Antenna Modifications to Improve Range

Option # 1
Pull out about a 250mm length of the antenna wire and tape it to the deck in a straight line forward from the antenna tube. Take the end up close to the bow. Tape the aerial to the deck securely with insulating tape in two or three places. Finally, seal the hole in the deck where the aerial exits with some silicone or blue tack. This works really well

Option # 2
Another solution is to dispose of the tube altogether, seal up the antenna deck mount hole, and start over as follows (see photos below) : –

Step 1 : Drill a 1/16″ in the aft side of the “conning tower” (see photo #2)
Step 2 : Feed wire out through hole (see photo #s 3 & 4).
Step 3 : Wrap wire around the outside of the conning tower without crossing the wire over itself (see photo # 5).
Step 4 : Either tape or silicon glue into place.
Step 5 : Seal hole where wire comes out (see photo # 6).
Step 6 : Make sure wire does not interfere with hatch installation.

 

Antenna1Photo # 1 : Remove antenna from original mount, pull antenna wire below, seal up old deck antenna mount hole.
Antenna2Photo # 2 : Drill a 1/16″ in the aft side of the “conning tower” right at the bottom of the groove.
Antenna3

Antenna4

Photo #s 3 & 4: Feed all the wire out through the hole

Antenna5Photo #5: Wrap wire around the outside of the conning tower without crossing the wire over itself. It should lie flat in bottom of groove. If you have a 75 mhz radio, it will go around just once. A 27 mhz wire will go around more than once. Either tape or silicon glue into place.

Antenna6

Photo # 6: Make sure wire does not interfere with hatch installation.

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