Stubby VHF antenna for AIS - mounted on radar arch

[oGaryo]

I've been looking without success for a small antenna to mount on the radar arch so I don't need to split the VHF radio antenna for use with the AIS. The performance doesn't need to be amazing as the boat still picks up the AIS transmissions from nearby boats without the aerial connected, which is a bit spooky. It just needs a little help in hand to pick up boats further afield.

I already have two large aerials atop the arch (AM/FM radio and a standard VHF aerial) + a GPS mushroom and TV aerial. Then there's the radar dome and trumpet horns. So I really don't want yet another large item stuck up there, hence the stubby requirement.

Anyone use one? all I can find so far is a Banten model but without the mounting option to pop it on top of the radar arch (it's a bracket afair for mounting to a mast)

ta Gary

 

[edsailing]

Try these guys. They made one up for me and will provide everything you need and the prices are pretty amazing too (mine was about £20 for stubby and 5 metres of cable). Just tell them the frequency and they make to measure.

http://www.badland.co.uk/

 

[oGaryo]

Try these guys. They made one up for me and will provide everything you need and the prices are pretty amazing too (mine was about £20 for stubby and 5 metres of cable). Just tell them the frequency and they make to measure.

http://www.badland.co.uk/

Thanks for the link Ed, looks promising. I've emailed them the following details:

[FONT=times new roman, new york, times, serif]Operating frequencies: 161.975 and 162.025 MHz[/FONT]
[FONT=times new roman, new york, times, serif]Channel spacing: 25 kHz[/FONT]
[FONT=times new roman, new york, times, serif]Sensitivity: < -109 dBm[/FONT]
[FONT=times new roman, new york, times, serif]Data rate: 9600 BpS[/FONT]
[FONT=times new roman, new york, times, serif]Antenna impedance: 50 Ohm

They've replied already with an aerial that appears to suit mounting on top of a car or on a slim bracket. Just waiting to see if they have something suitable to mount on top of the arch

thanks again[/FONT]

 

[oGaryo]

unfortunately they're unable to help with the mounting so the aerial won't be of use. any other options out there?

 

[wakeup]

I used one of these successfully for my ais radar
http://www.force4.co.uk/6222/Shakespeare--Rubber-Duck--VHF-Antenna.html

Seems to work, I've yet to be run down by a tanker.

 

[CharlieAlpha]

Hi Gary, I bought the digital yacht AIS and this http://www.digitalyacht.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=11671

 

[oGaryo]

thanks guys. Chris, particularly like the look of the Digital AIS product, can you recall where you purchased it from? the only UK provider I can find doesn't have it listed in their shop any longer. ta v much

 

[CharlieAlpha]

PM sent

 

[DigitalYacht]

Hi Gary

we have a lot of distributors in the UK including Cactus and Class A which are the main ones, if you can't find their contact details on-line or need more information about our products do not hesitate to contact us at 01179 55 44 74

I hope it helped