well it finally happened, We smashed our VHF antenna into a tree (trailering) and now I need to completely replace it. Diesn anybody know if the coaxial cable has a connector somewhere other then way under the dash?
Can the coaxial cable be slpiced into, making a connector male and female inside the radar arch?

I'm not wanting to run 25 feet of cable through the side and under everything else.....Please help

Robert Chapman
(boltman)

I can't answer your question, but you should consider getting a new Antenna from Boaters World they offer an extended warranty yo ucan buy (cheap) on antenna's for cases like yours and they will replace it.

 

Can the coaxial cable be slpiced into, making a connector male and female inside the radar arch?

"Yes"

However, you have to have a good connection and keep it dry with shrink wrap tubing. I get a lot of my connectors and tools from http://www.newark.com/

 

I will also say that if you need a new antenna, check out the Digital Antenna brand (they sell them at BOE Marine). They will come with the connector already on the coax and you can use the old coax as a fish to get the new coax under the helm.

 

Splicing

Gary, can't I just splice into it inside the Radar arch...? I cannot fish it out, it's wrapped tightly in a harness with tie wraps keeping it secure....? please advise..

 

That's fine. You can spline VHF coax antenna cable. The basic requirement is that you need at least 3 feet of cable from the radio to the antenna. Since you are going to put in a new antenna, you may want to shorten it but you probably don't have to. I would put a female connector on the cable coming from the helm and in the radar arch then use the male connector on the cable from the new antenna to tie into it. You should be fine... just make sure you seal it up.

 

I meant to say "splice" and not "spline"....

The "edit" button is missing from my posts now for some reason... guess I cursed too much lately.

 

http://shakespeare-marine.com/connectorshow.asp?menupick=PL-258-CP-G

 

The edit button is missing on this thread for some reason, not just you gary.

Bolt - Sorry about your accident. Hope you get the wiring issue worked out.

Bolts.

 

Splicing,

Yes my edit button is missing to, Damn the bad luck today....

I'd like to thank you for the advise Sir, I hate trial and error in this situation.... Yes I am going to put the male end on the radio side and the female end on the Antenna side, seems like they should have done that at the factory , wouldn't you say so?

I have plenty of High quality shrink tubing,,, I sell 3M brand adhesive shrink tubing all day long, I am just going to get the connector at a Radio Shack or something like that.

 

:smt014

 

Stihl......

I have to get this worked out, it's not right going on the water without the VHF. OMG they used two different screws to mount the Antenna bracket too.................So many troubles with screws I don't get it.......And that EDIT button,,,,,, What is the Deal?......

Can I just solder an Edit button on my laptop.......would that work..?..

I'd like a horn on this thing too....

Gary your awesome , thanks for the advice, man that's going to save so much time for me... I'm going to get a digital antenna too, so when I smack it again, it'll cost me even more... to replace, but at least I had a good one....Again Thanks Gary you are the ANTENNA WIZARD.......

 

Don't get me started on "screw variety" with Sea Ray... I think they just have a "bucket-o-screws" they randomly grab stuff out of to mount things.

 

screw variations

Yes I agree, but I also must state that every Boat comapny does this also.
My bracket had 2, 1/4 inch macince screws through bolted on top and 2 #12 screws on the bottom..... I will through bolt the whole assmebly, for good safe fastening............ It's always safe to through bolt when you can.

 

The reason there is no edit button is because when this (electrical section) was created that feature was left out. I have notified Jim to look into it. Jim is the only one that can change that.

Gary - you will be glad to know I can't even edit this one....

Wesley

 

fixed

 

Thanks Jim!!!

 

well it finally happened, We smashed our VHF antenna into a tree (trailering) and now I need to completely replace it. Diesn anybody know if the coaxial cable has a connector somewhere other then way under the dash?
Can the coaxial cable be slpiced into, making a connector male and female inside the radar arch?

I'm not wanting to run 25 feet of cable through the side and under everything else.....Please help

Robert Chapman
(boltman)

yes there should be
on your boat (I try to remember) is vinyl cowering padded panel on base of arch
you need to pull that panel and there should be antenna connector
if your boat doesn't have panel on arch base it should have inspection plate on arch
remove that plate and pull wire and check if connector is there, if not just cut wire.
install new antenna, cut wire to length what you had on old antenna, and reconnect to old cable using quick connector made by SHAKESPEARE
http://shakespeare-marine.com/connectorshow.asp?menupick=PL-258-CP-G


edited:
looks like I was too late :grin:

 

Gary,

The screw bolt thing is even simpler than "bucket-o-bolts". They have "short" and "long"....only 2 sku's per screw or bolt size. Bolts that are too long are broken off with vice-gips after the nuts and washers are tightened.

You haven't lived until you've removed a windlass attached in this manner with 3/8" stainless bolts while standing on your head and working thru a deck access that is 15" X 15".

 

another project complete

Gary this antenna is completed, thanks for the help, the connecter was inside the radar arch inside some very seriuos wire loom. I relpaced the antenna and added a new connector and it works very well, thanks again for your help.

Robert chapman