[Elecraft] Antennas and other.

[ussv dharma]

Aloha Pete:
  No, I use the internal K3 tuner and then that feeds into an MFJ 986.  this seems to work out just fine, even when I am loading up all the rigging on the boat.

For a ground you can never have enough...I strongly suggest visiting a "stained glass" supply store.  They sell copper ribbon in various widths....the widest normally being around 3/4 inch.  It is extremely thin, but remember rf travels only on the skin of a conductor.
It is also sticky backed and it is around ten buck for a forty foot roll instead of 50 dollars for the wide, thick stuff sold at west marine.

In the bilges of the boat, above the water and on the "tumble home" run three strips of copper ribbon down each side of the boat...solder them together at various points.  then cover them over with varnish,shellac, etc.  

It is rather hard to hid a big ground wire running from the
 rig down into the bilges, however the ribbon is easily hidden.

Now, remember, the ribbon is a conductor, the boat is an insulator, and the sea is a conductor....VOILA...condenser.  You have capacitive coupled into the ocean.

Number TWO....do not cut the back stay and put in insulators...firstly, it is impossible to adequately connect the copper wire to the stainless backstay.  Instead, run a sep. wire up to the top of the mast, with insulator at top, and insulator just above head heighth on the bottom.  Use this as an antenna,.

A cut backstay is a future failure point.

No, the extra wire will not present problems because of all the rigging, heck if used, the back stay would do the same thing.

If the back stay MUST be used...shine up the stainless steel, shine up the copper wire and , wrap then together first having applied. WELDERS HIGH TEMPERATURE COPPER WELDING PASTE.  It is transparent to rf and
 makes a really good connection between the back stay and the copper wire.  Then put onj a hose clamp, then two layers of electrical tape, and then COAT WITH TWO COATS OF LIQUID ELECTRICAL TAPE.

You now have a bullet proof back stay connection that should last for years and years, instead of the normal way with its need of redoing every couple of years.

I would look for a used Icom 718....really good starter rig, at a reasonable price...and a plug and ply as far as pactor III, rtty, etc is concerned.  I have used one for years...Now it is my backup as I have the K3

Susan

If you don't change direction you WILL arrive exactly where you're headed!! Susan Meckley, Skipper W7KFI-mm  AFA9SM                         USSV DHARMA 

--- On Thu, 9/16/10, Pete Barth <petebarth at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Pete Barth <petebarth at gmail.com>
Subject: Antennas and other.
To: "Susan Meckley, Skipper W7KFI-mm AFA9SM USSV DHARMA" <ussvdharma at yahoo.com>
Cc: "ronald finkelstein" <sailmariah at gmail.com>
Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010, 8:33 AM

Hello Susan,

from Pete Barth W6LAW.

I have seen your posts forever now on the Elecraft pages.
I have had a K2 since they came out, 
a K3 of serial number that matches my K2 serial number, 
a KX-1 that is more fun than I could ever imagine. 


Recently an old work buddy of mine (now we are both retired) that has had a sailboat for years just passed his technician license.
He is Ron Finklestein KJ6KIU.
I was pleasantly surprised when he joined our ham ranks. 

He wants more comms. onboard, and the safety of the ham radios while on the water.
He is in the marina near LAX and goes to Catalina often.
He was just out watching blue whales, he saw about 150 of them.

I was going to recommended a used IC706MK2 with a LDG tuner, or something like it for him to start.

I was going to help him with a mast mounted 144 / 450 vertical on the mast top.
And some kind of sloping vertical (with two insulators) as a backstay antenna for the lower bands.
Would that become a lightning rod?


I think he has one noble plate for the thru-hull water and head, and another wire running to the prop shaft.
He thinks neither of these are tied to any "ground" on the boat.
I will have to check this stuff myself.


I am hoping that you might offer any hints that you have learned the hard way.
Ground for the radios?
Counterpoise?
Best ant for the lower bands? Vertical or inverted vee?
He thinks an inverted vee will get in the way of the sails.

Angle might be collapsed enough to ruin teh antenna pattern too.

I think you use LDG tuners?

He will not be getting a K3 for a year or two.
And he wants to use the boat radio in the car (Prius) and his house to start.

I know this will get old for him, but that is how he will get more radios like the rest of us!

Any help will be appreciated,

Pete
petebarth at gmail.com