I doubt the boat in question was using coax. I just didn't know the
correct term to use for this type of wire and used "coax". Subsequent to all
the original discussion I had a closer look at the wire used on my boat
(installed in 1983) and I see that it is, in fact, GTO-15. Says so right on
the insulation.
Now I just need to buy a decent SSB to hook up to the backstay after
selling the old Motorola 11 channel unit.

"Woody" wrote in message
tt.net...
In article ,
says...
I see this all the time on cruising boats not most, not many but a
few. I always try to argue with the person that installed it on the
pros and cons but never get anyone that can talk rf to me. best I had
was an extra class ham that just said it works better because I can
hear the difference.

Distributed capacitance should be taken care of by the antenna tuner
(all random length end fed vertical wire antennas on boats have tuners
I think) So I guess the reason is to keep stray rf from coupling and
reflecting back from the backstay. I would think that a ? wavelength
distance from the backstay to the gto-15 should be good. But since you
will be using it on many bands I would guess that at least 1/8
wavelength at the lowest frequency would be someplace to start from.
Maybe about 10 meters separation between backstay and gto-15 may make
a measurable difference. 2 inches of separation, less then 1
electrical degree ROTFLMAO at anyone who says it makes a difference.





sded wrote in message
. ..
"Gordon Wedman" wrote:

The other day I was wandering around one of our marinas trying to
steal
ideas from other boats and I came across an aluminum pilot-house
sloop that
may have come over from Europe. I noticed that the SSB coax was
held away
from the backstay turnbuckle and wire by ~1 inch plastic spacers.
I've
never seen this before and the previous owner didn't do it on my
boat. I've
been thinking of upgrading the ancient SSB system on my boat and
was
wondering if these standoffs were something recommended.
Anyone know about these? Thanks
Gord

Standoffs are highly recommended to eliminate coupling/signal loss
between the
leadin and the backstay below the insulators. I made mine by
running plastic
wire ties through shrink wrap tubing-a loop around the backstay,
through the
tubing, a loop around the wire. About 2" long is good. Not coax at
this point,
but High Voltage wire, BTW. Easy to do, and does help performance.


If you are talking coax, and it is properly impedance "matched" at both
ends, proximity to objects (metal or not) will have no effect. There is
(should be...) no RF on the outside of the shield.

OTOH...
Most comments reference a single feed wire to the stay. In that case
isolating the wire from nearby objects is very important for proper
function.

Woody