SSB installation

[Koeketiene]

I recently bought a SSB radio (Icom 710). Have been going over installation requirements etc... . Not as simple as I tought / hoped.
After talking to several SSB owners I decided against installing it myself. There seem to be so many things that can go wrong.

Would look to have it installed by 'professionals'.

Q: anyone know of a UK firm (south east) that would take on / are up to this job? It would help if you have first hand experience of their work.

Many thanks

 

[Sea Devil]

It really is not rocket science to install it yourself if you are just a little bit practical - particulaly if you get the ready made up connections from Icom. what bit of the job seems challanging?

 

[Talbot]

Greenham Regis will do the installation (for a price)

 

[DrBob]

Agree with Bambola - it's not too difficult. Are you planning to transmit or just receive?

If you are planning only to receive then it is really very simple. What antenna are you planning to use?

Dr Bob
www.gm0eco.com

 

[BrendanChandler]

Did you buy new in UK as I understood that they are no longer available and I am looking to buy one.

Brendan

 

[Koeketiene]

Thanks - got a link 4 them?

 

[Koeketiene]

Thanks 4 the reply

Things that worry me
1 antenna isolation (plan to use backstay as antenna)
2 grounding

Most people I know that have an SSB installed said that most problems they had could be traced back to installation faults.

 

[Koeketiene]

Hi Brendan

Got one of Ebay for €1250 (inc P&P).
Had it tested at work - seems to be A OK

Talbot (forum member) has one for sale as well.
Seem to remember that www.cactusnav.com still have these sets available.

Cheers

William

 

[snowleopard]

for grounding, which is far and away the most important part of the installation process, icom sent me a document covering the options. the simplest one is to fit a sintered bronze earth plate and connect it to the ATU with a copper strip at least 2" wide.

run an insulated lead from the ATU to the insulated section of the backstay. the effective length of the antenna is the backstay plus the lead length.

 

[DrBob]

Poor grounding will manifest itself as increased RFI and possibly poor tuning on the ATU. I use an MFJ Artificial Gound (MFJ931) which connects between the earth wire and the ATU. It totally removes stray RFI and converts a poor earth to a good one even at high power (+1KW).

You may find one cheap second hand.

Dr Bob
www.gm0eco.com

 

[Sea Devil]

The back stay insultaion is really easy - the insulators are sold by Sta-lock (probably norseman as well) . Just use the halyard to keep the stick up - drop the back stay - do a little simple measuring to allow for the extra length of the 2 insulators - make the bottom one high enough for people not to clutch it when you tx. Take a good hack saw - insert the two insulators following the simple instructions and thats it - do not worry too much about length as the ATU will take care of that.

As someone else posted make sure you use 2" copper strip from the ATU to the ground plate - either your keel bolts or a dynaplate. Probably the trick is to position the ATU as close as possible to the ground plate. or VV.

If you order the ready made connections from Icom - you've cracked it - simple wire runs. I have installed 2 and reularly chat across the pond - If I can do it so can you!

 

[beneteau_305_553]

Try Waters and Stanton

they do Amateur radio equipment


http://www.wsplc.com/acatalog/Icom_HF_transceivers.html

You can then get all the marine and amateur radio bands as well including navtex, weather fax and email

I spoke to Nigel on 01702 206835. He was very helpfull