What is this connector?

[JiminVA]

I'm trying to remove obsolete wiring from my boat. It would help me to trace this if I knew what it was. Could this have been for TV or phone? The cable itself is like coax but thinner.

[DrivinSteve]

AM/FM radio nearby?

[Blue Stocking]

Most marine stereo units come with the female as part of the harness. Male is usually on the antenna.

[AnsleyS]

That is an antenna for a radio probably AM FM. Follow it back and you will probably find either a loop antenna or a wire Transfer antenna.

[JiminVA]

Thanks for the tip that it's for a radio antenna. That's a big help.

[leftbrainstuff]

Fm antenna connector

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by JiminVA

Attachment 148149

I'm trying to remove obsolete wiring from my boat. It would help me to trace this if I knew what it was. Could this have been for TV or phone? The cable itself is like coax but thinner.

My guess is an antenna also but not very up to date.

[yachtgemini]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_connector

A very common motorola antenna plug used for aftermarket car radios. If you dig around you may find it has been split off a masthead vhf antenna using a splitter box.

Ross

[FionaJC]

Definitely car stereo radio connector plug. Only suitable for fm and am reception only not for tranceiver use. It may work with an ais receiver bit not very well if it's through a splitter. A splitter takes a vhf transmit antenna and adds a car radio type receive only connector.

[yachtgemini]

If this is on a splitter from your VHF antenna it will not work for AIS... and usually, rubbish on AM as well as the antennae is resonant way up higher.. but expect good FM reception.

and certainly not a tx antenna.

Ross

[FionaJC]

Originally Posted by yachtgemini

If this is on a splitter from your VHF antenna it will not work for AIS... and usually, rubbish on AM as well as the antennae is resonant way up higher.. but expect good FM reception.

and certainly not a tx antenna.

Ross

I agree with everything except the AIS unless you mean transponder, I was talking about an AIS receiver. It does work but with a 3dB drop. We measured one through a splitter on the am/fm connector and then on just a VHF marine aerial. We were trying toi avoid two antenna and looking at various splitter direct combos. Conclusion was that separate VHF best for AIS, then splitter and finally the fm/am output on a splitter. A wet shoestring will also work for AIS receive but usually you are too close for comfort then.

[yachtgemini]

ok mileage will vary...I am in my radio shack and have done a quick check ... at 160 mhz my no names splitter is -26db down versus the VHF side...and yes I could use it for an AIS signal but that is about 4 S points down... actually if you have 3db drop on your splitter I suspect it may be a more sophisticated relay/ switching type unit as 3db is not much isolation... extreme care suggested in hooking up an ais rx unit to the fm radio output of a splitter unless you really check it very thoroughly first.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Cadence

My guess is an antenna also but not very up to date.

PS, it is a dinosaur used for auto radios, circa 1949. Nothing wrong with them. Center wire of coax sweated in to the post and shield to outside.

[FionaJC]

Originally Posted by yachtgemini

extreme care suggested in hooking up an ais rx unit to the fm radio output of a splitter unless you really check it very thoroughly first.

Could not agree more about extreme care, adding an additional antenna is ideal but we have two sticks so I can add an awful lot more than if we had just one mast.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Cadence

PS, it is a dinosaur used for auto radios, circa 1949. Nothing wrong with them. Center wire of coax sweated in to the post and shield to outside.

Could be, bu it is still in common use in car radios as well as other services Not a great connector, but it works ok for this usage.

Jim