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• The category of the whole exercise [weather information collection] will be greatly enhanced by weather reports received from the outside world. This information comes by radio in various ways, transmitted by stations around the world. The stations and their frequencies are listed in a government publication Worldwide Marine Weather Broadcasts?.the quality of the results from a radio weather broadcast can depend on the crew?s knowledge as well as the type of radio instrument that is used. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 216)
• Professional help will pay off handsomely in all phases of radio installation, and not just in jobs where it is required by law (such as setting up of a sideband radio). From the planning stage right through post-installation calibration, an owner will be fortunate to secure the best help available. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 224)
• The two principle means of communication for boats at sea are VHF (Very High Frequency) and SSB (Single Band) radio telephones.
• Electrical noise, or ?static?, is the cause of much poor performance in both Loran-C and radio reception. Such noise can come from the outside, generated by lightning or other external electrical phenomena, or it can be generated onboard the boat by various pieces of equipment ? for example, motors and alternators. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 227)
• See image in?Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts?p. 228 for?steps to limit noise
• Usually, the on-board static producers will include one or more of the following objects:?pumps, alternators and their regulators, refrigerators, motors, computers, Loran-C receivers, flourescent lights, engine instruments, and loose connections. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 228)

Antennas

• Good antennas are basic to obtaining proper performance from electronic equipment on boat?.require occasional?maintenance, can cause?windage?and involve appreciable?expense?careful planning of the system is well worth the effort.? (Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 226)
• Some equipment (VHF-FM, Loran-C, radar, satnav, and Omni) run on special-purpose antennas, one for each instrument. On the other hand,?SSB, ham, radio and the communications receiver are all able to operate on the same HF antenna, using a switch so that one instrument is in use at a time. The classic HF antenna, are the insulated permanent backstay, the long whip?.? (Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 227)
• ?adds up to a lot of antennas, and unfortunately, a yacht ? particularly a sloop or a cutter ? has a?limited number of locations for them. All you can do is grit your teeth and find a place for them where they will operate properly.? (Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 227)
• The?higher the rated gain of your antenna, the longer the range, and the narrower the beam. The?transmission range, however, depends more on the height of your antenna than any other factor, including wattage. The higher the antenna, the greater its ?line-of-sight?. The only way to legally increase the sending and receiving power of your marine radio system is to use a longer antenna with more gain.
• Gain is the ability of an antenna to amplify both outgoing and incoming signal power.?It?s a function of how much the antenna focuses the energy of the signal in a horizontal direction. When gain (measured in decibels, or dB) is increased, the normally oval radiated power pattern becomes more oblong and horizontal, reaching out further toward the horizon. Increasing gain increases your signal power geometrically: a step from 0dB to 3dB will double your signal?s power, while a step from 3dB to 6dB quadruples it. Higher gain also means a more narrowly focused beam, which can cause the signal to fade in a rolling sea.?The more stable your boat?s platform, the less it rolls, and the higher the gain you can effectively use.? (www.boatus.com/boattech/antennas.htm)
• Coaxial cable is specially designed to transfer your radio signal to your antenna with as little power loss as possible.?Use the largest 95% shielded coax that fits?to reduce signal loss between the radio and antenna.?PVC-coated (not plastic) cable RG-58 and RG-8X, frequently supplied with the antenna, are fine for cable runs up to 25?. For longer runs, use low-loss cables such as RG-8 or RG-213. RG-8U is not recommended for marine applications because it is foam-filled and will collect moisture, creating loss and quickly corroding the cable inside. Keep the cable run as short as possible and avoid sharp bends, kinks, or strains to get the most from your system.? (www.boatus.com/boattech/antennas.htm)
• The?ferrule is the bottom fitting on the antenna that threads into your antenna mount. A plastic or nylon ferrule is fine on small boats for light use in calm or moderate waters. If your antenna is subject to more flexing because you cruise or fish in all types of weather, you?ll?need a more durable metal ferrule. Match antenna mount and ferrule materials, that is, nylon with nylon and metal with metal. For extra strength and longer life,?use stainless steel mounts or chrome-plated brass with a chromed antenna. Use silicone spray regularly on both the ferrule and the mounting threads to prevent corrosion.? (www.boatus.com/boattech/antennas.htm)
• The?connection between your radio and antenna is critical to your VHF system?s operation. If you must splice the cable, use proper PL-259 connectors to reduce loss. Use a silicone protectant spray or clear semiconductor heat shrink compound, and wrap them in Ancor Marine Grade ? heat shrink tubing or quality vinyl electrical tape to prevent moisture intrusion, which will corrode the copper braid in the coax. Immediately seal up any nicks in the cable and antenna to keep moisture out. If you must solder, use proper soldering techniques and at least a 30-watt soldering iron and 60/40 rosin core solder. This job is not difficult, just exacting.? (www.boatus.com/boattech/antennas.htm)
• There is?.no advantage to elevating antennae receiving signals from overhead satellites. To the contrary, the?higher you mount a GPS antenna the less accurate the speed and directional information will be?because the antenna will be whipping around due to sea conditions. GPS antennae?should be as close to deck level as possible while still maintaining an unrestricted ?view? of the sky.? (This Old Boat, p. 300)

