SSB Receiver antenna problems - Looking for answers

[Dos Gatos]

RE: recharging batteries-
have a multimeter available to check the voltage before use. saves a lot of time when you can pick out the shorted ones.

In a marina environment, the batteries on the positive end can corrode and short. remove the plastic shrink label to reveal the metal -v case. remove any fiber washers used to dress up the positive end which absorb moisture and salt. coat the batteries with Corrosion Block (WM and other vendors have)

do this when the batteries are new. it is possible to renew a rusted battery but don't count on it.

also give a squirt of Corrosion Block in the battery compartment, jack plugs and any circuit boards you can expose.

in the middle of the pacific, Corrosion Block is worth it's weight in gold.

can't always receive weatherfax in a metropolitan area. I didn't get reception until I was down the coast at the channel islands (California). the signal from the transmitter station isn't strong enough to overcome all the noise in a modern environment.

the standards were put in place before there was a lot of carp in the air; cellphones and such.

[JohnOrion]

Dos Gatos

Would 'marine electronics grease' [dielectric] work? I dont have any corrosion block, and there are no marine stores here.

I changed the batteries and the radio works again. The 3 week old batteries are not rusted, and look brand new. Radio did not work will being charged.

[JohnOrion]

Maybe I have a bad broadcast schedule? I am using

East Coast Cruising Nets

which says it was updated 4/2013. Anyone have other websites with broadcast schedules that they like, for the east coast?


I did try turning off all the power on the boat, and even getting away from the boat on the dingy, but it made little difference. A few week stations did go away, but the strong ones were fine.

Great info about the weatherfax, thank you Conachair. If I ever get reception, I will try it.

Keyspc - I think that is basically the same antenna I have. I have a 30 foot wire that plugs into the radio with a 3.5 mm jack, like the one in the ad. I assume the round plastic case is for winding up the cord?

I do wonder if my wind generator is interfering. I do turn it off, and put it in 'Brake' mode, but it still spins a little. But getting away from the boat altogether with the radio didnt help so far.

I didnt get the broadcasts in Miami, and now, not in Bimini or 15 miles south of there in a remote, clutter free area. Is it possible I will get the broadcasts as I head further east, or should I really already be getting them here?

[Dos Gatos]

turn off all the ac electrics in the boat. my fridge, gps, vhf and depth all provided signal noise at different times. also run the laptop on battery, not ac inline transformer.

when at sea, the signal can sometimes be got without an external antenna 1500nm from the transmitter. pick the frequency that corresponds to your distance. you have to catch the bounce.

Corrosion Block is a spray liquid and will penetrate. Grease is good for coating but my understanding is it just sits on the surface.

Florida is surrounded by water on three sides. How can you not have a marine supply nearby? my marine supply is located inside my 'puter.

CORROSION BLOCK Lube at West Marine

pick up a can. it's good for all sorts of things beyond electrics. rigging, removing salt rust from stanchions and more. I would dip the boat in it if I had a large enough tank.

go to noaa for the current wx schedules.