What type of ground for your SSB

[cburger]

I would like to know what type of grounding (Counterpoise) meathods members are using for their SSB radios and how well they think the system works, what could be done better to boost signal?

[MidLandOne]

Short strap with DC isolating capacitor in it direct to the steel hull from the antenna tuner.

I believe that it works at least ok as until about 2 years ago before the demise of sunspots I regularly worked automobile mobile stations in the United Kingdom, them having small mobile whip antennas, from here in NZ (so path length approx 1/2 the globe's circumference) on the amateur 20m band. Hope to start doing it again soon .

Antenna is an approx 8.5m long wire vertical (forgotten the exact length of it now ), radio is an Icom M802.

[cburger]

Do any members have the ships SSB grounded to a Dynaplate and if so are you satisfied with the perfomance of the equipment?

[svHyLyte]

We fooled around with all manner of systems but none proved particularly satisfactory with our older Icom M700. I finally added a large Dynaplate connected to our system with copper foil and the system works very well. Our most distant contact (from the Tampa Bay area) was with a yacht in the Azores.

FWIW...

s/v HyLyte

[cabo_sailor]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that the 100 sq ft of ground was not really necessary, more a case of "everyone knows" perpetuated through time.

From svHyLyte, could you expand on a) what size is a "large" Dynaplate and b) what is copper "foil"? Also, what kind of distances are we talking here? Are there guidelines for positioning the Dynaplate?

[Nauticatarcher]

We use copper strip to our two mild steel Fuel Tanks and Engine Block, Icom 706 works fine

[AnchorageGuy]

we don't recommend using the engine block as past of the counterpoise. It is your DC ground and can give you RF problems. There are 2 sizes of Dynaplate, large and small. Copper foil is a copper strip found in rolls about 2 to 3 inches wide that is generally run through the bilges, etc. to Dynaplates, thru-hulls, keel bolts, tanks, etc. A better foil at a cheaper price can be found at roofing supply houses rather than marine stores. It is best not to connect thru-hulls, tanks, etc directly if they are tied into your bonding system.

[svHyLyte]

We used the Guest 18” x 3" x ½” plate. The foil is 3” x .003”. The distance from our AT120 to the Dynaplate is about 6’ overall. These can be view on the Defender web-site at Grounding Plates

s/v HyLyte

[Nauticatarcher]

Originally Posted by Chuck Baier

we don't recommend using the engine block as past of the counterpoise. It is your DC ground and can give you RF problems. There are 2 sizes of Dynaplate, large and small. Copper foil is a copper strip found in rolls about 2 to 3 inches wide that is generally run through the bilges, etc. to Dynaplates, thru-hulls, keel bolts, tanks, etc. A better foil at a cheaper price can be found at roofing supply houses rather than marine stores. It is best not to connect thru-hulls, tanks, etc directly if they are tied into your bonding system.

This may be so but thats how we did ours and we have good reports on our transmission clarity.
I have also heard of Dynaplates exploding in lightning strike situations.