Antennas ? High Frequency Single Side Band (HF-SSB)

• Since the ocean is a fine ground and is right there,?you would think that grounding would be easy?.it is not?the reason for this is that HF currents are very particular about what they run through. Conductors that would be prefect for carrying direct current (DC) or low-frequency current (AC) may be poor for HF current. even more strangely, grounds that work for one kind of antenna tuner or coupler may not always work with another kind. A?ground system may be built into the a fiberglass hull?it must be carefully designed?require?substantial work.? (Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 227)
• The?HF antenna must be tuned by an antenna tuner, or coupler which is usually located where the antenna leads into the boat. Without the coupler, the set will not operate properly and good be damaged.? (Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 227)
• Today?s automatic couplers, which sense the frequency coming from the transmitter and tune the antenna to it, can sense the frequency coming from the transmitter and tune the antenna to it, can efficiently match the multi-channel capability of the newer synthesized transmitters. A coupler can also be used on a ham radio set, although most ham operators prefer to tune manually.? (Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 227)
• When?HF antenna system is used for a communications receiver, the coupler should be left out of the circuit?since it will sometimes taken the incoming signals (by itself, the receiver will not actuate the coupler). Either switch the antenna directly to the receiver while receiving transmissions, or set up a separate receiving antenna altogether using a length of wire hoisted aloft.? (Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 227)
• An insulated backstay often doubles as the SSB or ham radio antenna. Note that on a fiberglass boat, a lower insulator is unnecessary as long as the backstay chain plate is not grounded to the boat?s grounding system. During transmission, the energized antenna can burn you, so insulate the bottom ? of the stay with a rubber hose? (Sailboat Electrics Simplified, p. 65)
• The connection to the stay is made?using stainless steel cable clamps. The wire is typically antenna lead-in, held clear of the stay with stand-offs?but if you elect to use coax instead, be sure only the center conductor is in contact with the stay, not hte brad. The entire connection should be protected from the weather by coating it with electricians putt (Coax Seal), then wrapping it from the bottom to top with self-amalgamating tape.? (Sailboat Electrics Simplified, p. 65)
• There is also generally?little point in mounting an SSB antenna above deck level. Although ground transmissions over a short distance may benefit from additional antenna height, long-distance SSB transmissions are accomplished with sky waves. Antenna length is critical, but the height of the antenna has little effect.? (This Old Boat, p. 300)

Communications Receiver

• If two-way communication is not important or if the crew wants to receive more elaborate weather information than that provided by SSB (as well as news and music on the AM broadcast band, which is not available on SSB), a versatile type of radio called a communications receiver offers excellent service?.In their best form, these HF receivers with many special features that allow them to receive both voice and code transmissions even in unfavorable conditions. Besides variety and compactness, the hallmark of these receivers is their clear reception, due first, to their tuning accuracy, and, second, to controls that allow the operator to select the bandwidth ? music requires a lot of bandwidth, voice somewhat less, and code least of all?these controls include a two-position bandwidth switch labeled ?music? and ?news? and a mode switch labeled ?normal? and ?SSB? which allows fine tuning with a thumbwheel. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 218)

Handheld Amateur Radio (HAM)

• Another method of long-distance communicating is the amateur or ham radio. A special Federal Communications Commission license is needed to operate a ham instrument, but the effort of studying for the license may well be worth-while for an offshore sailor, since this is a very effective means of communication. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 218?)
• Ham has four big advantages: ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 218 ? 9)

1. The transmitter, if desired, can be operated at a higher power than marine-band transmitters, and has at least as long a range.
2. A sailing ham can make telephone calls by ?patching into? shore ham stations, thereby bypassing crowded marine telephone stations (by law, the call cannot be used for business and other specified purposes).
3. A ham installation is less expensive than marine SSB installation.
4. It is very versatile; the latest generation of ham radio transceivers can function as high-quality, general-coverage communications receivers, thereby serving many of the purposes served by the other instruments that we have already mentioned.

