Building SSB Antenna

[sww914]

Are you using a tuner valunord? The tuners that I've seen don't use a coax connector for the antenna element, just to connect between the radio and the tuner.

[valunord]

Originally Posted by pdxsailordiver

Camp David
Before you buy a Kiss system try running wire to a thru-hull,motor and any other large metal objects like your stern push pit. Use hose clamps if need be. Just see how it works first. Remember one side of your antenna is going to be a random length wire. Get the other side in contact with the water.
That's what I did and found my setup works better than I ever dreamed.
First contact I made was New Mexico. I threw 20' of wire in the water with a weight on the end as the ground end of the antenna.Then built from there.
Tim

SEE IF I UNDERSTAND THIS. The wire antenna would go in center PL259 and then you just have the ground poise to tuner (ground lug). What would you do if used RG58 wire to connect to the antenna wire? is the RG58 shield forgotten about? ANY DIAGRAM WOULD BE GREAT.
thanks

[valunord]

Originally Posted by sww914

Are you using a tuner valunord? The tuners that I've seen don't use a coax connector for the antenna element, just to connect between the radio and the tuner.

Yes I'm using a tunner (AT130) I had not even really looked at tuner yet. LOL Ok so I will just run my length of wire say 23ft. or longer ( I will use 10 ga. copper) to use as antenna. and hook up the counter poise. and I'm done.

[sww914]

Yes. You're supposed to use copper foil to connect the tuner to the counterpoise. If you use wire some weird RF thing happens around the outside of the wire and if you transmit it burns your toast and makes your mast wiggle or something like that.

[valunord]

Originally Posted by sww914

Yes. You're supposed to use copper foil to connect the tuner to the counterpoise. If you use wire some weird RF thing happens around the outside of the wire and if you transmit it burns your toast and makes your mast wiggle or something like that.

Ok great. I have counter poise copper sheet 1/8 thick by 2" all through the bilge fastened to all the bronze hull fitting ,engine ,fuel tanks and lead keel weight. I hope that will do the job. I have never done this before and don't want to cook radio . an I com M710. to an AT130 tuner. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

[sww914]

My ground goes just to the engine intake through-hull with a big bronze sea strainer screwed directly to it and it works great.

[highseas]

I have the Icom M710 with AT 130 tuner and have finally got it working well after 2 years of modifying my installation.I use a monel longwire antenna that runs from back corner of bimini to about 4 ft from masttop,about 35ft.It runs close to backstay near top.Make sure GTO doesn't get water inside cable at connection.Use standoffs for GTO. The ground is copper foil going from tuner to two forward cockpit thruhulls,about 7ft.Fold the ends over a few times but keep width in foil,use hoseclamps.keep dry or paint foil so it don't corrode,and don't crinkle foil.Do not run foil to radio,it's not neccessary.Keep speakers away from GTO. My friend uses a piece of #1 welding cable from tuner to 1 thruhull,with a GAM and has one of the best signals in Mexico.

[valunord]

[QUOTE=highseas;1153140]I have the Icom M710 with AT 130 tuner and have finally got it working well after 2 years of modifying my installation.I use a monel longwire antenna that runs from back corner of bimini to about 4 ft from masttop,about 35ft.It runs close to backstay near top.Make sure GTO doesn't get water inside cable at connection.Use standoffs for GTO. The ground is copper foil going from tuner to two forward cockpit thruhulls,about 7ft.Fold the ends over a few times but keep width in foil,use hoseclamps.keep dry or paint foil so it don't corrode,and don't crinkle foil.Do not run foil to radio,it's not neccessary.Keep speakers away from GTO. My friend uses a piece of #1 welding cable from tuner to 1 thruhull,with a GAM and has one of the best signals in Mexico.[/QUOTE

Great Thanks very much for the great info. I shall give that a try when the weather gets a bit warmer down here in Ontario as we are into a cold winter here this year I have not been able to do anything.

[btrayfors]

Valunord,

The AT-130 antenna tuner requires four different connections:

1. a COAX cable between the tuner and the radio -- RG8X or RG213 are best -- this cable carries the actual signal;

2. a 4-conductor control cable between the tuner and the radio -- this cable provides power to the tuner and carries the signaling for control of the tuner;

3. an antenna....single wire (usually GTO-15) leading to the actual antenna; and

4. an RF ground connection -- this is where you connect any of several different types of RF ground, including the copper strapping you referred to.

All 4 connections are REQUIRED to make this work.

If you don't already have a manual for the M710 and the AT130, they can be found easily on the Web.

For antenna material, DO NOT use bare copper wire. This will degrade rapidly in a seawater environment. Insulated copper wire is better, but will also degrade over time and it doesn't have much strength.

Stainless steel lifeline is excellent material to fashion an "alternate backstay" antenna. Just put a loop in each end, tie it off with a 2-3' length of Dacron or poly line, and attach the GTO-15 feedline. I find NicoPress sleeves are a convenient way to make the loops and to attach the feedline.

Sorry my website is broken at the moment so I can't refer you to pics.

Bill
WA6CCA

[hellosailor]

PL259 is not just attached to wires, it is either soldered or crimped (with various patented fittings) to coaxial cable which must also be the proper size and type for the application.

This can be a long subject and if you are soldering you will want to buy a couple of extra fittings and some extra cable so you can make a few practice connections before doing the real one. Few people get it right the first time unless they are experienced soldering coax.

Diagrams, VIDEOS, many instructions on that other place your computer goes to: The internet.

[Dave]

For the time being my temporary setup is an IC-706MKII with an AH-4 tuner. I use 13.5 Meters of 2.5mm sq. multi-strand tinned wire inserted into the center of Waterski tow rope and hoisted aloft. It connects directly to my tuner. I use exacltly the same wire and length for the counter poise, also connected directly to the tuner and trail it behind in the water. Nothing connects to the boat, only the +12 and -Grnd to the batteries. Works great. I'm having a hard time justifying any more expense or hassle to make it "better".

Dave L38 #38

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by valunord

Any diagrams for how to attach PL259 to wire. Do I need 2 wires like 2-23 ft. one for center and one for shield ?
I have never made one or seen one.
THANKS.

Val, this thread is mainly about "random wire" antennas. These don't usually use a PL259 connector at all. Virtually all tuners have a "random wire" output, usually just a lug for attaching the wire that you'll use for your antenna.

Do NOT attempt to plug such an antenna into the back of your transmitter without some sort of tuner or matching device. Last time I looked, a manual tuner was about $100 and an automatic tuner was about $400, but that was a few years ago.

PL259 connectors are used for connecting to co-ax, which is used for feeding "balanced" antennas like dipoles or yagis or etc.

[SoonerSailor]

Originally Posted by Dave

For the time being my temporary setup is an IC-706MKII with an AH-4 tuner. I use 13.5 Meters of 2.5mm sq. multi-strand tinned wire inserted into the center of Waterski tow rope and hoisted aloft. It connects directly to my tuner. I use exacltly the same wire and length for the counter poise, also connected directly to the tuner and trail it behind in the water. Nothing connects to the boat, only the +12 and -Grnd to the batteries. Works great. I'm having a hard time justifying any more expense or hassle to make it "better".

Dave L38 #38

Dave -

I think you would have a very hard time improving on that as an all band antenna on the boat, at least from the performance perspective. If its not a hassle for you, no reason to do anything different!

Chip