Talbot
Well-Known Member
Lots of people have car stereos installed on their boats. What do you use as the aerial.
aerial for car stereo on boat
- Thread starter Talbot
- Start date
oldsaltoz
Well-Known Member
The pushpit rail
SvenglishTommy
Well-Known Member
Mine has an aeriel fitted at the top of the mast.
philip_stevens
Well-Known Member
A rubber ducky car aerial tucked behind a panel. Works OK for my radio, and the same on our previous boat. No need to go extending it to the pushpit or up the mast.
fireball
Well-Known Member
We just got the cheapest telescopic one from HFds and put it in a tall locker ... works fine!
G
Guest
Guest
My prev. boat I fitted a rubber duck job from Les Smiths ..... stuck on transom.
BrendanS
Well-Known Member
Mine came with a stereo installed. The aerial - a length of wire which simply hangs down behind the panel. Works perfectly.
NPMR
Well-Known Member
We've gone all hoity toity and had a spare aerial fitted in case we ever need it (for VHF) and I've just made an adaptor so it can also be used as an aerial for the boat's stereo syetem.
Now all I need is a stereo system to go on the end of the wire and Robert will be your Mother's brother.
Now all I need is a stereo system to go on the end of the wire and Robert will be your Mother's brother.
PembrokeshirePromise
Well-Known Member
Cheapest flexible one from Maplins (c. £2 ?) - fitted on short mast on stern rail along with spare VHF and GPS
Replace every few years when it falls apart
Replace every few years when it falls apart
Talbot
Well-Known Member
Thank you all for your responses. Doesnt appear to be any particular "one way"
andy_wilson
Well-Known Member
Active T-Bar from Halfords, stuck behind cabin headlining and earthed back to radio mounting frame (and hence chassis).
Ruffles
Well-Known Member
Car radios have to be very sensitive to overcome the poor aerials fitted to vehicles. The trend for stubby things on car roofs is to blame.
BTW if you want to receive LW for the cricket keep the aerial and the receiver as far away as poss from the depth sounder and its cable.
BTW if you want to receive LW for the cricket keep the aerial and the receiver as far away as poss from the depth sounder and its cable.
Stoaty
Well-Known Member
I use a wheelhouse window frame.
jonathankent
Well-Known Member
I bought a cheap (£1.30) car aerial, one which folds down to <1" high, and then fitted it into the far corner of the cockpit. Works well whether the aerial is up or down.... I was even listening to the French stuff whislt here in the creek on the Helford.
Chilvers
New Member
I bought a splitter for 30 quid and it shares the VHF at the top of the mast. Works extremely well.
Ships_Cat
Well-Known Member
We have a metal boat so have to have an external antenna (Glomex 1.something metre long one on aft end of cockpit coaming, which works fine - have used reputable others such as Shakespeare on metal commercial boats, all ok).
For a plastic or wooden boat you just need a bit of wire hung out the back of the set inside the boat as some have said. Despite apparant belief to the contrary there is nothing magical about most car antennas - they are mostly just a length (often telescopic of course) of metal so no diff to a bit of wire. Any car antenna different to that is very unsophisticated and mainly aimed at making the antenna stubby so of little use - just use a bit of wire.
John
For a plastic or wooden boat you just need a bit of wire hung out the back of the set inside the boat as some have said. Despite apparant belief to the contrary there is nothing magical about most car antennas - they are mostly just a length (often telescopic of course) of metal so no diff to a bit of wire. Any car antenna different to that is very unsophisticated and mainly aimed at making the antenna stubby so of little use - just use a bit of wire.
John
billmacfarlane
Well-Known Member
I use the VHF aerial put through a splitter bought from Force 4 Chandlery. Works a treat.
ridgy
Well-Known Member
Slightly related but unrelated question, but does anyone know how much current a car stereo draws? Thinking of replacing the little 2xAA battery job (with little reception!)...
William_H
Well-Known Member
High Ridgy a car radio /steroe wil draw in the order of 250 ma amps 1/4 amp. However if you connect the wire used to supply power for the memory the current while relatively small can kill a battery which does not have charging simply because it is drawing current all the time.
My suggestion is try to find from a car wrecker an old radio with manual tuning (mot digital). These actually draw less current and don't require memory power. If you buy a new radio with digital memory you may have to accept having to retune the radio every time you use it and not have memory power connected to battery.
Actually on a small boat keep the electrics simple and keep your 2xAA radio. Fit some velcro to the bulkhead and stick the the radio on. ollewilll
My suggestion is try to find from a car wrecker an old radio with manual tuning (mot digital). These actually draw less current and don't require memory power. If you buy a new radio with digital memory you may have to accept having to retune the radio every time you use it and not have memory power connected to battery.
Actually on a small boat keep the electrics simple and keep your 2xAA radio. Fit some velcro to the bulkhead and stick the the radio on. ollewilll
duncan
Well-Known Member
I went this route (after your advice beofe I think!).
Excellent reception, discreet and easy to install etc but when the other boat electronics are powered up they do interfer with the radio - I take it it's through the power to the ariel rather than the ariel picking up interference.
No problem for me as I don't have it on when running anyhow - only at anchor or when working on the boat!
Excellent reception, discreet and easy to install etc but when the other boat electronics are powered up they do interfer with the radio - I take it it's through the power to the ariel rather than the ariel picking up interference.
No problem for me as I don't have it on when running anyhow - only at anchor or when working on the boat!
