years ago, by a few in DC).

{FYI, Australia is soon going the same route....not sure how long New Zealand's Taupo Radio will still have a SSB Voice watch, though?}



For all here....

Please remember that the GMDSS has been with us since the 1990's (fully implemented and mandatory for all SOLAS vessels and signatory nations on Feb 1, 1999)...so, this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

And, now....maybe, just maybe, some sailors will see the fallacy of trying to use a ~ 25 - 30 year old radio / non-DSC radio, in our modern world....
(and, they'll think of what phone, computer, TV, etc. they were using in the early 1990's, and see if they'd like to go back to using that?)


Everyone remember that the Voice Watch-standing info here on the USCG page is now only valid 'til Feb 7, 2022!!

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall

And, it'll be HF-DSC from then on!!
https://www.regulations.gov/document...2020-0668-0006


Fair winds to all!

John

[rgleason]

I am trying to update OpenCPN weatherfax_pi ( the manual for Weatherfax_pi) with the latest weatherfax schedules and am using https://www.weather.gov/media/marine/rfax.pdf so I have removed

• Cape Naval, South Africa
• Taipei, Republic of China
• Northwood United Kingdom (Persian Gulf)

as NOAA has done. I am checking the rest of the NOAA worldwide list for corrections and changes.


Is there anything I should be aware of?
Also we are looking for a C++ programmer who can fix the sound decoder and the conversion to KAP format.
Ozolli has done a great job updating all the Internet URL links.

[emmanuelhend]

Welcome here