Selecting a New VHF antenna

[laika]

May I start by saying that I have deep respect for the radio community and that any perceived insult to the sartorial sensibilities of that subculture in other threads is a complete misunderstanding.

I suspect I will soon be replacing my VHF antenna. I've read a lot of old threads on here concerning cable choice but I have a few questions, the answers to which may be different in 2022 than they were in earlier threads (e.g. "Buy something from salty john" is probably no longer valid).
* Perusing various marine suppliers, all their antennae come with pre-attached RG58. Stupid question but how is the cable normally connected to the antenna when one doesn't buy one with pre-attached cable?
* More recent threads I've been seeing seem to extol the virtues of ultraflex 7. Is this still a recommendation or if not, what is?
* If I have RG58 internally between the gooseneck and the radio, are there issues with connecting a different type of coax to run up the mast?

Mast is ~15m, internal cable run 3-4m

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Go for a Metz antenna, but shop around. Seas The Day Marine Ltd | UK and European Distributor for Metz VHF Antennas

 

[oldgit]

Commercially VHF antennas at those frequencies will arrive with either a female PL259 or a "N" plug moulded directly into the base of the glassfibre tube or a short tail of co-axial cable about 30cms long with the female plug attached to that.
Only marine aerials appear to usually come with a long length of co-ax .
Web site of one of my old suppliers.
https://www.badland.co.uk/type/marine/7/


Unfortunately they do not sell retail, some would be amazed at the fully justified extra expence involved to put a basic marine aerial into a fancy and colourful vacuum packed packet and hang it on the display in your local chandlery.
In addition there is no substitute for physical size .

 

[doug748]

Avoid this Supergain option. Mine corroded badly inside 2 years, not stainless:

 

[Skylark]

I’ll be a little contrary on this……..

VHF is line of sight. Many/most transceivers are 25w and have pretty good ears, too.

A basic quarter wave with reasonable connections, protected against the sea environment, carefully installed, should be more than adequate.

 

[Aurai]

Perusing various marine suppliers, all their antennae come with pre-attached RG58. Stupid question but how is the cable normally connected to the antenna when one doesn't buy one with pre-attached cable?

Hi, I have gone the Seas the Day route and love the responsive email service. The Metz Aerial comes with a external screw threaded base. This fits through a hole in your bracket and fixed by a lock nut. Then your cable connects with an internally threaded connector. For mast top, carefully wrap with self-amalgamation tape, is the advice recently received. Cheers

 

[pandos]

I have read many good reports and none bad about Metz antennas with superflex 7 coax.

And an going to follow this route (I have a failed antenna at mast head so I am going to replace with entirely new )

I have not been able to find a single supplier to sell sell both.

 

[FairweatherDave]

I just removed the self-almagamating tape so I could remove the antenna ready for its final location at the top of the mast. Really impressed with it. No doubts about its weatherproof qualities. This is a review for anyone who has never used it! (review of the tape not the antenna, which is also good)

 

[Moodysailor]

When we replaced the VHF antennae on our previous boat we fitted a Vesper marine combined AIS/VHF antennae. I've nothing else to compare it to other than the old Shakespeare we removed, but a noticeable improvement in range and worked a treat for the AIS too.

 

[laika]

A basic quarter wave with reasonable connections, protected against the sea environment, carefully installed, should be more than adequate.

I think what you’re saying here is that i'm doing the RF equivalent of reading stuff on a hifi forum and thinking I need £30/m speaker cable for my westerly cabin speakers which was what I was wondering myself. Plus given my questionable soldering skills probably the fewer connectors I've personally soldered are in the mix the better.

If I'm understanding the other recommendations (and thanks for all of them), there's more than one pointer to the metz antenna which seems to attach to a cable via a pl259 which (if I understand the above correctly) one would then wrap heavily with self-amalgamating tape

 

[claymore]

Metz every time - such a shame that SaltyJohn has gone into retirement.

 

[[70521]]

I have a Metz, from Salty John before he retired, on top of a 12 metre mast, total cable run is about 16 metres of RG58 with amalgamating tape to waterproof the connection at the top. Works a treat, but confused a 'marine electrician' who rung to tell me it did not work. On asking what testing he had done he said none, at that point I said leave it alone and hung up.

 

[Skylark]

I think what you’re saying here is that i'm doing the RF equivalent of reading stuff on a hifi forum and thinking I need £30/m speaker cable for my westerly cabin speakers which was what I was wondering myself.

Yes. The internet is full of people encouraging us to part with our hard earned cash. I would use a wire coat hanger cut to quarter wave then I could spend what I’ve saved to improve my sartorial sensibility ?

A good, weatherproof installation is all that is required for a simple VHF aerial.