• Although HAM radio has been used for successful distress calls on many occasions, it should not be regarded as a substitute for a marine SSB, since nearby commercial vessels will not be carrying ham radios and the Coast Guard does not continuously monitor ham frequencies, as it does with SSB and VHF. However, by arranging radio appointments at a given time and frequency, a sailing ham operator can set up a system by which friends ashore on other vessels can follow the boat?s progress and be aware of developments, good or bad. There are also volunteer ?marine nets? that operate on certain frequencies by common usage; their members are delighted to help yachtsmen. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 219)
• One limitation for cruising sailors is that a vessel generally may not operate on ham bands within the territorial waters of a country that is not her country of registry, unless she is licensed in that country. This means that, for all practical purposes, ham radio is used by sailors only on the high seas in waters of the country of registry. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 219)

High Frequency Single Side Band (HF-SSB)

• The basic deep-sea instrument for picking up weather broadcasts and communicating is the high-frequency (HF) single band radio-telephone (SSB). An SSB is expensive and may remain so due to some built-in costs: its system is complex and its frequency tolerance must be very tight. One alternative is to SSB is direction satellite communication. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 218)
• ?can bend around the earth for a distance. Also very important capability of going to levels high in the atmosphere, where they are reflected back to a point far from the origin of transmission. This means that HF is good for very-long range communication. Since the atmospheric reflecting layers are generated by sunlight, the ability to communicate from one given point to another depends upon the time of day and other factors (among them, the number of sunspots and solar flares. The frequency also affects communications, and SSB instruction manuals list the range for each frequency Generally higher frequencies provide very long ranges, especially under the daytime. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 226)
• Techniques for operating SSB can be found in Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 226
• The jump to SSB is a major one ? in terms of cost, installation, sophistication of circuitry and operation. With the right equipment and atmospheric conditions, the range of an SSB radio is thousands of miles?regulations require the use of VHF whenever its range is sufficient to establish communications; SSB therefore can be used only offshore or in more remote areas of the world, but for the itinerant cruiser, it could prove invaluable. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 265)
• To view a chart of the different distance capabilities of radiotelephones, see Fig. 13-12 from Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 266
• Models range from 50W ? 1,000W, but the largest are really intended for use only on large commercial ships. More power doesn?t necessarily mean greater range or clarity. More important is the user?s knowledge of frequencies, daily and seasonal effects and his ability to tune the set properly. With the improved solid-state circuitry available today, a typical SSB for the cruising sailor might be rated at 150W, and have the same range as the 1,000W sets. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 270)
• SSB frequencies begin with the Middle Frequency (MF) coastal bands at 2 ? 3 MHz. From 4 ? 22 MHz are known as the High Frequency (HF) or High Seas bands. High frequency transmissions result in groundwaves that huge the Earth, and are limited in range to about 150 miles, depending upon conditions and skywave propagation bounced off the ionosphere anywhere from 30 ? 250 miles high. Under good conditions, you can get reception via skywaves up to 5,000 miles. There is a Skip Zone between the groundwaves and skywaves in which the SSB radio is ineffective. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 270)
• Typical frequency for the different reasons is showin in Fig. 13-21 of Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 270
• The effectiveness of SSB is very much dependent upon a good installation, and skilled technicians are required to do the job right. A ground plane must be established that may involve adding ground screens beneath berths, and tying together metal components (such as engine and tanks) inside the boat with woven copper straps. The antenna may be a whip type, or utilize the backstay or, on ketches, the triatic stay, both of which must have insulators no closer than 4? from the mastheads on deck. An antenna coupler electronically charges the antenna?s length to match the desired frequency. The coupler, plus the radio itself, must be properly located and installed. While the time and money investment in SSB is considerable?we have received numerous stories from both ocean racers and crising folks about how SSB saved a life or expedited medical treatment. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 272)
• (To see a typical SSb installation, see Fig. 13-22 from Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 272)
• SSB picks up time signals ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 272)
• More information about establishing an SSB ground plane can be found on the ?Bonding & Grounding System? project page.

