4 ft long antenna half way up mizzen mast

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rds
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:32 pm

4 ft long antenna half way up mizzen mast

Post by rds »

I have been fixing my radar mount recently on my mizzen mast and discovered that my old VHF antenna has a crack in plastic threaded mounting tube. The old antenna is about 2 ft long fiberglass tube and it is attached to radar mounting bracket half way up mizzen mast, about 20 feet from the deck with all the wiring inside the mast going thru the hole in mast. I looked around on internet and could not find the original (it is so weathered so I can’t even the read manufacturer’s label on it ) or similar antenna of the same length. The closest one I found is “Shakespeare Centennial 5104” which is twice longer, 4 ft long , pretty rigid fiberglass tube connecting via SS threaded mounting bushing. I want to ask for some advice / experience before buying this one. Specifications state it is 4 ft and 3 dB VHF antenna which is probably better that my old 2 ft long one + I got installed new VHF radio with AIS over this winter. I am afraid that antenna that long in the middle of mizzen mast might start catching reefing lines or will be wobbling in the wind hitting the mast or break the mount. The other choice would be to install mast head antenna but it is a pretty big project I am not eager to undertake now. Any advice is appreciated.

Gulliver
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 5:50 am
Location: Lacey, Washington State, U.S.A.

Re: 4 ft long antenna half way up mizzen mast

Post by Gulliver »

A big difference between the short sailboat antennas and the longer powerboat models is the vertical beamwidth. The sailboat antennas are designed to work at angles of heel while the powerboat antennas require a more or less vertical position.
Allan Derickson, Lacey, Washington State, U.S.A.
Gulliver
Freedom 28 Cat Ketch (keel version, conventional booms and fully battened sails)

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