Emergency Antenna position

[Rincewind]

I have a new antenna for the masthead.
The old one is destined to be the emergency antenna.
Where is the best place?
I was thinking of the pushpit top rail, is that height enough? Is it vulnerable there?
Second option would be on a transom pole which would be handy for a wind charger.?

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Best place is in a locker so that it doesn’t get taken out with the primary. Decide where to put it when you know what you have left.

 

[Daydream believer]

I have used half an extending sailboard boom. The curve ( part of which I have cut away) takes the wire to a gland on the deck. The pole is a strong aluminium being a boom. It has a good quality anodising. Being extendable I can keep it lower & raise if I want extra range.
It fits to the push pit with 2 "U" bolts set at oppsing angle to each other on the 2 horizontal rails. I use the aerial for my AIS which gives 10 mile range for my mates in their yachts. For a ship it is considerably more 50 miles not being unknown. The fitting in the electric cupboard is the same as my VHF unit so in event of emirgency I can disconect from the ais & connect to the VHF in 10 minutes. In the panic of a dismasting the AIS would be sending a distress signal as I have that facility. Then I can revert to the VHF when I get time. In the interim I also have a hand held.
My Echomax is on the other half of the boom on the other aft quarter
In this pic one can see the black neoprene of the boom & the 2 "U" bolts & the deck gland.
The white tube holds the dan buoy

 

[harvey38]

Why do you have a new one?

If the old one is being replaced, would you really want to rely on it in the case of an emergency?

 

[Sargunes1903]

A cabinet will do the trick.

 

[Gerry]

We have an an emergency antenna that we have deployed once in a time of need ( after a lightning strike). We mounted it on the boom and it worked perfectly well. after use it was tidied away and returned to the cupboard ready for the next time.....

 

[Rincewind]

Thanks folks, food forthought

 

[Hoolie]

When we first installed an AIS I mounted an antenna on the pushpit top rail. It worked fine particularly for commercial shipping. It's now our VHF/AIS spare as the newer AIS transponder uses the masthead antenna through an active splitter.

 

[LadyInBed]

Mine is at the top of my mizzen!?

 

[William_H]

On my little boat 21ft I have fitted the main VHF antenna to a short pole attached to the pushpit. So base of 17 inch antenna is about 2ft above the push pit. This because I remove the mast each winter and don't want wiring in the mast. The performance seems fine in terms of range. So I would suggest that option. Especially if you use it for AIS. ol'will

 

[Refueler]

Leave it unfixed so you can decide when really needed ...........

Mine is fixed to Pushpit railo - but that's purely because I used it for my AIS dongle ... now that I have a Plotter with AIS transponder feeding the main masthead antenna ... it will be removed and kept for emergency use.

 

[geem]

Mine is at the top of my mizzen!?

Yep, we have two vhf radios. Completely separate systems with antennas on different masts?