Hi, Ron, yours below for reference, Just starting to look around, and I see that I can get 9913 (looks to be a huge cable - .405??) for $.79 plus $10 for pro installed connectors (http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1473), of which, of course, I could only use one, as I'd have to get one end or the other through the smaller hole in the top of the mast - which, if it really IS that big, I'd have to enlarge, which might be a bit of a challenge with the existing cable already in it!
So, at a nominal 70-80' (my 80' cat5 is considerably more than I need), I'm in for new cable at a pretty low cost ($70 for 75' with one connector installed). Sounds more attractive than chasing ghosts especially as I rather enjoy being up the mast. So, suggestions for specific cable to use (as, milspec? or something else)? Presumably, given the cable sizes being different, each would have different connectors required, too, no? L8R Skip Morgan 461 #2 SV Flying Pig KI4MPC See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery ! Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog "You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it however." (and) "There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hand (Richard Bach) ----- Original Message ----- From: Ron Rogers To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2009 9:56 PM Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] FW: VHF ant Hopefully, someone else can remind us, but the Metz (excellent choice) may have "a designed dead short to ground" in this case the mast. That's what a tech told me. The SWR for my Metz, atop a 52' mast with no intervening break in mil spec RG8U was 1:1 occasioning that tech's remark. Good is anywhere between 1.5:1 and 1:1. In *theory* coax that old isn't any good anymore. The default for most installs these days is tinned RG8X. Some advocate a newer cable: RG213 which is supposedly lower loss. My personal opinion is that a tinned shield is more important than type. Soldered terminations should be used. At the masthead, I used silicone, shrink tubing, and a self-sticking silicone tape. Nothing got through in 6 years. Today, I'd use black shrink tubing lined with adhesive and protected with rigging wrap as a sun shield. I had an outstanding signal surpassing all other boats. Part of that was delivering maximum voltage to the VHF. Some brands are much more tolerant of low voltage than others. Icom is good in that respect. "Practical Sailor" has periodic reviews of VHFs and is worth checking as sometimes there are surprises. Good luck and keep us posted, Ron
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