SSB, ham radio install

[Micahbigsur@msn.com]

I want to install our sweet little Icom 706 MKII G that was tuned up for us by Gordon West. We had it in our Ranger Tug and now need to install it into our CD 25. I have done a few installs of various SSBs but a conventional tumer and antenna won't fit. Has anyone installed a radio using one of the portable antennas?
Dana was one of the net controllers in Mexico and really enjoyed using the radio. We don't expect the same performance as what we got with the Icom 802 we had set up in our steel sailboat.
Dana KJ6GXG
Micah KJ6GUF
Thanks Micah

[thataway]

There are a number of options. One of the issues is a good ground plane--but maybe you already have that covered.

I have used Ham sticks in dipole configurations. This gets past the ground plane issues. The MFJ-347 dipole mount makes the installation easy. I have also used Hustlers in a dipole configuration, before the Ham Sticks---(since the 80's). The issue with the Hustlers is that they have pot metal and tend to corrode in the marine environment.

Pro Com makes Ham Sticks, as does MFJ (under the "MFJ monoband mobile HamTenna Whip"). These are both available in 6, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, 40 and 75 meters..

There are a number of other options, but I have had good success running MM for over 30 years with these. A bit more complex is the Outbacker, using two, or tuned radials under the deck with a single. (same concept for the ham sticks with radials.). I used the Ham Sticks dipole on a Tom Cat--but would be equally "at home" on the C Dory 25. I used a IC 706 on the Tom Cat.

Perhaps you have met Sandy[KN6YQ],and Gary [KN6RM]Butts either on the air or on their boat. Gary was a net control for both Sonrisa and Chubasco nets for a number of years,

73's

[Micahbigsur@msn.com]

Hey thanks for the feedback,I had a whole reply ready to post and somhow lost it, second time! I should start using my tablet insted of a phone, arg!
Anyway I am a bit weak on ham jargon, I have a decent amount of ground plane but these somhow work without one? I have seen them on line but have no clue how they work. One for each band? Which would I need? I want to keep Dana happy so what specifically would you get for a no expense spared (within reason) setup?
Yes we met many friends on the nets, they are so valuable even today, it is really sad that Geary died last month so we have lost a great weather forecaster.
Thanks, Micah

[thataway]

A dipole uses two equal tuned radiators. The "ham Sticks" are tuned for the band: 75 meters for the 3968 Mhz Sonrisa net, the 40 meter for 7238.5Mhz (Baja Net), 7.194(Chubasco Net) and the 20 meter for 13,300 Mhz (Maritime Service Net). Times and frequencies vary by time of the year.

The dipole is somewhat bi-directional--so you have to have the two antennas, at right angle to the direction of the station if used in the horizontal plane. If used as verticals, there will be variable bounce, but less directional.

The connector is:



The antenna feed PL 259 got into its socket--and the 3/8" base thread of each "stick" goes into one of the two hex elongated "nuts".

The antenna: You need two for each frequency: They are changed by frequency. No tuner necessary. (or a small manual tuner can be used, such as MFJ-971 (this is 6" x 6" x 2"--and ideal for transceivers such as the IC 760.



Combined they are like this:



There are several U tube videos on use of the "ham sticks" as a dipole.

I used a combination of 3 single ham sticks to allow 75, 40 and 20 meters without switching antennas, with a very good ground plane: Hope this is not too technical but I took a 1" x 10" piece of SS, drilled three 3/8" holes in it. The center had a 3/8 nut on the base of the ham stick which tied it to a PL 251 female fitting for the feed line. Each outer just had the 3/8 nut to tie it to the SS Strap. The Strap was bent at 30* for each outer "stick". So that they were separated. The strap/mount was electrically isolated from the "Radar Arch" it was mounted on. The ground from the feed, went directly to the radar arch. Both ends of the arch were bonded under the deck, to 3" wide copper strapping. This ran all around under the deck, was tied into metal fuel and water tanks, as well as a "Dyna plate" right under my "antenna farm". The 3" wide copper strapping is key in an effective SSB ground plane system. The copper braid which is occasionally used, is not effective, and will lead for excessive RF interference in the boat.

If your 25 has a radar arch similar to what I currently have on my 2007 C Dory 25, it could have the Copper foil attached to the leg of your radar arch inside the head, and run down behind the vent tube for the "AirHead", to where it could be run under the deck, and bonded to other metal plates inside of the boat. In your 2003 boat (which was what my first 25 was), there should be good access to the under the deck area if you wanted to put a ground plane there. For a small boat as the C Dory, I would not advise to attempt to use radials. When joining the 3" foil I fold over the tape if there is a right angle or 45* corner. I always sweat solder the joints and bends in the foil. When connecting to any bolt--such as the base of the radar arch, or the ground point on the radio--fold over the foil several times and punch a hole with an ice pick or punch to fasten under the flat washers.

3" wide "copper foil":

The Outbacker and a number of similar antennas, use a base loading, with a variable "jumper" or a coil with taps, or contacts which can change the resonate frequency of the antenna. These will require a good ground plane as above.

[Micahbigsur@msn.com]

I think I see what you you are describing but two different systems one with the ham sticks which need to chane for each band and tend to be directional but no ground plane foil needed I thought?
The second one you have all three single band antennas permanently mounted without its opposite paired dipole antenna on a strap isolated from the arch? Then you don't need to change anything when you are on different bands? But does need a tuner?
I don't understand the part about taking the ground from the "feed" do you mean to the shielding somehow? Or are the 3/8 nuts isolated and then run to the arch/ground plane as the mounting strap is isolated? Or am I missing a separate ground wire. I am very familiar with running a foil ground, but from an auto adjusting tuner. I still have the one I took off the Tug that had a 21 foot whip. But it wouldn't be anywhere near the arch?
Thank you for your help and the photos. Micah

[thataway]

Yes, one is the dipole system--and the other is using 3 different band antennas at the same time.

