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Broken/cracked VHF antenna

Started by Crackerbox, July 24, 2014, 10:57:57 AM

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Crackerbox

Last weekend my antenna fell and cracked at the base and in the middle where it hit the skip tower.  I can seat it back inside the base, so do you think putting some 5200 sealant in the base and on the middle would make it strong enough to use? A member sold me one he doesn't use anymore so I might use this one as a back-up.

Joe

Wyrguy

Toss it... It's part of your 'safety' equipment and you'll never know if it is transmitting properly and at full power until it's maybe too late.

$0.02

Wyrguy Rick


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
'Arima Therapy' - Life begins where the land ends!
2012 Sea Legend HT, blue hull, S/S 6 rod rocket launcher/radar arch
F250XCA O/S T9.9 Yamahas Yamaha Command Link Plus  iTroll throttle control
Aluminum I-beam EZ Loader trailer
Raymarine E120W, Digital HD Colour radar, Two Scotty HP 2106 DRs

fishorcrab

SC16 Yamaha 4s 90
SP17 Honda 4s 90  - Croaker made me do it. :)

Crackerbox

That is what I figured...I will give it to my 10 year old to practice jousting.  :biggrin:

Markshoreline

Remember what Chasin'Baitman said about something always breaking?????$$$$$  :jester:
2002 Sea Ranger HT 21, Yamaha 150, Yamaha 9.9

pgbrown

Good Grief,  I broke my antennae too, the second time out in the new LouBee.  Why don't they make them a bit more flexible anyways.... At least I can say lesson learned, but that doesn't stop the pain... in the wallet. :shrug9:  Pics are not long off and thanks to everyone for the help and good will.
2014 17' Sea Ranger
90 hp Honda
9.9 hp Honda

LvrWurst 21 SR Skip

If it has a threaded coupling at the antenae base, cut the antenae off flush and insert a short fiberglass solid rod (TAP Plastics). This makes for great low cost flag pole for your boat!  Doo Dad
19' Jetcraft  Like new 115 Yami 4 Stroke 
SOLD  16 Sea Explorer - 17 SR Skip -19 SR Skip - 21 SR Skip

German Sausages are the WURST!

Markshoreline

2002 Sea Ranger HT 21, Yamaha 150, Yamaha 9.9

Threeweight

What brand are these antennas you guys are braking?

My Digital 529 has taken heaps of abuse and is still going strong.
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

pgbrown

2014 17' Sea Ranger
90 hp Honda
9.9 hp Honda

Diablo

Quote from: Crackerbox on July 24, 2014, 11:50:41 AM
That is what I figured...I will give it to my 10 year old to practice jousting.  :biggrin:

If it is an old antenna check that the finish has not worn off exposing fiberglass slivers before making it a toy. 
'98 19SR  '15 E Tec 115, '10 Honda 8
'67. 23 Tollycraft, 283 Chevy
'04  14' Western, '15 Tohatsu 10
'87  37 Roughwater two 8.2 Detroit diesels SOLD
'88 17SR  '90 Johnson 90, Honda 8, SOLD

croaker stroker

Quote from: LvrWurst 21 SR Skip on July 24, 2014, 01:07:06 PM
If it has a threaded coupling at the antenae base, cut the antenae off flush and insert a short fiberglass solid rod (TAP Plastics). This makes for great low cost flag pole for your boat!  Doo Dad

Great idea !!!  Question...How are you attaching the flag to the pole?
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Salmon King

Quote from: Diablo on July 24, 2014, 03:29:28 PM
Quote from: Crackerbox on July 24, 2014, 11:50:41 AM
That is what I figured...I will give it to my 10 year old to practice jousting.  :biggrin:

If it is an old antenna check that the finish has not worn off exposing fiberglass slivers before making it a toy.

No way I'd make that into a toy.  Besides the glass fibers that are sure to get into your kid (and his friends)  those things can split easily and if he's jousting the stab could be severe too!
Be safe...not sorry...just toss it out!  :twocents:
PLEASE...Fly your flag Proudly, and remember to thank a Vet!
2011 14' Sterling
9' Pontoon (Bismarck)
8' Pontoon (Hood)

First Cabin

Hey guys... I have a perfectly good 8' antenna in my garage that I will let go for a reasonable price...

I just took it off as I put a new 4'er on top of the new radar tower.

Who needs it?
First:  1982 15' SeaHunter, Yamaha 70 2-stroke, Yamaha F6
Second:  1987 17' SeaRanger, Merc 90 2-stroke, Yamaha F8
Current:  2002 17' SeaChaser, Yamaha F100, Yamaha T8

Wyrguy

Quote from: ejthomp on July 24, 2014, 06:27:13 PM
Hey guys... I have a perfectly good 8' antenna in my garage that I will let go for a reasonable price...

I just took it off as I put a new 4'er on top of the new radar tower.

Who needs it?

What? You took off an 8' antenna to replace with a 4'...??? Why? Less transmit receive distance with the 4'. I have the 8' Digital V-529B on a HD mount on the rocket launcher... The higher your antenna, the farther the coverage. Also the dB rating makes a difference too. 6dB attenuation is the 'gold' standard  for a powerboat.
Crackerbox, grab it before he changes his mind!

Wyrguy Rick


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
'Arima Therapy' - Life begins where the land ends!
2012 Sea Legend HT, blue hull, S/S 6 rod rocket launcher/radar arch
F250XCA O/S T9.9 Yamahas Yamaha Command Link Plus  iTroll throttle control
Aluminum I-beam EZ Loader trailer
Raymarine E120W, Digital HD Colour radar, Two Scotty HP 2106 DRs

First Cabin

http://www.thehulltruth.com/marine-electronics-forum/423288-vhf-digital-antenna-4-4-5db-vs-8-6db.html

Thought about it long and hard, but an 8'er wouldn't fold up neatly and the 4'er is mounted up high.  I purchased the best quality 4'er I could find and I really can't notice a difference.  Plus....this isn't a tuna boat.

