TheBigWhit
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2021
- Messages
- 44
Great discussion and great explanations for the newbies.
Here are some pics for ya of my "floating ham shack".
Icom 7100 radio itself is mounted under the seat in the fly bridge. Good quality 1/2" coax was used to the AH4 Coupler and to the 2M-440 antenna mounted on rail. This control head pictured can be quickly stored and quickly pulled out and hooked up... ready to go in 30 seconds. With a longer CAT 5 cable, I can operate this downstairs in the temperature-controlled salon (if the Admiral isn't around).
AH4 Coupler/Antenna Tuner. Push button tuning between bands. Normally has a 20M "Ham Stick" hooked up as shown. It will tune to any of the marine ssb or Ham bands on the 20 Ham Stick. Works best on 20 & 40M at this point in the sunspot cycle, other bands when they are open.
KISS-SSB - This counterpoise seems to work very well here on the western rivers and Great Lakes. I'll be comparing it to salt water when we make it to the Gulf of Mexico in a month or so. I'll also try "all combinations" of salt water + railings + KISS-SSB. Watch blog for those test results when the time comes. (www.shellerina.com).
I also have this fiberglass extension pole that can support a long wire (which gets hooked up the AH4 Coupler with OR instead of the Ham Stick.) When I really want to "get out" I'll rig this long wire up the pole and then down to the bow pulpit. Kinda like an Inverted-V Long Wire. Hose clamps to a vertical railing support hold it up nicely. (It also serves as a flag pole for my favorite burgees or football teams! as shown under the AH4) <wink>
Ray - N1RY
our blog: www.shellerina.com
Thats great stuff! Thanks. How do you handle grounding and bonding? Looks like your boat is FRP. Do you have a bonding plate on the bottom? Do you use a zinc "fish" in lightning storms for added protection of the antenna? How is the noise level on 20M while sitting in fresh water? I would think noise would reduce and propagation will improve as you move into sea water. Interesting stuff. Thanks.