[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Fwd: Boat RF Ground plans, plus do you know if anyone has a battery cable crimper and cable cutter that I can use?

[Ian]

Anyone have a crimping tool to handle 4ga battery cable?
73, Ian N8IK


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Philip Brown <phil at pjb3.com>
Date: Wed, May 26, 2021 at 9:22 PM
Subject: Boat RF Ground plans, plus do you know if anyone has a battery
cable crimper and cable cutter that I can use?
To: Ian Keith <n8ik at arrl.net>, Don (KI4D) <don.ki4d at gmail.com>
Cc: Philip J Brown III <phil at pjb3.com>


Hello Ian,

(Don,  I’m CC’ing as an FYI… since you’re clearly interested in everything
RF ! :-)     )

Do you know if anyone in the club has a battery cable crimper that I can
borrow?
Is there any way that you could pose the question to the membership?


I’m planning to run some 4 Gauge tinned copper wires in both the boat and
the 4Runner, and once I crimp and heat-shrink the cables
I’d have no use for a crimper or a cable cutter of that size…  not to
mention that this project is starting to get **expensive**  !!  :-)


Here’s the update on my plans for an RF ground for the boat, and also for
my 4Runner.

*Any feedback from you, Don or an Elmer would be warmly welcomed.  :-)*


I found a part on craig’s list for $45 and bought it today — New old
stock…. basically someone bought it and never used.
Westmarine sells the same part new for $109.   The manufacturer claims it
has the same effect as 12 sqft of copper foil.

It’s cool.  It’s extremely pourous bronze that is specially bonded together
to act as an electrical and RF ground.  You bolt it to the bottom
of your boat, and connect the ground wire to a gold plated bolt using gold
plated nuts that are provided.

It also protects the boat from lightning strikes by offering a high-current
path to ground.
It has some type of silver conductive paste that’s dried out in the box for
my unit… I could probably use a small amount if anyone has a tube of that
as well.

The guy who I bought mine from said that his boat had a lighting strike
while at the dock, and while it destroyed his dynaplate and fried his
electronics,
it didn’t blow-out his through-hull transducer, which he said is a common
problem that leaves a hole in the hull that sinks many boats.

This is pretty cool, and all new to me, but I find it exciting!

I’m planning to use one of these
as my “common RF ground” point for the boat, and another one for the
4Runner.
I’m planning to run a  4 gauge copper tinned cable from this ground to the
dynaplate on the boat, and to the vehicles body near the battery ground
on the 4Runner.

>From Westmarine:


   1. Marine Electronics <https://www.westmarine.com/marine-electronics> /
   2. Marine Communication <https://www.westmarine.com/marine-communication>
    /
   3. VHF Accessories <https://www.westmarine.com/vhf-accessories> /
   4. Grounding <https://www.westmarine.com/grounding>

[image: Dynaplate, Bonding Use]larged view of picture, opens dialimages
carousel, showing slide 1 of 1
GUEST <https://www.westmarine.com/guest>–Dynaplate, Bonding Use
0 stars, 0 reviews, skips to reviews
$109.99


Model # 377010 | Mfg # 4008
SpecsDynaplate, Bonding Use
NameValue
Type Ground Plates
Product Overview

Bronze grounding plates replace yards of copper foil. Looks like a solid
bronze plate, but actually a porous matrix of bronze spheres, presenting
the same effective electrical surface as a much larger expanse of copper
foil. Use as electronic ground for SSBs, Lorans and ham transceivers, or as
a ground reference in bonding systems. Includes gold-plated bronze flathead
fasteners and silver contact paste for superior conductivity. Plates have
tapered ends and rounded edges for reduced turbulence.

Standard Dynaplate
Part No. 4006
Dimensions: 6.0"W x 2.0" H x 0.50" D
Mounting Holes: 2-1/2" center to center
Mounting Hardware:1-3" Gold plated bolt and nut, 1-3" Bronze bolt and nut,
3 copper washers
Weight: 3 Lbs.


   - Use for basic bonding and grounding
   - Improves performance of electronics and reduces RF interference
   - Offers the best path for hull bonding without long runs of copper foil
   - Equivalent to 12 square feet of copper foil
   - Provides a direct, low resistance path for improved lighting protection
   - Deters electrolysis and galvanic corrosion
   - Sintered porous bronze sphere construction for maximum conductivity in
   a compact size
   - Low drag, non fouling shape
   - Easy to install
   - Easy to clean with wire brush
   - Conforms to ABYC standards

>From the installation instructions:
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