what free standing SSB antenna for catamaran?

[quartersplash]

I am looking for recommendations for an antenna for my cat. I have no back-stay so need a free standing one.
Thanks

[Michael Cobbe]

I found this MF/HF Antennas - SailCom Marine Bear mind the ground makes up half the antenna and they sell that too.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by quartersplash

I am looking for recommendations for an antenna for my cat. I have no back-stay so need a free standing one.
Thanks

I first had one in three parts that deteriorated with UV and failed during a storm. I replaced it with the one that has two parts (stronger) and polyurethane coating. I believe it is a Shakespear Galaxy. These are not cheap and shipping is a problem as the two parts are long.

We are changing our rigging and I’m going back to an insulated stay. This means I will have mine for sale when we arrive back in a couple of weeks in our slip in Port Canaveral. It looks like you are there as well

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Michael Cobbe

I found this MF/HF Antennas - SailCom Marine Bear mind the ground makes up half the antenna and they sell that too.

Those are the ones that fail from UV exposure. You need to paint those and I guess that would work.

The ones that do good in the tropical sun have the polyurethane coating and are the Galaxy line. Here is the one I have: https://www.fisheriessupply.com/shak...-antenna-23-ft

[Brian.D]

If you have a free or spare halyard, you can run an alternate backstay antenna. It is not load bearing nor a part of the standing rigging so you can take it down whenever you want. It is made of vinyl coated wire rope and the length is on the order of 43 feet. If that will not fit then 23 feet will work.

For the other half of the antenna you can connect the turner's ground lug to any thru hull (as long as it is some kind of metal). This will connect you to the sea water.

This would be the least expensive solution and probably work as well as a 1/4 wave vertical.

JMHO

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Brian.D

If you have a free or spare halyard, you can run an alternate backstay antenna. It is not load bearing nor a part of the standing rigging so you can take it down whenever you want. It is made of vinyl coated wire rope and the length is on the order of 43 feet. If that will not fit then 23 feet will work.

For the other half of the antenna you can connect the turner's ground lug to any thru hull (as long as it is some kind of metal). This will connect you to the sea water.

This would be the least expensive solution and probably work as well as a 1/4 wave vertical.

JMHO

Yes, I have hoisted just a wire as well. But for boats without backstays... the reason for not having a backstay is that it doesn’t fit there while under sail, preventing tacking & gybing, so the antenna needs to be taken down while underway and no communications are available.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by quartersplash

I am looking for recommendations for an antenna for my cat. I have no back-stay so need a free standing one.

Thanks

If you don’t mind mortgaging the children, Moonraker make a very good product. The Crowther 582 next to me has one and it looks just right on that boat.

[blubaju]

Certainly you have shrouds, if metal use them instead of your backstay, if Dyneema you could insert a 1 or 1.5mm² wire in the center, it is hollow anyway. silver plated copper would be best choice, tinned one second. Copper needs some corrosion protection or green stuff will be all over your yacht

[Russ]

GAM/McKim Split Lead Antenna from GAM Electronics. This is a unit that press fits on the backstay wire.
Have one. Works great lasts a longtime. Also I am a HAM and it works well that way too

Russ

[Bycrick]

HF antennas are all about physical construction and mounting considerations. Electrically, almost any piece of wire the right length will work as well. I picked up a thrown away very expensive antenna to use as a pole on a buoy. It was a thin fiberglass tube, with a fancy mounting fitting, and a $6 piece of #14 single strand wire in the tube.

[RaymondR]

Back in my dirt cheap yatching days I had plans to make a centre loaded whip out of a long, hollow, fibre glass fishing pole if the store bought one ever broke. Damned thing never broke and was still on the boat and working when I sold it.

[Brian.D]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Yes, I have hoisted just a wire as well. But for boats without backstays... the reason for not having a backstay is that it doesn’t fit there while under sail, preventing tacking & gybing, so the antenna needs to be taken down while underway and no communications are available.

Yes, that is correct, assuming that the boom swings beyond the stern of either pontoon. This vessel may also be equipped with aft structure for solar panels or davits. But we do not know this as the OP has not indicated what he has on the stern. It still may be possible to support an alternate backstay if he see a potential for that type of antenna.

Just giving options. OP seems set on a stand alone vertical.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Brian.D

Yes, that is correct, assuming that the boom swings beyond the stern of either pontoon. This vessel may also be equipped with aft structure for solar panels or davits. But we do not know this as the OP has not indicated what he has on the stern. It still may be possible to support an alternate backstay if he see a potential for that type of antenna.

Just giving options. OP seems set on a stand alone vertical.

Well, he has a cat without a backstay. It is not the boom that is the problem, but the big roach supported with full battens in the sail that interferes with a backstay higher up. Even though we are a monohull, we have the same issue, hence no back stays

[philocat]

Facing similar dilemma on my Seawind.

I am planning putting a HF whip at the back of solar panels on the targa which will then clear the long boom - on a fold down hinge so can avoid shadowing on the panels. Likely a 5/8th vertical but if a J pole is feasible then I'll use that simply because the feed point is essentially grounded and thus better protects radio from static.

I can say that a HF whip is very effective over seawater. On our previous boat we had reliable daily comms well over 1000's miles using a 5/8ths whip on 20m ham -essentially a spiral wrapped bamboo pole, from memory about 2.5m long. "Bear IN mind the ground makes up half the antenna" mentioned by Michael Cobbe is critical. I'd suggest not to use earth plates thru hulls and the like. A simple ground wire laid internally along the hull of suitable length will be much more effective.


Using the side stay suggested by blubaju has made me think laterally again- pardon pun. Much easier install (if the chainplate can be used instead of a new deck penetraion) Probably just as good as a purpose designed standalone one given that our use will primarily be receiving weather fax, not transmitting.


Off topic but even though I am going to install the HF I am tending toward sat phone for data. It seems there are fewer HF nets around now and pactors are so ridiculously expensive. Sad not to be able to fully use what I've already got.

[Palarran]

Man, I would think you could find a ton of used ones laying around a boat yard anywhere in Florida as most cruisers have moved into the twenty first century. I know my old one was in some rafters in St. Maarten for quite a period of time.