Active Capt / Defender SSB special

[capbillh]

I do have a complete setup of a ICOM 802 and AT-140 for sale. It includes a counterpoise "ladder", DC ground block circuit board, 44' rope antenna and all cables. It has been factory modified for the "compression" fix.
I am located in southern NJ with my boat in the Chesapeake.

[a64pilot]

I did buy it. I'm at the boat now so I guess I will get it next week.
I've only done civilian aircraft installs usually modified Kenwood radios.
I was unaware you could use a thru hull. For some reason I thought you had to have a big copper plate. I was also unaware you could use a whip? On aircraft we use about a 40' wire going from the cockpit to the tail and from there to the wing although some use a trailing antenna.
If a whip is possible and you can use a thru hull, no reason not to install it soon. If not I may do a temp install at the house we are moving to, I have a large power supply. These things require a LOT of power to xmit?
On aircraft there is a separate tuner box that I believe that can compensate some for antenna length but you still have to have a long antenna.

For the Gentleman that has one for sale, you will get a lot more views if you post in the classified section. I would think a complete HF kit if price right would be a hot item, I'm sure it will sell if priced right.


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[capbillh]

Captain Don,
Your stated address did not go thru. I have posted the kit in Classifieds.

[Cuttyhunk]

I think it wants a 30 or 35 amp power supply. I needed to buy a power supply last winter and checked the 802's specs to be sure I got one big enough for the day when I got the radio.

I had a whip antenna and a copper flashing ground plane (laid down in a lazarette) last time I went cruising (1991-93). The whip worked pretty well, but I always felt a backstay would be better and neater.

[ka4wja]

A64,

1) To go into the intricacies of RF Antenna Grounds is beyond what I have time for here tonight, but I have written about a good deal of it here before (check the thread about the KISS ground), and in a nutshell, if you have a few sq. inches of clean (no barnacles) RF conductive metal in the sea water, and can connect to that with a low-inductive connection (such as copper strapping) to your tuner's ground lug, you're good to go!!
(if you can do this with a bronze thru-hull, that's good....if not, then a flat grounding plate would be your best bet....note that the "sintered bronze" Dynaplates probably work no better than a solid bronze plate....but, having a bronze plate custom-made is more expensive that the darn Dynaplates!!)

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I was unaware you could use a thru hull. For some reason I thought you had to have a big copper plate.

Also, don't discount tying in pushpits/stern rails, lifelines, alum toerails, etc...although tying in a keel bolt is also good, typically the strapping connection running to the keel bolt is so long that it functions as a radial (counterpoise) as a connection to the sea water (and some find little difference whether the keel bolt is connected or not..)





As for antennas....
Length is what makes the difference in both antenna efficiency and the tuner's ability to match the transmitter to the antenna with as low loss as possible....
In general you want a vertical of at least 1/8-wave long at your lowest operating freq, and preferably 1/4-wave long....
BUT...
But, when desiring to cover 2mhz thru 26mhz (maritime) and 1.8 or 3.6mhz thru 28mhz (ham), this isn't possible, as then the antenna becomes too long to have a low angle of radiation at the higher freqs...
SO...
So, what we do is compromise!!!
Typically those with backstay antennas of 40' - 45' will have significantly better results on the lower freqs (below 8mhz), and slightly better on the middle HF freqs (10mhz thru 14mhz), but those with 23' whips might have better results on the higher freqs (18mhz and up) on the long multi-hop paths...

Since almost all HF maritime comms these days is below 16mhz...and most is between 4mhz and 12mhz....
And, most HF ham comms of concern to most cruisers in from 3.6mhz thru 14mhz (some on 21mhz)....
Using an antenna of 40' - 45', is best!

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I was also unaware you could use a whip?
On aircraft there is a separate tuner box that I believe that can compensate some for antenna length but you still have to have a long antenna.

At home, no worries.....but, on-board, please understand that with a "temp install"....you may end up with some troubles....
So, when installing it on-board, my advice, do it right...do it once!!

Originally Posted by a64pilot

If not I may do a temp install at the house we are moving to,

Typical current draw for the M-802 is 28.6amps to 29.5amps (at 13.5vdc)....which is surprising to some....but this is why its spec'd at 30 amps of current draw!!!
(I posted the exact figures for various modes and on different freqs, etc....but all were between 28.5 and 29.5amps!!)

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have a large power supply. These things require a LOT of power to xmit?

Hope this helps!

Fair winds....