Very-High-Frequency Frequency Modulation?(VHF-FM)

• ? provides reception of weather forecasts as well as two-way communications within the relatively small range of approximately 50 miles. The VHF transceivers on the market today are quite small and inexpensive, and very capable?best type to install is the ?synthesized? instrumentthat provides communication on all channels plus the weather channels that, in the United States, receive continuous National Weather Service broadcasts. This type is immune from the bothersome, costly crystal changes that were necessary with early models to provide overage of many channels. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 216)
• When installing VHF, remember that since the signals travel by line of sight, the higher the antenna is mounted, the longer is the instrument?s range. Don?t be impressed by claims for ?high-gain? antennas?they do not work well when a boat is heeled. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 216)
• A VHF transceiver is quickly out of range of weather stations when a boat heads offshore, and soon after that medium frequency commercial stations become increasingly hard to pick up. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 217)
• VHF signals almost always travel in a line of sight path from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna. Since the earth is curved, they can only go so far before the earth gets in the way. This is why VHF-FM radio , like television, is a short-range system. The actual distance the signals can travel depends on the height of the antennas, the higher they are the longer the path can be. ?(Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, p. 226)
• VHF radios are used by all types of commercial and recreational watercraft for ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore conversations. Their range is limited to line of sight, and so are used mostly for coastal cruising. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 265)
• Anyone who can operate a CB can operate a VHF. For calling the U.S. Coast Guard while cruising the coast, or talking to a fisherman or freighter passing by, its utility is unsurpassed. Fully synthesized types don?t use crystals ? just dial the channel number and there you are. VHF radios are almost always mounted inside the cabin, such as above the navigation stations, or in the case of a smaller boat, under the deck or under a shelf on the bulkhead. The antenna is key to a good hook-up. Because the range of VHF is line of sight, the higher the antenna the farther the range. This means that a masthead antenna has a longer range than an antenna mounted on deck?For example, assume that the tip of a deck mounted antenna is 12? above sea level?the distance in nautical miles is 12.1. A masthead antenna 44? above sea level extends that range to 15.8nm ? about 30% greater. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 266 ? 7)
• For a chart that shows distance to object just visible on horizon, see Fig. 13-16 from Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 267
• When reading about VHF radios you usually see maximum distances of 25 ? 35 miles. Several reasons exist for the discrepancies between these distances and the 12 ? 15 miles just mentioned. First, a maximum range of 25 ? 35 miles depends on good weather conditions, as excellent antenna installation and no obstacles ? such as an island ? between the transmitter and receiver. Second, radio waves do tend to curve slightly around the Earth?s surface. The distance to the horizon is determined by this formula: D = 1.144 x ?H (where D is distance to the horizon and H is the height of the observer above sea level). The formula is difference for VHF radios based on the knowledge of how much the wavelengths bend. The difference formulas is about 22%, and this increases our previous figures of 12.1 and 15.8 to 14.7 and 19.3. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 268)
• The key to having a VHF that works at peak efficiency and reliability is the antenna hookup?Usually, masthead antennas are 3db gain and deck-mounted antennas 6db gain. The higher the gain, the longer the antenna, and the greater the range. However, the signal also becomes flatter and this can cause receiving difficulties in rolly seas. The distance from the antenna to the radio in part determine the size of cable needed ? wire that?s too thin, run over a long distance, loses power. So, for 6db gain deck mounted antennas, about 20 fet of ?? cable is provided. it is too small, however, for the 3db gain masthead antenna, which preferably ?? RG-8/Utype coaxial cable with a polyethylene core. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 268)
• The masthead antenna should be securely mounted on the side of the mast and the bracket provided the wire enters the mast through a hole, travels down to the base where it exists the mast again and passes through the deck, through the cabin and to the set. Rubber ferrules in the spar holes prevent cable abrasion. An alternative is to run the cable entirely in the spar. The choice is essentially whether you want the connections inside, out of the weather (but where any banging against the walls will be horrendous), or outside, where if a problem occurs ? and it usually occurs at the connectors ? it is more readily accessible. Some weatherproofing with silicone and duct tape over the conenctors certainly helps. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 268)
• See schematic of a proper VHF installation from Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 268
• ?the closer the unit to the battery, the shorter the power wires and therefore the less potential power loss. For runs up to about 12?, use #10 AWG wire with crimp lugs or eye terminals, and plstic ties to hold them in place as you run them through the boat. The power wires can be led directly to the battery or to the main switch, but not the distribution panel, as too much power will be lost through the additional circuitry of narrow-gauge wires. ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 269)
• VHF picks up the NOAA weather broadcasts ?(Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat, p. 272)

