can a vhf aerial also work as an aerial for normal radio?

SAWDOC · 3 Apr 2014

Hi folks

I am fitting a nice sony car cd/radio on board and was wondering if I coiuld use the VHF aerial as the aerial for the cd/radio? If so what type of fitting would be suitable to split the aerial signal?

Thanks

prv · 3 Apr 2014

You need more than a dumb "fitting", otherwise you'll be jamming 25watts of RF power into your stereo whenever you transmit on the VHF.

You can buy electronic splitters which disconnect the stereo as soon as the VHF starts to transmit, but I don't think they're particularly cheap. You're also introducing a possible point of failure into your radio system. Personally I'd rather just stick a cheapo tape aerial inside the joinery somewhere.

Pete

Robin · 3 Apr 2014

prv said:
You need more than a dumb "fitting", otherwise you'll be jamming 25watts of RF power into your stereo whenever you transmit on the VHF.

You can buy electronic splitters which disconnect the stereo as soon as the VHF starts to transmit, but I don't think they're particularly cheap. You're also introducing a possible point of failure into your radio system. Personally I'd rather just stick a cheapo tape aerial inside the joinery somewhere.

Pete

Ours has a length of wire attached to an aerial connector plug and plugged in like a car aerial to the back of the set. I bought mine from West Marine here in the USA, but it shouln't be difficult to solder a wire to a simple aerial plug. see here http://www.westmarine.com/amfm-antennas/west-marine--interior-am-fm-antenna--222184 It works very well for us and we 'have HD' radio on our Pioneer set too, all the usual Fm stations are received but in any case we play mostly our own stuff ( our entire music library is on MP3 on the laptop and plays via a flash memory stick put in the front USB slot on the radio. We borrow Cds from our local library for free, then copy them to the laptop from where they can be copied easily to the thumstick to use wherever we want. some are copied onto discs to use in the car. set which doesn't have the USB socket

Gwylan · 3 Apr 2014

SAWDOC said:
Hi folks

I am fitting a nice sony car cd/radio on board and was wondering if I coiuld use the VHF aerial as the aerial for the cd/radio? If so what type of fitting would be suitable to split the aerial signal?

Thanks

Assuming you have a mast and wire rigging, just connect the centre wire of the co-ax aerial to the rigging somewhere and the outer sheath to a suitable 'earth' point. Works fine for receiving regular radio signals. Easy too!

skipper681 · 3 Apr 2014

My dad used to have a coat hanger as an aerial on his Capri! Short answer, just get a cheap rubber antenna for the radio from a car shop and leave the VHF alone, it works and just might save your life someday, you could mess up the SWR on the VHF, which could blow the output transistors, meaning you can't get in contact with the coastguard. Keep it separate

colvic987 · 3 Apr 2014

any of these would be ideal, rather than using your vhf marine aerial...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=rubber+car+aerial&rt=nc

skipper681 · 3 Apr 2014

colvic987 said:
any of these would be ideal, rather than using your vhf marine aerial...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=rubber+car+aerial&rt=nc

+1

David2452 · 3 Apr 2014

Run a length of cable from the centre pin on the antenna input to one of the mounting bolts of your pulpit or pushpit.

skipper681 · 3 Apr 2014

David2452 said:
Run a length of cable from the centre pin on the antenna input to one of the mounting bolts of your pulpit or pushpit.

No, spend a fiver on a rubber aerial, job done.

David2452 · 3 Apr 2014

skipper681 said:
No, spend a fiver on a rubber aerial, job done.

Why (technically mind)? a rubber antenna has a screen which is designed to contact a ground plane (say a car body) no such ground plane exists if connected to GRP so just spend £1 on a bit of cable and connect to a larger antenna, i.e. a pulpit or pushpit and not drill holes.

Bongo · 3 Apr 2014

Could I connect to the shrouds..or rather the internal pickup for them ..?

skipper681 · 3 Apr 2014

David2452 said:
Why (technically mind)? a rubber antenna has a screen which is designed to contact a ground plane (say a car body) no such ground plane exists if connected to GRP so just spend £1 on a bit of cable and connect to a larger antenna, i.e. a pulpit or pushpit and not drill holes.

it's not the ground planes that is important here, and plz tell me why groundplanes are important to the OP when he just wants to listen to radio one and his FM radio is not Tx?... My original post still stands, if it's not broke don't fix it, keep your VHF for emergencies, you may need it someday.

Spyro · 3 Apr 2014

David2452 said:
Why (technically mind)? a rubber antenna has a screen which is designed to contact a ground plane (say a car body) no such ground plane exists if connected to GRP so just spend £1 on a bit of cable and connect to a larger antenna, i.e. a pulpit or pushpit and not drill holes.

The screen of the antenna is connected to the screen of the coax which is connected to the earthed casing of the radio. Is this not all that's needed?

nigelmercier · 3 Apr 2014

prv said:
You're also introducing a possible point of failure into your radio system...

Quite so. Don't even consider any form of splitter.

In fact they don't make them anymore, they have been banned by the EU as they cause birth defects in wasps, move along, nothing to see here. Pretend you didn't ever hear about them.

coopec · 4 Apr 2014

Gwylan said:
Assuming you have a mast and wire rigging, just connect the centre wire of the co-ax aerial to the rigging somewhere and the outer sheath to a suitable 'earth' point. Works fine for receiving regular radio signals. Easy too!

I am installing lightning protection: will that work on my yacht too?

coopec · 4 Apr 2014

nigelmercier said:
Quite so. Don't even consider any form of splitter.

In fact they don't make them anymore, they have been banned by the EU as they cause birth defects in wasps, move along, nothing to see here. Pretend you didn't ever hear about them.

I'm not at all sure that Nigel is correct in saying splitters cause birth defects in wasps but this circuit drawing seems to explain why you should not use signal splitters.

http://www.swhowto.com/VideoLoss.htm

William_H · 4 Apr 2014

As said do not use a splitter hence don't use the VHF antenna if you have a VHF com radio. The best answer assuming a GRP or wooden boat is a piece of insulated wire bared and pushed into the antenna socket on the radio. Lay it along shelf or inside a cupboard. One metre long is good for FM much longer for LW/MW AM and you could as said try it connected to the rigging if you want AM radio in remote areas. good luck olewill.

skipper681 · 4 Apr 2014

I think you have your answer right here, seriously though dont mess up vhf with radio one

coopec · 4 Apr 2014

Gwylan said:
Assuming you have a mast and wire rigging, just connect the centre wire of the co-ax aerial to the rigging somewhere and the outer sheath to a suitable 'earth' point. Works fine for receiving regular radio signals. Easy too!

Coopec said:
I am installing lightning protection: will that work on my yacht too?

I suppose I am directing the question to the wrong people as very few boat owners on this forum would have lightning protection?

nigelmercier · 4 Apr 2014

coopec said:
I suppose I am directing the question to the wrong people as very few boat owners on this forum would have lightning protection?

I have lightning protection. If you start a thread asking the question I will tell you about it.

can a vhf aerial also work as an aerial for normal radio?

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