To attach the PL 259 connector to the antenna will require a SO-239 TO 3/8" x 24 THREADED STUD ANTENNA MOUNT ADAPTER





My Radar arch had several SS plates on the top welded to each side of the legs, with a 1/2 hole drilled in the center of the plate for the SO 239 fitting (see above) to pass thru, and then the ring nut tightened on the bottom of the connector, finally the PL 259 was attached and snugged up tight.. I then used piece of SS rod threaded to 3/8" on each end, Lock nutted into the top of the fitting, and then the tip into a long 3/8 nut, which passed thru the center of the 1" x 12" SS plate (bent, and with the antennas on it. This is all part of the radiator. The transceiver is feeding the threaded rod, the plate and the 3 radiating elements. The ground is thru the coax of the feed line, as well as the copper foil which will be attached to the radar arch, as well as to the ground lug of the IC 706 chassis.

The dipole is far easier to build. A lot depends on how big your radar arch is, and if there is provision for a plate to hold antennas. You have to have at least 3 feet from other antennas on the arch. The boat I built my 3 radiator system had a beam of over 12' and the radar arch (all of the way aft) was over 10 feet across the top--so there was plenty of separation between the radar, and other antennas on the arch.

Sorry I don't have any photos of the setup. (Before digital photography).

[thataway]

Yes, one is the dipole system--and the other is using 3 different band antennas at the same time.

To attach the PL 259 connector to the antenna will require a SO-239 TO 3/8" x 24 THREADED STUD ANTENNA MOUNT ADAPTER



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The SS radar arch had a 1/8" thick SS plate welded Between the two upper athwartship members. That piece of SS had a 1/2" hole thru it, so the SO-239 as above could be passed thru it, and a ring nut snugged up to hold that on the radar arch--this part is grounded both by the coax outer braid, and the foil (thru the leg of the radar arch to the ground lug of the IC 706.). The 3/8" coupling nut, and all above it is fed by the center and is basically part of the radiating element. We put a SS rod about 18" long, and threaded 3/8" x 16 on both ends. These threaded ends fit into coupling nut at the top as well (lock with a standard 3/8x16 nut, (and locktite.). The center Ham stick is screwed into the top of the coupling nut-thru the 1" x 12" bent SS strap. Thus both physically securing the 3 holed strap, and making this all part of the antenna radiating element. Not the insulator on the fitting noted above. Same for the dipole--one side is insulated from the ground, and the other element is fed thru the center feed.

[Micahbigsur@msn.com]

Bob, thanks for the detailed reply, a couple more questions.
Do the 3 pemanatly mounted antennas that cover 3 bands requiring the foil grounding need a tuner ?
Do you know of or about a portable adjustable antenna, the Super Antenna, Super Whip, max? It can apparently be mounted on a boat if you throw a wire into the water each time you use it for a ground. Is the salt environment too corrosive for it? It has a coil and a sliding adjustment. It folds down into a small travel bag and would not be mounted permanently, only put up when anchored.
Thanks, Micah

[thataway]

There are any number of base loaded adjustable antennas--either by coil and clips, coil with motor to move the conductor up and down remotely, or manual moving a jumper such as the "OutBacker". They have to be manually tuned for each band--this means going up on deck to turn the coil, or move the clips etc. Any bare metal, with contacts, does not work that well if it gets salt spray on the surface. The Ham Sticks type are all epoxy potted--with just the stinger and its adjusting point exposed.

I have never used the "Super Antenna, Super Whip", but just putting wires in the water for any antenna is not a suitable ground. These are much better for "ham Field days", where you are on terra firma. Wire does not have the surface area to be a good RF counter poise. If you were to dangle your 3" foil overboard, that may be adequate in saltwater.

On our Tom Cat, I had foil run down inside the cabin, to metal on the engine mounts, which also ran it directly into the sea water. We used either single Ham sticks with the ground, or the dipole system. The Dipoles worked slightly better by signal reports. I did not use the triple Ham Stick mount on the Tom Cat--only using the SS hand rails as points of attachment, having no radar arch.

On our Cal 46, we had several antenna systems and radios. The Ham radio I often ran thru the three ham sticks. I worked all of the West Coast Mexico nets regularly--subject to propagation. From West Coast of US, I worked stations as far as New Zealand on the Ham Sticks. No tuner was necessary for the triple ham sticks. This was with the ham radio. I also had a SEA Marine SSB radio, which had been modified to all bands in the HF range, including the Ham bands, and other commercial frequencies, as well as the built in Marine SSB. It had an auto antenna tuner. I ran this thru a 23' Shakespeare SSB antenna, an insulated long wire run from the radar arch top to the top of the mast, aft. We also had various wire dipoles which were hoisted as a sloper for ham work.

In the ground system, I had a switch to cut in a Dynaplate or leave it out of the ground system. The only way to know if the water contact t helped was signal reports. Generally my signal was one to two "S" units better with the water ground in the circuit.

[Micahbigsur@msn.com]

Thanks Bob, this has been very helpful. I will try ham sticks for our system the dipole sounds simple and reliable. I will also make up your triple stick setup and put it in the truck in case I want to try that system. I will install the a foil ground before we head south, I built my arch out of aluminum with the under deck plate the same. I will bond the copper to it with dielectric silicone and hope for the best. Maybe I should try tinning it first.
Thanks, Micah