VHF Aerial

[Pete735]

Am coming to the end of an extensive refit and planned to replace existing coax with new. Bought new cable with correct impedance and then removed aerial (mast down) only to find that aerial - no makers name on it - has a small badly corroded circuit board in the cone at the base of it. This I imagine is an amplifier of sorts. No problem I thought just buy a new aerial without the cable, however marine vhf aerials only seem to be sold complete with cable. Am I better off writing this off to experience and just buying complete kit from somewhere or does anyone know of a supplier of decent aerials only? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[nigelhudson]

Have a look at JG Technologies

I bought one from here two years ago which did not have a integral lead and it is still working well.

 

[Talbot]

Good aerials as w ell! - but if you buy the one with the cable, it is a tinned cable - something not supplied with a lot of more expensive aerials!

 

[William_H]

The printed circuit board almost certainly carries a coil and capacitors to match the aerial to the cable and transmitter. Not an amplifier.

If you buy an aerial with cable attached the cable should be well sealed and attached to the antenna which may be more reliable than attaching a cable yourself. good luck olewill or see my recent post on home made antenna.

 

[whipper_snapper]

[ QUOTE ]
Am I better off writing this off to experience and just buying complete kit from somewhere /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes!

The electrical quality and weather proof-ness of the masthead connection is critical.

 

[Salty John]

Many vhf antenna's have a connection at the base so you can select the correct size coax for your application and so you can disconnect and remove the antenna without having to pull all the cable out.

 

[Pete735]

Many thanks for everyone's comments, most helpful as always.