Questions

+ Will I go all the way for max communication instruments?
-> It seems that having the ability to listen in and gather information is essential. I think, that, I can balance this kind of information to ensure my own safety, while also searching for the peace and solitude that can be found at sea. The question is still REALLY do I want to have that constant connection with the outside world? The truth is?the world is always going to be there in some form, and I think, that has to be accepted. I am living in the world, and I can accept to listen to what I want or don?t want. If I focused on weather, I could use it only as a ?tool? and plus, I will get some more contact with people all over the world which is important!

-> The other side of this is the money. If I add up all these things and that delays what I can do in the timeline of the project, then it might make sense. However, if the money will seriously delay the final launch date, I should invest in the bare minimum with plans for extensions of the equipment over time.

-> ?As of 3/11/12, I have decided to start with just a VHF radio. ?Eventually, I?d like to have an SSB and a HAM radio.

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+ Which do I go with, SSB or HAM radio? Both?
-> HAM radio seems to have some great benefits. My worry is about having to have the license. I wouldn?t want it to be able to be cut off by government intervention, and thus, have a useless tool. I also like that SSB receives, so I can ?listen?, but not have to transmit.

-> After some more research, it seems that section ?HAM? shows that HAM cannot be replacement for SSB. Also, HAM radio cannot be used in other countries than your home country or, in international waters. Looks like BOTH is the answer here.

-> As of 4/3/11, I believe that SSB can be a HAM as well?I just checked out hfradio.com (a nice site with some interesting information in a forward way). They said that HAM radio is nice and would rather use it to get some radio contact, but that?s in the space of a HAM shack, not on a moving boat in bad conditions. So I kind of see the point here and I?m also very much on the side of ?add it later? for this one. So, I?ll add it to a later purchase list and stop researching Ham radios for now.

Antennas

+ How many antennas will I need?

-> The following systems require their own antenna:

• Loran-C
• Radar
• VHF-FM
• Satnav.

These systems can share an HF antenna:

• SSB
• Ham
• Communications receiver (The communications receiver must have a loop outside of the normal HF circuit if it is to be used, since the HF coupler will cause interference?that or it?s own antenna)

If I used all of those (as I am currently planning, that would be a total of 5)

-> I have come back to this and now only want to use VHF-FM and SSB/Ham. That means?just 2 antennas?(1/11/11) ? VHF-FM & SSB/Ham

?

+ Where will the VHF antenna be mounted?

-> On top of the mast is the best, since VHF is line of sight. The higher the better.

Antennas ? High Frequency Single Side Band (HF-SSB)

+ How will I install the RF antenna with dual backstays? How will I insulate it?

-> Here?s some information on insulating the HF antenna from:

• One person says ??backstay is insulated in two places?The top approx 3? from the mast, bottom about 6? up. The tuner is mounted to the rudder bearing support in the lazarete?Feed line from the radio to the tuner is RG-*x, by Anchor?I used the center conductor out of some old RG-213 as the jumper from the tuner, which is really par tof the antenna, to the backstay?It runs along the pushpit and then up the backstay, held with tiewraps?As far as insulating the backstay goes, you can get away with just using a single insulation near the mast, then you can feed the chainplate from the tuner, which will feed the backstay?this makes the whole backstay RF hot, but you?re not going to grab it while the trasmitter is keys, trust me.? ( sailboat owners.com)
• Your antenna system requires two segments, with the counterpoise as important as the wire you stick up in the air (e-mail thread with Jack Tyler from WHOOSH).

-> On 4/8, I did some quick research and read how several people suggested staying away from trying to create a dual backstay antenna. Instead, just use a single backstay for the antenna. There was also a suggestion to use ?Gam / McKim Split Lead Antenna? which I looked at and it looked quite promising as it wouldn?t require slicing the backstay at the top and bottom. I think in my case (as an amateur and just learning about all this stuff), purchasing a Gam backstay would be good. Plus, I read they had good customer service. I?ve added this item as something to purchase and will continue to research this item as required.