John

[zboss]

We have an 802 and for the life of me I cannot figure out where all the static/interference is coming from. We get lots of static even we we turn off everything on the boat at the breaker panel, including main DC and AC. 802 is connected directly to batteries.

I gave up using it. We were struck by lightning and it was knocked out, got insurance and just ordered a new one using the deal in this thread in hope that I can get it working.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by ka4wja

Typical current draw for the M-802 is 28.6amps to 29.5amps (at 13.5vdc)....which is surprising to some....but this is why its spec'd at 30 amps of current draw!!!
(I posted the exact figures for various modes and on different freqs, etc....but all were between 28.5 and 29.5amps!!)

John, was this current draw at high power (150W)? With a good install, one shouldn't need high power very often. I can't remember the last time we needed more than 20W - even when communicating Panama-Canada.

One thing that I did which was great for our install was connecting the transceiver to the starting battery and not the house bank. This isolated the power source from normal ship equipment noise and the battery is fully charged at all times - particularly in the morning when most people use the radio for the nets/weather.

BTW, we have a 710RT, not an 802, but that doesn't matter for the above.

Mark

[dwoodall]

Originally Posted by zboss

We have an 802 and for the life of me I cannot figure out where all the static/interference is coming from. We get lots of static even we we turn off everything on the boat at the breaker panel, including main DC and AC. 802 is connected directly to batteries.

I gave up using it. We were struck by lightning and it was knocked out, got insurance and just ordered a new one using the deal in this thread in hope that I can get it working.

Hi John,

I am not sure I am understanding you. Were you getting static on the 802 or on other devices when the 802 is on? One quick thing to try is put a large ferrous bead around the cable making a couple of wraps of the power cable through the bead. Same for the cable going from the actual radio to the control head. I have never used an 802 but have been a ham since the 70's and have chased more RF interference that I want to remember. With everything being digital these days, there are a lot more sources of EM noise that ever. Finding the culprit can be tricky. As an EE for many, many years, I have chased digital noise from seemingly mundane sources. Good grounding and ferrite beads are your friend. If you can't track it down, reach out to the local ham community. Someone there will usually help you out.

[btrayfors]

Cuttyhunk,

I've installed several M802's and M700Pros on catamarans without a backstay. We used one of the shrouds, insulating it top and bottom for those which shared a common chainplate, and top only for one big cat with a single shroud and chainplate, feeding it from the chainplate inside the hull.

All shroud installations have worked quite well. For RF grounds, I've used several methods, depending on the catamaran's configuration. One used a 4" wide copper grounding strip from the tuner to a nearby bronze thru-hull. Others used the KISS-SSB radial system, one coiled in the bottom of a shoe locker, another passing thru a hanging locker and partially in the bilge.

I've used both of these RF ground systems on many monohull boats, including my own, as well as other systems: s/s rubrail (on Island Packets), aluminum toe rail, pushpit/lifelines, rudder post, external grounding plate, etc., etc.

My advice is: don't believe all you read. Lots of folks have strong opinions on RF ground systems and, like anchor debates, you won't find 100% consensus on any one. And, some of the "scientific" tests done and reported provide only partial data: they are deeply flawed from a research and engineering perspective.

But, take heart, the good news is that modern autotuners like the AT-140 will tune the proverbial wet noodle, admitedly with some losses which in practice are hardly noticeable.

FWIW,

Bill
WA6CCA

[henryk]

Been there! done that!
I had that set up back in 2008 when went full time cruising, from Florida down to South America.Very pricy, complex to use, difficult to install. i connected the copper tape to all my bronze through hulls and it worked fine. Now I'm on my second boat causing the Caribbean and didn't bother with any SSB at all. $450 Canadian got me 'In Reach' on the $65 plan I have an unlimited text, get weather, and I only get a plan for a month when i need it.If you are crossing the Pacific and would like to stay in touch with the rest ,SSB is nice to have, for the rest, I wouldn't bother again

[capitangiorg]

HAM radios and Marine radios are two different world. On my boat I've an M802 and a IC706 mk II. I use both of them via an AT 140 connected at the 70' insulated backstay. In the last 8 years I've done all the improvements I could on my rig and I'm proud that usually my signal is one of the louder on most net I use to call in.
In my expierence if you need a radio easy to use, with DSC then M802 is the answer. It is also very good on data trasmission (pactor), but If you like to spend time chatting on the net with a good signal and lots of settings on your transmission and reception an HAM radio will suite your need better.
I use to talk with my relatives when I'm on the other part of the atlantic. We tried to comparate the signal strenght and the signal quality of the 2 radios uncountable times, the little IC706 mkII was always better than the M802!
No wonder about this outcome, the two radios are made for different purposes. Mariner use radio for safety reasons, so they need a reliable, easy to use machine. They don't need to chat with people 4000 miles away. HAM use the radio for experiments and to keep in touch with friends, that why they need and like all the little knobs:-)
So before to suggest a fellow cruiser one radio over the other I'll ask what he wants from that radio. Unfortunately I don't know a radio, at reasonable price that could do both uses. In the other hand I like to have redundancy, if one radio broke I still have the other connected, if the AT 140 fail I have a dipole ready to hoist!

