ssb set up

[davidroyboy]

hi is there anyone in the inverness area that could help me set up my LOWE 150 receiver on board my yacht in inverness.thanks david.

 

[KellysEye]

With a receiver there isn't much to set up, place the receiver where it is easiest to access the external antenna. Given you can't tune the aerial you may have problems with some frequecies.

 

[nigella]

Sent you a PM

 

[maby]

With a receiver there isn't much to set up, place the receiver where it is easiest to access the external antenna. Given you can't tune the aerial you may have problems with some frequecies.

Tuning a receiving antenna doesn't buy you much. If you are really worried about it, a receive only antenna tuner will not cost much (http://wsplc.com/acatalog/Receiver_ATUs.html).

Really you just need to get the longest bit of wire you can into the air - the correct length for all the marine frequencies is too great to fit onto any boat that most of us here can afford, so just make it as long as you can. Since you are not transmitting, you don't need to worry about insulation - other than not losing the signal - I would be tempted to initially put a crocodile clip on the end of a few yards of wire and clipping onto the backstay - if that works, try to make a more permanent connection.

If you want something smaller and want it tuned, you could use a low power portable amateur radio transmitting anenna - something like this:

http://wsplc.com/acatalog/ATX-MKII__Portable_80-6m_HF_Antenna_BNC.html

but performance will not be particularly good - where antennae are concerned, size does matter.

 

[ffiill]

A random wire antenna about 30 ft long usually does the job-use four/six strand copper usually used in wiring ceiling spots and the like-stretch plastic sheathing at one end turn over wire and tape down with insulation tape.Add some 50 ohm coax.from end of wire on deck through to radio to sheild from interference.Take aerial up mast using spare uphaul and away from rigging.
This will also happily work on an SSB tranceiver with ATU.
If you are wanting to download weatherfax;Navtex etc you need a free programme
Check out
www.yachtcom.info
for further info.

 

[agurney]

I put a nylon thimble at the top and bottom of my backstay to act as insulators, and just clip a wire on when required. Works fine.

 

[maby]

I put a nylon thimble at the top and bottom of my backstay to act as insulators, and just clip a wire on when required. Works fine.

If you don't have a keel stepped mast, I'm not sure that insulators are necessary for receive - there's no obvious path from the standing rigging to the ground (water). You certainly need to isolate the backstays for transmit - lots of nasty voltages floating around and you don't want a crew member touching a shroud while you are transmitting! If you do use the standing rigging, make sure you disconnect the antenna if there is a risk of lightening - a nearby strike could burn out the front-end of the receiver.

 

[agurney]

If you don't have a keel stepped mast, I'm not sure that insulators are necessary for receive - there's no obvious path from the standing rigging to the ground (water). You certainly need to isolate the backstays for transmit - lots of nasty voltages floating around and you don't want a crew member touching a shroud while you are transmitting! If you do use the standing rigging, make sure you disconnect the antenna if there is a risk of lightening - a nearby strike could burn out the front-end of the receiver.

Per the OP, receive-only.

I find lightening only happens if I leave it out in the sun for extended periods.