-> On 4/11 I called Marty from Rodgers Marine here in Portland regarding the Gam/McKim Split Lead Antenna? and he said that he has installed and used them and has had great results. I?ve also been doing auxiliary research and have?decided that the Gam/McKim split lead Antenna?is the way to go. I will mount it on the starboard backstay so that the counterpoise can run from the tuner, via the planned conduit through the sea lockers and into the cabin. Here?s the benefits of this split lead antenna (source is Gam/McKim literature):

• No cutting or swaging; full integrity of the backstay wire is preserved.
• Fully enclosed & insulated RF elements; RF shock hazards associated with conventionally insulated backstay antennas are eliminated
• No cutting, swaging, or measuring: simply press fit the Split Lead antenna over the backstay wire
• No need to remove existing swages
• Highly conductive RF elements-many times more electrically conductive than a stainless steel backstay wire
• Waterproof & electrically sound lead wire connections; no more performance losses associated with the corrosion of bare copper lead wires wrapped around exposed backstays
• RF elements completely shielded against wind, rain & salt spray
• RF elements shielded against Precipitation Static, a form of RF interference associated with squalls & thunderstorms at sea
• Coils to a diameter of approximately 26? when not in use
• Easily transferred from one backstay to another
• Tough LDPE antenna housing specifies a 2.5% carbon content to ensure maximum UV and weathering resistance
• Antenna housing measures just 1 5/16? width x 1/2? thickness; total length is 34 feet
• Cost is competitive with conventional backstay insulators, including swaging expenses

-> On 4/12 I Ed Russel from Bam/McKay gave me a call back and was very helpful. He mentioned that their antenna has been produced 5 years and they have about 600 out there all around the world. In fact, the producer of the KISS-SSB counterpoise first tested his counterpoise with the Gam/McKim split lead antenna after he saw it on a boat in the South Pacific and found it to work well (that?s cool!). Ed mentioned that there are actually 2 antennas on either side of a center core, which places the radio conductive material outside of stainless steel backstay, giving 360 coverage. I also asked Ed if he had ever heard that mounting the antenna as near to the water as possible was best and he said this isn?t something he has recommended in the past.

Communications?Receiver

+ If I go with a communications receiver, do I also want to get the code recorder & decoder?
-> It would be very nice to be able to have something collect the morse code for weather readings for me for review.

-> As of 9/12/11, I have decided against an SSB. I would prefer to learn to read the weather myself, rather than rely on a system.

Handheld Amateur Radio (HAM)

+ Can I operate on my own band or something with HAM?
-> I have decided against adding Ham radio at this time (4/3/11). Therefore, I will not research this essentially open ended question about how HAM works exactly. I?ll come back to it at a time when I decide to add a ham radio to le boat.

High Frequency Single Side Band (HF-SSB)

+ Which SSB radio should I buy? Which tuner?
-> Here?s some quick research on the topic (3/30/11):

• he cheapest SSB radio option (and good for lots of other reasons) is a used but bench-checked and adjusted amateur (ham) radio; the typical choice is a Icom 706 (e-mail conversation with Jack Tyler from s/v WHOOSH)
• One person on sailboat owners.com also suggested the ICOM 706 and they used a SGC 237 Tuner

-> On 4/3/11 I read that a IC-706MKIIG is very compact @ 167 (W) x 58 (H) x 200 (D) mm

-> On 4/11/11 I called Marty from Rodgers Marine (here in Portland) and he said that a marine SSB is just a modulation of HAM radio. A marine SSB radio is designed to operate on just the marine waves, HAM is designed to operate on all others. HAM radio has lots of wires and dials (to screw it up!), but marine radio is more for non-technical people to select channel. Frequency stability is higher (w/in 20hz of designated frequency) with marine radio and the Icom 706 is a HAM rig, the marine rig they make is M802.

-> As of 9/12/11, I?ve decided not to go with an SSB. The reason is simplicity and to keep costs down. It?s funny to look back now, 5 months later, and see how my opinions have shifted quite a bit. Simplicity, cost and learning to live without is my new mantra. If I really want an SSB at a later date, the research I?ve done will serve me well. The big thing is that I was going to install some 1?+ conduit for the antenna, which would be hidden below the insulation. If I want to add this at a later date, it might be a task after all the lockers and so on are installed, but I?m sure I can figure it out if it?s something I really want. Especially considering how the SSB antenna is fairly flexible in terms of installation.

