Joining VHF antenna cable above deck

Went to the boat today armed with soldering iron, solder, cutters, stripper, heat shrink tubing, self amalgamating tape (hurrah for Screwfix on route) etc. Cut the cable completely at the damage point. Plenty of spare cable length downstream so practice on that first - strip the outer back an inch and instead of there being any braid there is just powder and copper oxide. Eventually cu it back about 4” and braid & core are bright. Upstream there are only a few inches of cable sticking out of the mast - cut it back as far as I dare whilst still leaving enough mouse a new cable through if necessary but there is no braid just dust. So a new cable is the only option.

Moving on in that direction I need to identify the connector at the antenna end. I don’t know the make or model of the antenna. Luckily I took a picture of the connector (before cleaning it up) before the mast was stepped:

IMG_2026-03-26-211033.jpeg

It’s 5mm cable so quite a small connector. Maybe it’s proprietary to the antenna and no longer available?
 
MikeBz said:
Went to the boat today armed with soldering iron, solder, cutters, stripper, heat shrink tubing, self amalgamating tape (hurrah for Screwfix on route) etc. Cut the cable completely at the damage point. Plenty of spare cable length downstream so practice on that first - strip the outer back an inch and instead of there being any braid there is just powder and copper oxide. Eventually cu it back about 4” and braid & core are bright. Upstream there are only a few inches of cable sticking out of the mast - cut it back as far as I dare whilst still leaving enough mouse a new cable through if necessary but there is no braid just dust. So a new cable is the only option.

Moving on in that direction I need to identify the connector at the antenna end. I don’t know the make or model of the antenna. Luckily I took a picture of the connector (before cleaning it up) before the mast was stepped:

View attachment 208340

It’s 5mm cable so quite a small connector. Maybe it’s proprietary to the antenna and no longer available?
Click to expand...

It's not clear enough really. It may be proprietary but the convention would be a PL259 or SO239 and is neither. Is there another connector a little further down? Some aerials are fitted with a pigtail that uses an external connector.
 
MikeBz said:
Went to the boat today armed with soldering iron, solder, cutters, stripper, heat shrink tubing, self amalgamating tape (hurrah for Screwfix on route) etc. Cut the cable completely at the damage point. Plenty of spare cable length downstream so practice on that first - strip the outer back an inch and instead of there being any braid there is just powder and copper oxide. Eventually cu it back about 4” and braid & core are bright. Upstream there are only a few inches of cable sticking out of the mast - cut it back as far as I dare whilst still leaving enough mouse a new cable through if necessary but there is no braid just dust. So a new cable is the only option.

Moving on in that direction I need to identify the connector at the antenna end. I don’t know the make or model of the antenna. Luckily I took a picture of the connector (before cleaning it up) before the mast was stepped:

View attachment 208340

It’s 5mm cable so quite a small connector. Maybe it’s proprietary to the antenna and no longer available?
Click to expand...
Could be one of these ACC158 Antenna Cable Termination Kit (V-Tronix, Whipflex)

But why not buy a new antenna, which will come with connectors and cable ?
 
Purple Velvet said:
It's not clear enough really. It may be proprietary but the convention would be a PL259 or SO239 and is neither. Is there another connector a little further down? Some aerials are fitted with a pigtail that uses an external connector.
Click to expand...
Most masthead antennas come with integrated cable, or a connector such as the one in post #24. A PL259 is unusual, although not heard of.
 
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MikeBz said:
Went to the boat today armed with soldering iron, solder, cutters, stripper, heat shrink tubing, self amalgamating tape (hurrah for Screwfix on route) etc. Cut the cable completely at the damage point. Plenty of spare cable length downstream so practice on that first - strip the outer back an inch and instead of there being any braid there is just powder and copper oxide. Eventually cu it back about 4” and braid & core are bright. Upstream there are only a few inches of cable sticking out of the mast - cut it back as far as I dare whilst still leaving enough mouse a new cable through if necessary but there is no braid just dust. So a new cable is the only option.

Moving on in that direction I need to identify the connector at the antenna end. I don’t know the make or model of the antenna. Luckily I took a picture of the connector (before cleaning it up) before the mast was stepped:

View attachment 208340

It’s 5mm cable so quite a small connector. Maybe it’s proprietary to the antenna and no longer available?
Click to expand...
If that is the connector to the aerial I would renew both aerial and cable. The connector looks in poor condition so what state is the aerial in ?
 
The antenna is probably fine .. its just old cable ...

I would think about replacing all .. antenna and cable .. new connection at deck ... (maybe via gland and internal ??)

Take old antenna and re-purpose for rail AIS or emergency use ?? Basically cut off the connector and splic in a new cable to suit ??
 
As earlier suggested splice....here a utube video ......


I would check out a few more videos as well so as to put together all the best bits from each one. Its very simple and seems to work well according to my swr meter.
 
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