Insulated backstay aerial for HF

[petery]

I've got an HF transceiver; am booking a long range course so all I need now is advice on rigging a suitable aerial/ground. I know a sat phone is an alternative, but Iridium's already gone bust once!).

Must I modify one of the backstays with insulators to use as an aerial? I have an automatic aerial tuner. Can I just wrap an insulated wire around the backstay or will I lose all the radiated power?

Any advice would be welcome

 

[davidhand]

Try going to www.hfradio.com

 

[Tyche]

My yacht has an insulated backstay and got very good reception plus it is out of the way. Whip ariels are another source, and on a delivery I had to take my own HF set and hoisted a cable ariel when required not recomended for long term use though.

 

[snowleopard]

or a whip...

an insulated backstay isn't cheap so the alternative, a whip aerial, can be a competitive option. mine is 7.5 m long and mounts on brackets on one side of my goalpost.

a good earth is even more important than the aerial.

 

[petery]

\'best\' kind of earth ?

.. I intend to bond all the through hull fittings with 3 inch wide copper foil and join them to my large fresh water tank that sits mid-ships under the cabin floor - rather than a sintered plate on the outside of the hull. Any views?