?

+ What type of connections will I make to my SSB (e.g. modem)?
-> As of 3/30/11 I?ve read about adding a TNC (mentioned below in the ?benefits? question). Jack Tyler (owner of s/v SWOOSH) also mentioned the following during an e-mail conversation: you can get digital quality fax products, NOAA wind/wave and text f?casts and also your email, all without cost, by getting a ham license and purchasing a Pactor modem. This last item costs almost as much as the radio but you will never be sorry you made that investment after dueling with weather systems a fair bit ? I?ll have to keep researching this.

-> Eric said he will use a pactor modem. That?s the most common one at this time ? but it may become cheaper soon enough to have broadband off boats. Having now heard this from 2 people, I believe this is the thing to use and have added it to my purchase list and don?t have any other things to add to this SSB.

?

+ What other benefits are there from SSB?
-> On 3/23/11 I read an article (http://www.svsarah.com/Whoosh/WhooshPrepMods.htm) that said you can use a Terminal Node Controller. They have a whole table of the benefits on that page (incl. the ability to send/receive e-mail, receive current weather products from the internet, receive navtex weather forecast and navigation information). Here?s what they said:

A TNC is the equivalent of a SSB ?modem? as it allows the digital output of your computer to be transformed into the analog signal sent ? and received ? by your radio. (I hasten to point out before going further that an entire book could be written on this subject)! There are experienced cruising sailors who think the $600-900 U.S. cost of the TNC can be better spent elsewhere since one of its main benefits ? receiving email via the SSB radio ? can be accomplished in many other ways when ashore, though not at sea. Pocketmail, Cyber Caf?, direct ISP connection are all examples. And to be fair, another reason some steer clear of using a TNC is that there?s a fairly steep learning curve initially, although you can rely on a vendor like HF Radio (www.hfradio.com) to help you through this phase. So?if it?s pricey, requires a later model SSB radio in order to work properly, mandates the placement and use of a laptop somewhere on the boat, and isn?t intuitively obvious to initially use, why do I have it on my ?Best Mods? list? Here are the ways we?ve benefited, along with some sources of information and related comments. Hopefully, I?m stating all this in normal English at the expense of using more correct technical jargon, as one problem most of us have when starting to climb the learning curve on TNC/SSB use is the language specific to this topic.

?

+ How will HF Antenna grounding work? If I do a SSB, how will I create a ground plane?
-> This installation require some planning, investment and work. ?I cover grounding in more depth on this project page ? Bonding & Grounding.

Very-High-Frequency Frequency Modulation?(VHF-FM)

+ Which VHF will I buy?
-> On 3/23/11, Matt Hickey (www.tidalpool.org) suggested I use the ?Standard Horizon GX2100B Matrix AIS VHF? as it can connect to AIS. He said there may be newer models that require less wires to connect to the AIS (as this model takes 2 lines from the VHF to the computer). Regardless, the VHF should have the AIS ability and I?ll have to keep thinking about which one to get exactly

-> [Continue researching/thinking/considering....]

?

+ Will I also want a CB for very close communications?
-> I haven?t heard of anyone doing this and therefore don?t really think that it?s really that necessary. Plus, if I really want it I can add it later.

Product List

High Frequency Single Side Band (HF-SSB)

• #__ RG-213/U wire (for radio)
• .15uf ceramic capacitor (for RF ground)
• 7.6cm (3?) wide foil ribbon (for RF ground)
• Antenna Thru-deck fitting
• Gam / McKim Split Lead Antenna (includes line from antenna to tuner) ($419)
• HF Antenna Coupler
• Icom 706 SSB
• KISS-SSB (for RF counterpoise) ($139)
• Pactor modem
• TNC (?)
• Tuner (?)

Very-High-Frequency Frequency Modulation?(VHF-FM)

• .5? RG-8/Utype coaxial cable with a polyethylene core (VHF Antenna)
• #__ RG-213/U wire (radios)
• Manta-6 VHF Marine Whip Antenna
• Coax Seal (60?) (?)
• Lightening Arrestor (for radio antenna)
• PL-259 coax terminals
• Standard Horizon GX2100B Matrix AIS VHF (?)

Links

Source: http://www.bristol27.com/projects/radio

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