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[ka4wja]

Mark,
Yes, this was at 150 watts output....see the "sticky" at the top of the Marine Electronics page...
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/marine-ssb-stuff-how-to-better-use-proeprly-install-ssb-and-troubleshoot-rfi-etc-133496.html

Originally Posted by colemj

John, was this current draw at high power (150W)?

And, here is the pertinent posting...

Originally Posted by ka4wja

I have some additional info to share...


Working with a ham radio manufacturer who is looking into improving their transceiver's transmit IMD, he mentioned that it seems the M-802 used a fair amount more power than typical "100-watt" ham rigs did, and asked me if I had the current draw figures (which I did for the most part, but I went ahead and did a new round of tests..)

Here are the Icom M-802 current draw figures (normal production run tolerances might be reflected in other M-802's having minor variations on different bands/freqs, but overall these should be very close for all M-802's...)

The stand-by and receive current draw...
Under stand-by, radio turned off, the TCXO draws about 100-110ma (~0.1amps), and on receive w/ audio, in all modes, it draws about 2.1 amps....all at 13.7vdc


My M-802 is run off a large (1125 A/H) battery bank, charged via a large solar array....and early this morning the battery voltage was 13.7vdc....a short run of 2ga wire powers the radio, with typ. max voltage drop of about 2%...giving me about 13.3-13.4vdc at the radio this morning, at the max current draw of 29.4 amps...


So, here are the overall current draws of the radio on the various bands (subtract 2.1 amps, the current draw in receive, for transmitter-only current draw), at approx. 140-150 watts output...

The zero-signal, mic-keyed but no modulation, current draw was 5.4 to 5.5 amps on all bands, 160m - 10m...

Band ```` SSB-whistle````` FSK Carrier (PACTOR-I)
160m````` 25.6amps`````` 25.6amps
80m ``````28.7 ````````` 28.7
40m ``````25.6`````````` 25.6
20m ``````28.7``````````28.8
17m```````24.7 `````````24.6
15m```````29.3 ``````````29.4
12m ``````24.4```````````24.3
10m ``````24.6``````````` 24.5


PACTOR-II is an approx. 50% duty-cycle mode, so "average" current draw in PACTOR-II would be about half of the FSK PACTOR-I figures....and PACTOR-III's duty-cycle varies from ~ 30% to ~65% (depending on speed), so your "average" current draw in P3, will be 30% - 65% of the FSK PACTOR-I figures...

(FYI, the M-802 is spec'd at 30 amps, max current draw @ 13.6vdc....and all of these figures are about typical for a 150-watt marine HF transceiver....and yes, that is more than your typical "100-watt" HF ham rig...)


All measurements were done near the radio, with a fairly new Klein clamp-on meter (which has proven to be within 0.1 amps of other meters I have tested it against), at ambient temp of about 70*F....with battery voltage of 13.7vdc, and voltage at radio of approx. 13.3-13.4vdc under full current draw of ~ 29amps...

So, when people tell 'ya that you need to figure on 30 amps of current draw from a Marine SSB radio, they are correct....judge and size your wiring run accordingly...



I hope this helps...



Fair winds to all....

John, KA4WJA
s/v Annie Laurie, WDB6927
MMSI# 366933110

When conditions are good, this is certainly true....but, in many decades of operating, I can tell you that there are times when you wish you had more power!

Originally Posted by colemj

With a good install, one shouldn't need high power very often. I can't remember the last time we needed more than 20W - even when communicating Panama-Canada.

Fair winds...

John

[ka4wja]

1) For vessels without backstays...
In addition to Bill's excellent comments/advice, in some situations (some boats) you can rig a "rope-tenna" from a gunwhale up to the masthead....and this can be cheaper than insulating the shroud(s)...




