what is the specific difference between the "shakespeare junk" and the
other? Are the specs different, or the construction, or both?

First off, Shakespeare makes some pretty good antenna's, but they make
everything from cheap to real good. Now if your inclined to buy cheap,
than you deserve what you get. Myself, I would never buy a cheap
antenna, because you want that radio to work when you really need it
most, like when your up to your knees in water in your cabin. An
antenna is a silly place to even joke about skimping. That doesn't mean
that you should pay a crazy price. If you stay inland, you don't need
the top of the line, if you run the canyons frequently, the top of the
line might be the way to go.

In article .com,
"luc" wrote:

what is the specific difference between the "shakespeare junk" and the
other? Are the specs different, or the construction, or both?


Design, Construction, Materials, and real world Spec's. Most of the
Morad Atennas were designed by Eddie Zanbergen (rip), who spent a
lifetime in the Marine Radio OEM business. He was Chief Engineer
at Northern Radio Company in his early career, and then left and started
Morad Electronics, with a partner, because he could buy the quality
of antennas that he wanted for the radio's that he designed, that were
used all over Alaska and throught the Pacific Fishing Fleet.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

Talking to the skipper of an environmental oil skimmer the other day as he
was installing a new VHF antenna. Asked what he wasinstalling and he said
"Morad, of course". He claims they are the one and only!
Gordon

"Bruce in Alaska" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
"luc" wrote:

what is the specific difference between the "shakespeare junk" and the
other? Are the specs different, or the construction, or both?


Design, Construction, Materials, and real world Spec's. Most of the
Morad Atennas were designed by Eddie Zanbergen (rip), who spent a
lifetime in the Marine Radio OEM business. He was Chief Engineer
at Northern Radio Company in his early career, and then left and started
Morad Electronics, with a partner, because he could buy the quality
of antennas that he wanted for the radio's that he designed, that were
used all over Alaska and throught the Pacific Fishing Fleet.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

While on the topic of antennas, what do you all think about the issue of RF
exposure and the recomendation that omni directional antennas with a gain of
under 9 dB be mounted 5 meters (15 ft) above deck level?

Even the 1 meter above head level given as minimum height for the base of
the antenna seems to be ignored on many boats.

surfnturf

In article WN_Yf.1391$_u1.990@pd7tw2no, "surfnturf" wrote:
While on the topic of antennas, what do you all think about the issue of RF
exposure and the recomendation that omni directional antennas with a gain of
under 9 dB be mounted 5 meters (15 ft) above deck level?

Even the 1 meter above head level given as minimum height for the base of
the antenna seems to be ignored on many boats.

I don't even like being across the street from a big tower. There are nearly
a hundred services on that including high powered TV and FM stations.
I get passive current meters to raise the needle across the street.
My car remote starter used to be fine on top the hill. At one point
it lost much of its range near this hill because of some new service.
I have been on some small boats looking at that radar spinning.
I guess I don't like the idea of my 3 dB Metz mounted on the front of my
small boat a couple feet from the wheel, but even though I don't like the ideas,
I still use them radios. If I use a 1/4 wave whip antenna, I sure as hell not going to
raise it high in the air. Worse case scenereo, opperating a handheld.

greg

In article WN_Yf.1391$_u1.990@pd7tw2no, "surfnturf"
wrote:

While on the topic of antennas, what do you all think about the issue of RF
exposure and the recomendation that omni directional antennas with a gain of
under 9 dB be mounted 5 meters (15 ft) above deck level?

Even the 1 meter above head level given as minimum height for the base of
the antenna seems to be ignored on many boats.

surfnturf



RF Radiation is NOT ever going to be a problem on ANY non-commercial
vessel. Period. None of the radiators that one can buy and install
ever even come close to maximum RF Radiations Power Densities considered
the Safe Levels. The same is true for most commercial Marine
installations. My only concern would be to make sure that any MF/HF
Antenna system be well insulated at any place where a person could come
in contact with it. GTO-15 certainly would do this job for wire
antennas, or a nonconductive insulating layer applied to any other
antenna section that is within reach of a humans. The worst that could
happen, should a person come in contact with the above, while
transmitting, is that they could get an RF Burn, that is going to smart
for a few days, but heck, an operator can get that, from a MF/HF Radio
that doesn't have an adiquate RF Ground, from the Mic Hangup Button.

