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Digital 529-VB question ?

Started by croaker stroker, January 15, 2017, 01:46:10 PM

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croaker stroker


I ordered one of those fancy new Black Digital antennas. I am thinking of what I need before it gets here.


What fitting did you use to go through the bulkhead.?  Did you have to cut the wire ?
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Chief of the Boat

From their website:
500 GOLD Series: 529-VW | 529-VB
##Mount: Standard 1"–14 threaded base
##Connector: Gold factory-attached mini-UHF female with mini-UHF male to UHF male (PL259) adapter
##Cable: Includes 20' of our low-loss, tinned braid, foil shielded, UV stable RG-8X marine

croaker stroker

#2

What fitting do you use to pass the Mini UHF connector through the bulkhead ?

Blue Seas Cable Clam ?  If so, do you know the model number ?

...or is there a different fitting that is better ?


The PL-259 "male to male" adapter.....is that right ?  Wouldn't it be a "male to female" ? You would need a female to screw to the radio ?  (No comments from the peanut gallery)


1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Kimbrey

#3
2005 Sea Legend --Sold--replaced with 26' Duckworth—Sold—replaced with 28' Farallon Walkaround

croaker stroker

#4
OK looks like the smallest ID will work since the mini connector is only 3/8".

They state in bold letters not to coil the wire.  :shrug9:  what do you do with 20 feet of cable ??



Oh.....just saw another type...  https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Entry-CableClam/dp/B00GZOB3HY/ref=pd_sim_200_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00GZOB3HY&pd_rd_r=VF4AT77CJF3AMRR2YAC3&pd_rd_w=86JLn&pd_rd_wg=Av37w&psc=1&refRID=VF4AT77CJF3AMRR2YAC3
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Chief of the Boat

This is the way I ran mine.   

The gold connector was connected to the antenna when I pulled it out of the box.

If I was going to drill a hole through the bulkhead I probably would of used one of these small stainless clams and fill it with silicone.


http://www.go2marine.com/product/27120F/sea-dog-clam-shell-midget-vents-stainless.html

croaker stroker

#6
Mine has that small stainless clam now.  Maybe I should just keep things simple and re-use it ??   :shrug9:


The website says each antenna is "tuned" and connector installed, so I am reluctant to cut the cable.  (Mixed opinions here)


1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Chief of the Boat

I would use the clamshell and not cut the cable. 

croaker stroker

ya. I agree. No cutting. Already tuned at the factory.  I have tuned my marine VHF antennas in the past. Clip, test, clip test..and so on until you get the highest meter reading. Takes a long time, clipping the cable  re-attaching the connector each time....but my radios always reached out farther compared to my other fishing buddy's. Many online posts say that matching the antenna doesn't matter for VHF, but my experience says it does matter.


1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

DevMah

I used the Sea-Dog cable outlet

http://www.downwindmarine.com/images/P/90892621.jpg

I had to un-solder the cable pass through and re-solder .


Dev
2015 21' Sea Ranger w 150 Yammy  (Tight lines) Sold
2012 Lund 1650SS  w 2012 60HP Mercury-Sold

croaker stroker

I dont think you have to unsolder the cable with the Blue Sea Cable Clam. (BSS-1001) the Digital mini-UHF connector is 3/8". 

For sure you don't need to unsolder with COB's method. Just drill a 3/8" (13/32"?) hole and cover with the Clam (facing down and back), then fill with silicone.

1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

DevMah

Yes the blue seas there is no unsoldering it's just slightly larger.

Dev
2015 21' Sea Ranger w 150 Yammy  (Tight lines) Sold
2012 Lund 1650SS  w 2012 60HP Mercury-Sold

Threeweight

One of the reasons to buy Digital is their cable connector.  It is a gold plated system where the connector comes apart so you are only passing the socket (same diameter as the cable itself) through any holes.  Way, way better than trying to do a perfect job soldering an end back on.  This photo may help:



On my Arima, since the hole was way above the waterline I used a cheap plastic cable cover from West Marine:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/t-h-marine--ceacap-conduit-bulkhead-passthru--P006_181_003_512

Digital's manual will tell you lay the excess cable randomly, rather than coil.  Coiling can cause some issues with signal clarity.
Former Sea Chaser 17 owner
Defiance 250 Admiral, twin Yamaha 150's and T9.9

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."
       --- Hunter S. Thompson

croaker stroker

#13
How did you lay your cable ?

Your cover is nice because there are no screw holes.  I bought the cheaper Blue Sea cover.  It's in the mail.   :shrug9:
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Peddler

Regarding NOT coiling the excess cable; I doubled mine back/fourth on itself in approximately 3-ft lengths where I had the room. 
Wishin' I was Fishin'

Yachter Yat

   I'm still thinking about what Croaker said regarding "tuning".  What does that mean?.......Antenna must be "tuned" to the length of the cable?  I've been using a Galaxy 5225 for years with the cable I cut to be as short as possible.  Seems to work okay, but what do I know?  Gonna have to do my homework again, I guess.

Yat
History is not the past; it's the present, as we all carry it with us......James Baldwin    
16 SC/Honda 60  (sold)

Danno

There was a guy on ifish that would tune your cable to your antenna. Something about matching the length of the cable to the length of the antenna. I don't remember the specifics.
2015 19' Sea Chaser (2019 to current)
1998 19' Sea Ranger (2003 to 2008)

Lures are designed to catch fishermen not fish.

croaker stroker


I understand it to be matching the length of the cable plus the antenna to the standing wave length of the radio using an "SWR" meter. 

I know. This is an over-simplified way to describe it.  :shrug9:

https://www.amazon.com/SWR-Power-METER-VHF-Radio/dp/B002KYE190%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduckduckgo-iphone-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB002KYE190
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Threeweight

Best solution... don't cut the cable  :twocents:

I wound mine up into a kind of messy random figure 8 and stored it up in the cuddy.
Former Sea Chaser 17 owner
Defiance 250 Admiral, twin Yamaha 150's and T9.9

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."
       --- Hunter S. Thompson

croaker stroker

#19
Quote from: Threeweight on January 16, 2017, 09:24:34 PM
Best solution... don't cut the cable  :twocents:

I wound mine up into a kind of messy random figure 8 and stored it up in the cuddy.

I think I'll try and duplicate your figure 8.
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Yachter Yat

   Might be interesting to see if an antenna could be ordered from the factory with a specific cable length. 

Yat
History is not the past; it's the present, as we all carry it with us......James Baldwin    
16 SC/Honda 60  (sold)

croaker stroker

#21
Quote from: Yachter Yat on January 17, 2017, 05:38:08 AM
   Might be interesting to see if an antenna could be ordered from the factory with a specific cable length. 

Yat


Didn't think of that.  :doh:  I should have asked. Sounds reasonable.


1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Yachter Yat

   See Croaker.............this is what you get when you don't clean your hands with lacquer thinner.  (ha) 

Yat
History is not the past; it's the present, as we all carry it with us......James Baldwin    
16 SC/Honda 60  (sold)

croaker stroker



Yat, I knew there was a reason why I like you.
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