Need replacement VHF antenna

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by stormalong

You should have looked at ham radio suppliers like Ham Radio Outlet or DX Engineering. They sell coax by the foot. DX Engineering makes custom length cables with connectors installed. Obviously for mast installation you would onl want the connector installed on one end but they do a very good job.

Davis RF sells tinned, white covered rg-213 by the foot. That's what I have on my boat.

Good point worth reiterating - don’t buy coax or coax connectors at a marine store. Even if you can find good quality cable or connectors there (which is unlikely), they invariable charge more (for interior materials).

[ka4wja]

Tmacmi,
1) You've been given some good advice here to replace your damaged antenna with a 3' SS whip, and directly connecting it to your coax going into your mast (not needing a short coax jumper), and weather-proofing this connection....

Originally Posted by Tmacmi

I need a new VHF antenna.

From the photos shown here can you tell me if this is a common connection from the antenna pigtail and if the mast head connection is common?

Also do you have any recommendations or considerations for a replacement antenna? We are coastal cruisers at most. More typically day sailors.

(Now, I also recommend replacing your whole old run of coax, from masthead all the way to your radio, including any bilge/cabin connections....and, yes I also recommend buying your coax from DX Engineering, etc....but, if that isn't possible at the moment, simply replacing your antenna is okay.)


But, please choose your antenna wisely...
The Shakespeare 5215-AIS, or simply the Shakespeare 5215 Classic, are what I recommend...
https://shakespeare-ce.com/marine/product/5215-ais-with-vhf-squatty-body-antenna/

https://shakespeare-ce.com/marine/product/5215-classic-vhf-squatty-body-antenna-copy/



I'd like to politely disagree with skipmac here....(surprising, 'cuz we usually agree)
The antenna he recommended has a "bayonet-style" quick-disconnect for the whip....which I think is a very bad choice for a masthead antenna (where you cannot easily/regularly inspect nor secure the antenna)...
I have been recommending a 3' Shakespeare SS Whip at the masthead, now for many decades....and I still do...just not that one!




Back to what I do recommend...

Over the years, my traditional recommendation of the venerable 5215 (which is still a good choice) now has been superseded by the 5215-AIS (which is the same antenna, adjusted/tuned to cover the whole VHF Marine Band, including the AIS frequencies at the top of the VHF Marine Band)...these are basically the same antenna design....designed specifically for masthead installations.

https://shakespeare-ce.com/marine/product/5215-classic-vhf-squatty-body-antenna-copy/

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=70959


https://shakespeare-ce.com/marine/product/5215-ais-with-vhf-squatty-body-antenna/

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=1143635



2) Tmacmi, looking at your photo prods me to ask: What happened?
'Cuz it looks like you whacked a bridge, with the old (fiberglass) VHF antenna?



I do hope this helps.

Fair winds

John


P.S. To show some weather-proofing, here are pics of both of my 3' Shakespeare SS whip antennas....one at masthead (primary VHF and AIS antenna); and one on the stern (secondary/back-up VHF and AIS antenna)

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by ka4wja

I'd like to politely disagree with skipmac here....(surprising, 'cuz we usually agree)
The antenna he recommended has a "bayonet-style" quick-disconnect for the whip....which I think is a very bad choice for a masthead antenna (where you cannot easily/regularly inspect nor secure the antenna)...
I have been recommending a 3' Shakespeare SS Whip at the masthead, now for many decades....and I still do...just not that one!

Actually skipmac agrees with the 5215 which is what is on top of my mast, as recommended by some forum member, I think his name was John something.

Just guilty of not looking carefully at the description on the Defender website before passing along the model number. Basically saw the 3' SS whip part with no built in cable and did not notice the different connector. The integral SO239 is what I was looking for, as is on the 5215.

I have been using this setup, the 5215 with low loss cable, for several years. Don't have the equipment to measure the performance but I can say subjectively that it works quite well.

[ka4wja]

Skip,
Cool....no worries mate...

I know I've looked at something a dozen times and "just knew" it was right, until someone else read it once and said "hey, look again"....and then "duh"...

Fair winds.

John

P.S. BTW, years ago, working on a radio system on land, I once even called tech support! And, got all the way thru their telephone troubleshooting, before realizing I had disconnected the damned antenna for "testing"....and that was when I still in my 30's, so no senior-moment excuse possible...

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by ka4wja

P.S. BTW, years ago, working on a radio system on land, I once even called tech support! And, got all the way thru their telephone troubleshooting, before realizing I had disconnected the damned antenna for "testing"....and that was when I still in my 30's, so no senior-moment excuse possible...

Well of course I have NEVER done anything like that myself.

Unless you count noticing the computer I was repairing was unplugged and thought the power supply was dead. Or....... well, never mind. Not enough space on the forum to list them all.

[s/v Jedi]

I recommend the Celmar0-1 antenna. This is as simple as any stainless whip but in professional quality and used by many commercial ships.
https://acantennas.com/celmar0-1

[Tmacmi]

Thank you to all for the answer.

I ended up getting a 5242 A mostly because it was one of the earliest responses and made sense.

John, how I broke the antenna.... many of the harbors off Lake Michigan are relatively small rivers. Ours is pretty accessible until our marina. Then it gets pretty tight (50 yards) until it opens up to another open marina. We went exploring down to the open marina, then back through the 50 yard neck and hit a tree branch 40 feet above. Yep a tree branch. That is just not something you expect. Bridges, yes. Trees, not so much