I'm okay with my decision.

Who needs the 8'er?
First:  1982 15' SeaHunter, Yamaha 70 2-stroke, Yamaha F6
Second:  1987 17' SeaRanger, Merc 90 2-stroke, Yamaha F8
Current:  2002 17' SeaChaser, Yamaha F100, Yamaha T8

First Cabin

Mounted this high the 4'er is just as high as my old 8'er.  It may not have the specs of the 8'er, but from what I read a high quality 4'er is nearly as good.  Plus a 4'er is much less likely to be damaged.  A good 4'er is certainly better than a damaged 8'er, right?
First:  1982 15' SeaHunter, Yamaha 70 2-stroke, Yamaha F6
Second:  1987 17' SeaRanger, Merc 90 2-stroke, Yamaha F8
Current:  2002 17' SeaChaser, Yamaha F100, Yamaha T8

StreamFixer

Just for general information, db gain and loss is important.  A 6 db gain means the antenna is actually transmitting at double of the radio output, i.e., if you radio is feeding 25 watts to the antenna, the signal leaving the antenna is actually equivalent to 50 watts.  A 6 db loss antenna means with 25 watts to the antenna, only 12.5 watts signal strength is being transmitted.

This is a linear function.  3 db means 50% loss or gain depending on antenna rating.

The feed line material (between the antenna and radio) is important too.  The length and type of that feed line influences the signal strength as well as how the extra length is stored.  This can be very complicated to figure out. 

The easiest is to simply use the feed wire that comes with the antenna, or if you must cut off an end, keep the trimming to inches (cm's for you Kanuks).  Don't take a 15 foot (5 meter) feed line that may come with the antenna and cut it to 5 or 6 feet  (1.5 to 2 meters) because that is all you need between the radio and antenna. 

It comes at a specific length because it compliments the wavelength at which the antenna is designed to function.  Lengthening or shortening the feed line will likely substantially reduce the output signal strength of the antenna.

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

CanvasGuy

I noticed that when I moved
My 8' digital on top my custom pilot house it really gets out!!!
I pick up the bar conditions in ..Oregon if I am in the Ocean.. :bigshock:
And On the Straights... I hear guys from the San Jauns to Neah Bay.. :bigshock:


Gary Smart
boatless  now
http://www.smartcustomcanvas.com
"Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying." Arthur C. Clarke

Crackerbox

Do not worry anyone, I threw it away as the jousting reply was just for fun. :biggrin:

LvrWurst 21 SR Skip

Croaker......Make a Flag Pole out of the parts.
Attached photos (sob) only allowing me to attach one photo per response.

Anyway....I take the old ant base..cut off the ant. clean out  the innersleeve from base so I have clean hole in the base. I take a Scotty base spindle....taper the splines down sized to wedge down into the base. Dose it with 3M 5200 and hammer in the Scotty Spindle. I then insert a carbon fiber tube with inside diam of tube same as 1/4-20 bolt. This carbon fiber tube fills the gap in the spindle hole and allows inserting a short piece of carbon fiber tube into the spindle and stabilizes the fitting for insertion of a 1/4" fiberglass rod which is the mast for your flag pole.

I several large ball bearing snap swivels with SS washers sized to slide up and down 1/4" rod. On each side of the ball bearing swivel rings, I wrap "Rescue Tape" spaced accoring to the flag size to act as stops.

I have used this on numerous boats, including Chucky's wagon and they easily support the flag, even at highway towing speeds.

One can also simply plug the Scotty spindle into a Scotty Rail Mount.....or, as noted above, relocate your ant. base mount to your most ideal location and screw the threaded ant mount onto the base....it also make for easy removal or you can simply fold it down as you would a normal ratche lever base.

I think this will get the idea across to....J Doo Dad




Quote from: Croaker Stroker on July 24, 2014, 03:49:57 PM
Quote from: LvrWurst 21 SR Skip on July 24, 2014, 01:07:06 PM
If it has a threaded coupling at the antenae base, cut the antenae off flush and insert a short fiberglass solid rod (TAP Plastics). This makes for great low cost flag pole for your boat!  Doo Dad

Great idea !!!  Question...How are you attaching the flag to the pole?
19' Jetcraft  Like new 115 Yami 4 Stroke 
SOLD  16 Sea Explorer - 17 SR Skip -19 SR Skip - 21 SR Skip

German Sausages are the WURST!

LvrWurst 21 SR Skip

19' Jetcraft  Like new 115 Yami 4 Stroke 
SOLD  16 Sea Explorer - 17 SR Skip -19 SR Skip - 21 SR Skip

German Sausages are the WURST!

LvrWurst 21 SR Skip

19' Jetcraft  Like new 115 Yami 4 Stroke 
SOLD  16 Sea Explorer - 17 SR Skip -19 SR Skip - 21 SR Skip

German Sausages are the WURST!

LvrWurst 21 SR Skip

Last pic......note...your flag will easily swivel around the pole and never, ever get wrapped up.  Respectfully submitted,   JW


Oh, Yea,,,,don't forgot to buy another antennae.

I'm with EJ Thomp....I like shorter antennae's, too.
19' Jetcraft  Like new 115 Yami 4 Stroke 
SOLD  16 Sea Explorer - 17 SR Skip -19 SR Skip - 21 SR Skip

German Sausages are the WURST!

croaker stroker


The 6db antennas have a wide reception pattern. They do better when the boat rolls excessively.  They are used on sailboats for this reason. (Sailboats lean way over). 

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

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