Anybody use a power anteana on a boat?

[WATERWINGS]

I have always had a hard time getting good reception on weaker stations, but usually my anteana has been stuffed under the dash, or in the sponson.

I can get better reception if I take it out and lay it on the back of the boat, but that is a hassle.

If I could set it up that way, it could be up for FM, and out of the way when I dont need it.

Has anybody used a power anteana, and are there any disadvantages?

[David - WI]

I have always had a hard time getting good reception on weaker stations, but usually my anteana has been stuffed under the dash, or in the sponson.

I can get better reception if I take it out and lay it on the back of the boat, but that is a hassle.

If I could set it up that way, it could be up for FM, and out of the way when I dont need it.

Has anybody used a power anteana, and are there any disadvantages?

We ran a separate ground wire from the "base" of the antenna to the back of the radio on my Enchanter and my buddy's Vegas... and about doubled the number of stations we could receive.

Both were tucked up under the dash.

I'm pulling the power antenna out of my HST... if you want it. Not sure what shape it's in (haven't really looked at it)... but it's free if you want to try it before you buy one.

David

[WATERWINGS]

Sure, I'll try it out.

Why are you takeing it off?

I thought about grounding the antenna base to the batt., but you say to the back of the tuner?

I will try that too......maybe ground it to BOTH ?

Let me know what the shipping for the power ant. to 27889, and I will send a check.


thanks,

John

[David - WI]

Sure, I'll try it out.

Why are you takeing it off?

I thought about grounding the antenna base to the batt., but you say to the back of the tuner?

I will try that too......maybe ground it to BOTH ?

Let me know what the shipping for the power ant. to 27889, and I will send a check.


thanks,

John

Grounding the antenna to the battery is probably fine, as long as the radio is grounded to the same battery.

Don't worry about $... just PM your address and I'll pull it out of the boat and send it off.

I don't have a radio (or a floor, or seats, etc) in the boat now anyway. :(

[Riverman]

I had one in my Starcraft Super Sport (18' aluminum bowrider). I mounted it on the stern deck next to the gunnel. It was great on a boat like that, I think if you can get it to work when hidden that would be better.

[Hottrucks]

John I had one on my Preditor it was the cats meow... up when listening to the tunes down for the cover and when water skiing............. I plan On puting one in the skater with a radio / Speakes mounted in the Sponson

Jeff

[cutwater]

I put a powered antenna under the passenger dash of my Velocity 22. I hooked power for the antenna to the stereo so it only engergizes when the stereo is on. Works great. It's not a rectracable powered type, but a powered booster type...fixed antenna - no moving parts - unseen ender the dash - about $30 at the local car stereo shop.

[pyro]

Anywhere you can get the antenna vertical, good things will happen. A fixed antenna under the dash, upside-down, pointing down may work ok...

[j_martin]

The antenna ground should be to the radio. theoretically that should happen with the shield on the antenna wire, but it don't always happen like it should. Also, sometimes a piece of sheet metal under the base mounting providing a ground plane helps a lot. The antenna is supposed to look like a quarter wavelength whip sticking up out of earth to the radio. A steel car looks like that, fiberglass don't.


john

[WATERWINGS]

Tried the antenna ground trick last night, (while leaving the antenna in its hidden position), and grounding the antenna to the battey works alot better that grounding the antenna to the back of the radio.

I will try to solder (sp?) the wire to the base, or figure out a good way to keep it on there.

[Mastercraft241]

where can i buy one of these antennas

[David - WI]

Tried the antenna ground trick last night, (while leaving the antenna in its hidden position), and grounding the antenna to the battey works alot better that grounding the antenna to the back of the radio.

I will try to solder (sp?) the wire to the base, or figure out a good way to keep it on there.

If you have some station that you like, but can't quite get it to lock on decent... you can try adjusting the antenna length to match that station.

The easiest thing to do would be to tune in the station you want, and adjust the antenna to the length that gives the best signal.

To estimate a starting length, basically you divide 2808 by the station frequency.

For 105.7 FM you would get 2808/105.7 = 26.6" long antenna.
For 93.5 FM you would get 2808/93.5 = 30.0" long antenna.

It isn't going to make a huge difference... but if you can lock that one cool station without static, it might be worth playing with; especially if you boat the same general area most of the time.

[Mastercraft241]

do you by any chance know what site i can check this out at?

[WATERWINGS]

Tried the antenna ground trick last night, (while leaving the antenna in its hidden position), and grounding the antenna to the battey works alot better that grounding the antenna to the back of the radio.

I will try to solder (sp?) the wire to the base, or figure out a good way to keep it on there.


I wonder if I should try grounding ALL 3 together?

That may do even better?