2) Bill's words here about not believing everything you read, are good advice....and that goes for what you read here as well...
And, as I have been saying for many years (and can be seen here), almost anything works, it's all a matter of degree (and of course what is cost effective / possible for the particular application or vessel)

{and, although surprising to many, having no antenna ground / rf ground at all, also works....and some are saying, "huh?, if that's true why all the fuss??"
The answer is just above...."because it is all a matter of degree"...and because the hour-to-hour and day-to-day vagaries of the ionosphere (and sometimes even the hour-to-hour vagaries), can make larger changes than those of the various antenna ground systems....
BUT..
But, since many desire an HF rig for more than casual chatting (distress, etc.), it makes sense to design/install the best overall system you can afford and reasonably fit-out on board your boat!!!
And, for those that are DIY'ing their install....don't forget that you can spend a lot more of your time doing it, than you can afford to pay a pro to do it...remember their time is your money! }

Originally Posted by btrayfors

For RF grounds, I've used several methods, depending on the catamaran's configuration. One used a 4" wide copper grounding strip from the tuner to a nearby bronze thru-hull. Others used the KISS-SSB radial system, one coiled in the bottom of a shoe locker, another passing thru a hanging locker and partially in the bilge.

I've used both of these RF ground systems on many monohull boats, including my own, as well as other systems: s/s rubrail (on Island Packets), aluminum toe rail, pushpit/lifelines, rudder post, external grounding plate, etc., etc.

My advice is: don't believe all you read. Lots of folks have strong opinions on RF ground systems and, like anchor debates, you won't find 100% consensus on any one. And, some of the "scientific" tests done and reported provide only partial data: they are deeply flawed from a research and engineering perspective.

But, take heart, the good news is that modern autotuners like the AT-140 will tune the proverbial wet noodle, admitedly with some losses which in practice are hardly noticeable.

FWIW,

Bill
WA6CCA

All the above, honest / accurate info notwithstanding, there is consensus that most sailors will find using the sea water as their antenna ground / RF ground to be their best overall approach (as long as they use a short, low-inductance means of utilizing the sea water...)





I hope this helps??

Fair winds...

John

[ka4wja]

zboss,
With all the talk here about antennas, grounds, etc...most of which is "much to do about nothing much"
We shouldn't forget that after the antenna, the single most important part of the system for effective HF Voice radio operation...and that is the operator!!!
And, this means operator education should be as important as anything else written here!!
(sorry, if this hasn't been the focus of much discussion...but, I do hope to help you out here...)

I will attempt to give you a brief overview here, and direct you to some helpful info and particularly to some videos that should be of great help....(but, in order to be specific I do need to know some specifics from you, as well..)

Originally Posted by zboss

We have an 802 and for the life of me I cannot figure out where all the static/interference is coming from. We get lots of static even we we turn off everything on the boat at the breaker panel, including main DC and AC. 802 is connected directly to batteries.

This is good....and depending on what you mean by "static" and "static/interference", you may not have any interference at all (if this is natural noise / atmospheric noise), or you may have some obscure on-board noise (I've seen digital clocks / timers, panel meters, digital thermometers/weather stations, smart-phone hotspots, and other independent battery-powered devices, etc. cause significant interference....in addition to the plethora of other systems on-board that you seem to have already eliminated, but remember that some of these can still be "on", even if turned "off", but still is power supplied to them!!!)

So, if you could describe what this "static" is, and how many segments of your M-802's S-meter are illuminated on various frequencies / channels???

--- Typically, with no other signals/stations on the air and without any RFI (Radio Frequency Interference), on frequencies of 12mhz, 14mhz, 16mhz (and above), you should have NO segments illuminated or one segment sporadically illuminated, as the natural atmospheric noise is pretty low on these higher frequencies....and man-made noise that radiates long distances is rare...

--- On the lower frequencies, below 10mhz...and especially the lower freqs when close (within 1/2 miles) to shore...during the daytime, you will typically find a combination of natural atmospheric noise and man-made noise to show a constant one, or two, segments of the M-802's S-meter illuminated....the lower the frequency, typically the more segments will be illuminated...

At night, natural atmospheric noise predominates and it can get quite loud!!! Summertime in Florida (you're in St. Augustine, yes???) is one of the worst places for atmospheric noise on the low bands!!! If you are within a few hundred miles of thunder storms (or even a few thousand miles from lots of T-storms), the "static" crashes can make casual operating a real pain...
{But, understanding how to properly use the radio, makes a world of difference here....just turning down the RF Gain and using headphones can allow arm-chair, casual operating for hours, rather than not making any contacts at all...}


--- The fact is that many sailors that are new to HF communications ("SSB") choose the wrong frequency / channel for the time-of-day and distance to communicate....
(something I highlight in one of the videos....along with a layperson explanation showing you how-to do it correctly...see below)
--- A second part of this is the fact that many fail to take advantage of the large powerful shore stations (1000 watts to 5000 watts, and large directional antennas), but rather try to initially use their radios to communicate with other low-powered boats (100-150 watts, with compromised antennas), before they fully understand BOTH radiowave propagation AND noise/static/interference!!

