Coax on sailing boat mast?

[skipper681]

Please excuse yet another newbie question.

The VHF antenna is at the top of the mast, the coax will run down through the middle, do you put a connector at the bottom to be able to take the mast off at winter.

I'm new to sailing and getting a 19ft hurley ready for next year.

 

[sailorman]

Please excuse yet another newbie question.

The VHF antenna is at the top of the mast, the coax will run down through the middle, do you put a connector at the bottom to be able to take the mast off at winter.

I'm new to sailing and getting a 19ft hurley ready for next year.

better if you have a "deck gland" & have the join below decks

 

[skipper681]

Thanks, checking ebay as I speak, how do they work? does the connector fit through it?

 

[sailorman]

Thanks, checking ebay as I speak, how do they work? does the connector fit through it?

generally a rubber pad that you slot to suit with a aluminium frame that screws down

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-MARIN...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item5d2d676309
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-MARIN...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item53dc481436
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INDEX-Mar...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item4abd37e9b3

 

[CreakyDecks]

In a small boat you are probably better off not having an extra connector, you'll only have a few feet of cable to pull out. The idea of the deck gland is that the hole in the cabin roof is big enough for the VHF plug to fit through.

 

[skipper681]

So how does the coax go through? Thanks

 

[prv]

So how does the coax go through? Thanks

There's a hole in the rubber part of the deck gland. Some come pre-drilled for a particular sized cable, some you drill yourself to match the cable you have.

You start by unplugging inside - either from the radio itself, or at an in-line plug near where it goes through the deck. The first option is better if possible, which it may well be on a small boat. Then you unbolt the top part of the gland so the rubber part can be lifted off (the bottom part of the gland stays sealed to the deck). You then either keep the rubber threaded on the cable and block the gland hole for the winter with something else, or you have a slit in the rubber from the hole to the edge so that you can get it off the cable. I prefer the first option, and my gland came with a plastic cap for when the rubber is removed.

Pete

 

[VicS]

I have a V-Tronix coaxial deck socket and plug. Costs a bit under £30 and readily avaiable

Been on there since 1984 . No problems. Still OK.

Comes with plastic caps for both plug and socket so both can be sealed off when disconnected.

Easy to disconnect, along with a Driplug for the nav lights on the mast, to take the mast down ... which I do without fail when laying up.

Fancy a plug and socket then fit the V-Tronix one ( make sure you get the right size for your cable)

 

[prv]

I have a V-Tronix coaxial deck socket and plug. Costs a bit under £30 and readily avaiable

Been on there since 1984 . No problems. Still OK.

I've got one of those too. Not sure how long it's been there, but the boat was built in 1993.

I rarely transmit on the radio, but a couple of times recently I've had no response when I would have expected to. Starting to wonder if the antenna system is up to scratch, and my number one suspect is the plug and socket.

If I was starting from scratch I'd go for a gland and a below-deck plug and socket. An unbroken run to the radio is not feasible on this boat; if it were, I'd do it.

Pete

 

[PeteCooper]

Seems you can get the V-Tronix one cheap:
http://www.force4.co.uk/9393/Vtronix-Deck-Gland-for-RG58-Cable.html

 

[skipper681]

Seems you can get the V-Tronix one cheap:
http://www.force4.co.uk/9393/Vtronix-Deck-Gland-for-RG58-Cable.html

Another problem solved, thanks. Incidentally my brother in law is called Peter Cooper, he's an airline pilot, I said to him if God meant us to fly he'd have given us wings - he said "were you born with a lifejacket?" I thought that was a good answer lol.

 

[sailorman]

Seems you can get the V-Tronix one cheap:
http://www.force4.co.uk/9393/Vtronix-Deck-Gland-for-RG58-Cable.html

ebay was much cheaper for the index marine one

 

[BERT T]

I have a V-Tronix coaxial deck socket and plug. Costs a bit under £30 and readily avaiable

Been on there since 1984 . No problems. Still OK.

Comes with plastic caps for both plug and socket so both can be sealed off when disconnected.

Easy to disconnect, along with a Driplug for the nav lights on the mast, to take the mast down ... which I do without fail when laying up.

Fancy a plug and socket then fit the V-Tronix one ( make sure you get the right size for your cable)

That could be a problem, I have renewed the coax on the vhf aerial using marine grade RG8X which is 6.4mm in diameter, the V-Tronix one is made for RG58 which is 5mm. After trying all the usual outlets I ended up having to get one from the US. I agree with Vic they are a good fitting especially if you have a lining on the cabin roof with all the cables concealed behind it.