{FYI, I have mentioned in the past and think I should do it again here, that from the dock here in S. Florida (even with all of the noises from shore-side sources) I regularly receive Australian maritime weather from Charleville (VMC) and Wiluna (VMW), which are approx. 9000 miles and 10,800 miles from me here in S. Florida....on 12.365mhz and 12.362mhz, daytimes...almost 365 days/year....during spring/early summer and Oct/Nov, I was on-the-air daily, and never missed a day receiving these broadcasts....(and almost as regularly receive them at night on 8.176mhz!!!)
While these transmitters are 1000 watts....they are quite easily copy-able with no effort, no headphones, etc....
The reason I mention this is....because if you choose the proper channel/frequency (use the highest freq possible for that time-of-day and distance), install the radio correctly, and adjust the radio correctly, HF comms is an extremely reliable and easy-to-use system of communications!!!}


Please watch the couple videos I'll attach here / below!!!
And, please tell us what type of "static" you have, and how many segments of the M-802's S-meter are illuminated on the various channels/freqs???


And, please have a look at these videos, for just about all you'd need to know about:

Maritime HF Communications ("SSB")
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ZDo_Jk3NB_Bt1y


HF-DSC Communications
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ga2zYuPozhUXZX


Specific Instructions for operating the M-802
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...rC-8QKVyMb4tVr



And, some videos about Offshore Weather dissemination
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...zdjTJjHlChruyY






And, here is a "sticky" with LOTS of links, with almost every reference you could ever need...including a LOT of info on RFI / Noise / Static...
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tc-133496.html




Here's some other discussions that should be helpful...
HF Radio Freqs, summertime Atlantic crossing, offshore Net..


Tips for using an HF-SSB Radio (mostly for newcomers)


Testing a SSB/Ham radio - poor reception


ICOM 706 MK2 G optimization.


How to reduce RFI from an Airmar depth sounder?


Icom M802 in fresh water





Zboss, I'm seriously sorry you gave up using it!!!
But, if you don't mind a somewhat tongue-in-cheek response??
Good thing you didn't give up sailing 'cause the wind wasn't blowing the direction you wanted it...
What I mean here is that if there is an issue (static or otherwise) this can be solved or overcome....but, you need the information/education to do so...just like you do in order to sail a boat, as well as navigating, docking, anchoring, other maintenance, etc....as far as I know, nobody is born with knowledge of any of these...
PLEASE don't take offense, I'm just using a bit of sarcasm to make the point that we tech-savvy sailors (myself included) have failed to emphasize the basic radio education of our fellow sailors....and instead get involved in the minutia of things which, as I wrote above, is mostly "much to do about nothing much"!!

Originally Posted by zboss

I gave up using it. We were struck by lightning and it was knocked out, got insurance and just ordered a new one using the deal in this thread in hope that I can get it working.

I hope this helps...

Fair winds...

John


Please watch these videos first...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fUtSOBt2FA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX8Oy8TwAic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-1LgNioO6w

[zboss]

Originally Posted by ka4wja

zboss,
With all the talk here about antennas, grounds, etc...most of which is "much to do about nothing much"
We shouldn't forget that after the antenna, the single most important part of the system for effective HF Voice radio operation...and that is the operator!!!
And, this means operator education should be as important as anything else written here!!
(sorry, if this hasn't been the focus of much discussion...but, I do hope to help you out here...)

I will attempt to give you a brief overview here, and direct you to some helpful info and particularly to some videos that should be of great help....(but, in order to be specific I do need to know some specifics from you, as well..)
This is good....and depending on what you mean by "static" and "static/interference", you may not have any interference at all (if this is natural noise / atmospheric noise), or you may have some obscure on-board noise (I've seen digital clocks / timers, panel meters, digital thermometers/weather stations, smart-phone hotspots, and other independent battery-powered devices, etc. cause significant interference....in addition to the plethora of other systems on-board that you seem to have already eliminated, but remember that some of these can still be "on", even if turned "off", but still is power supplied to them!!!)

So, if you could describe what this "static" is, and how many segments of your M-802's S-meter are illuminated on various frequencies / channels???

--- Typically, with no other signals/stations on the air and without any RFI (Radio Frequency Interference), on frequencies of 12mhz, 14mhz, 16mhz (and above), you should have NO segments illuminated or one segment sporadically illuminated, as the natural atmospheric noise is pretty low on these higher frequencies....and man-made noise that radiates long distances is rare...

--- On the lower frequencies, below 10mhz...and especially the lower freqs when close (within 1/2 miles) to shore...during the daytime, you will typically find a combination of natural atmospheric noise and man-made noise to show a constant one, or two, segments of the M-802's S-meter illuminated....the lower the frequency, typically the more segments will be illuminated...

At night, natural atmospheric noise predominates and it can get quite loud!!! Summertime in Florida (you're in St. Augustine, yes???) is one of the worst places for atmospheric noise on the low bands!!! If you are within a few hundred miles of thunder storms (or even a few thousand miles from lots of T-storms), the "static" crashes can make casual operating a real pain...
{But, understanding how to properly use the radio, makes a world of difference here....just turning down the RF Gain and using headphones can allow arm-chair, casual operating for hours, rather than not making any contacts at all...}


--- The fact is that many sailors that are new to HF communications ("SSB") choose the wrong frequency / channel for the time-of-day and distance to communicate....
(something I highlight in one of the videos....along with a layperson explanation showing you how-to do it correctly...see below)
--- A second part of this is the fact that many fail to take advantage of the large powerful shore stations (1000 watts to 5000 watts, and large directional antennas), but rather try to initially use their radios to communicate with other low-powered boats (100-150 watts, with compromised antennas), before they fully understand BOTH radiowave propagation AND noise/static/interference!!

{FYI, I have mentioned in the past and think I should do it again here, that from the dock here in S. Florida (even with all of the noises from shore-side sources) I regularly receive Australian maritime weather from Charleville (VMC) and Wiluna (VMW), which are approx. 9000 miles and 10,800 miles from me here in S. Florida....on 12.365mhz and 12.362mhz, daytimes...almost 365 days/year....during spring/early summer and Oct/Nov, I was on-the-air daily, and never missed a day receiving these broadcasts....(and almost as regularly receive them at night on 8.176mhz!!!)
While these transmitters are 1000 watts....they are quite easily copy-able with no effort, no headphones, etc....
The reason I mention this is....because if you choose the proper channel/frequency (use the highest freq possible for that time-of-day and distance), install the radio correctly, and adjust the radio correctly, HF comms is an extremely reliable and easy-to-use system of communications!!!}


Please watch the couple videos I'll attach here / below!!!
And, please tell us what type of "static" you have, and how many segments of the M-802's S-meter are illuminated on the various channels/freqs???


And, please have a look at these videos, for just about all you'd need to know about:

Maritime HF Communications ("SSB")
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ZDo_Jk3NB_Bt1y


HF-DSC Communications
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ga2zYuPozhUXZX


Specific Instructions for operating the M-802
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...rC-8QKVyMb4tVr



And, some videos about Offshore Weather dissemination
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...zdjTJjHlChruyY






And, here is a "sticky" with LOTS of links, with almost every reference you could ever need...including a LOT of info on RFI / Noise / Static...
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tc-133496.html




Here's some other discussions that should be helpful...
HF Radio Freqs, summertime Atlantic crossing, offshore Net..


Tips for using an HF-SSB Radio (mostly for newcomers)


Testing a SSB/Ham radio - poor reception


ICOM 706 MK2 G optimization.


How to reduce RFI from an Airmar depth sounder?


Icom M802 in fresh water





Zboss, I'm seriously sorry you gave up using it!!!
But, if you don't mind a somewhat tongue-in-cheek response??
Good thing you didn't give up sailing 'cause the wind wasn't blowing the direction you wanted it...
What I mean here is that if there is an issue (static or otherwise) this can be solved or overcome....but, you need the information/education to do so...just like you do in order to sail a boat, as well as navigating, docking, anchoring, other maintenance, etc....as far as I know, nobody is born with knowledge of any of these...
PLEASE don't take offense, I'm just using a bit of sarcasm to make the point that we tech-savvy sailors (myself included) have failed to emphasize the basic radio education of our fellow sailors....and instead get involved in the minutia of things which, as I wrote above, is mostly "much to do about nothing much"!!



I hope this helps...

Fair winds...

John


Please watch these videos first...

None taken... thanks for sending those I will view.