Old Chief Lynn, will certainly testify to the above.....

Military Vessels are a completely different can of worms, and they ALL
have proceedures, and Operational Rules that are in place to protect
operators and others who work in proximitry to the Radiating Surfaces.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

In article , Bruce in Alaska wrote:
In article WN_Yf.1391$_u1.990@pd7tw2no, "surfnturf"
wrote:

While on the topic of antennas, what do you all think about the issue of RF
exposure and the recomendation that omni directional antennas with a gain of
under 9 dB be mounted 5 meters (15 ft) above deck level?

Even the 1 meter above head level given as minimum height for the base of
the antenna seems to be ignored on many boats.

surfnturf



RF Radiation is NOT ever going to be a problem on ANY non-commercial
vessel. Period. None of the radiators that one can buy and install
ever even come close to maximum RF Radiations Power Densities considered
the Safe Levels. The same is true for most commercial Marine
installations. My only concern would be to make sure that any MF/HF
Antenna system be well insulated at any place where a person could come
in contact with it. GTO-15 certainly would do this job for wire
antennas, or a nonconductive insulating layer applied to any other
antenna section that is within reach of a humans. The worst that could
happen, should a person come in contact with the above, while
transmitting, is that they could get an RF Burn, that is going to smart

When I was in the Army, I would test my transmitter/antenna system
out by touching the antenna to get a burn and I think I learned that from others, don't
remember. If it burned, then it was OK. The antenna was a 1/4 wave vertical and transmitted
to the Northrop drone planes. I later made a separate box to have a lamp indicator
when placed near the antenna. The hing was, there was no indiction on the transmitter
if a cable connection was bad.

When I was on a Carnival cruise in 1986, I ventured up to the radio room. Took me back,
I saw a man using a bug or some kind of key, sending CW. The antenna
wire came out of the rack, up the wall, along side of which was a light bulb flashing in tune with
the CW. I thought it was pretty neat.

greg

In article ,
(GregS) wrote:



When I was in the Army, I would test my transmitter/antenna system
out by touching the antenna to get a burn and I think I learned that from
others, don't
remember. If it burned, then it was OK. The antenna was a 1/4 wave vertical
and transmitted
to the Northrop drone planes. I later made a separate box to have a lamp
indicator
when placed near the antenna. The hing was, there was no indiction on the
transmitter
if a cable connection was bad.

When I was on a Carnival cruise in 1986, I ventured up to the radio room.
Took me back,
I saw a man using a bug or some kind of key, sending CW. The antenna
wire came out of the rack, up the wall, along side of which was a light bulb
flashing in tune with
the CW. I thought it was pretty neat.

greg


For SOLAS Inspected vessels an RF Indicator is part of the Required
Equipment for each Transmitter. This is a device that indicates that RF
Energy is present at the Antenna Port of the transmitter. I learned
very early in my career that an NE2 Neon Light taped to the antenna
just above the antenna tuner, would light up, when the transmitter was
in operation. These cost $.20 each, and the FCC Inspectors would accept
them, as fullfilling that requirement. For VHF's however, we always
used the Radio Shack FS1 Field Strength Meter/SWR Bridge, which used to
be $9.95, back in the day. I understand that these are now very hard to
find, and I am not sure what folks are using on SOLAS Inspected vessels
these days. Maybe Lynn knows.....


Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

"Bruce in Alaska" wrote in message
...
In article WN_Yf.1391$_u1.990@pd7tw2no, "surfnturf"
wrote:

While on the topic of antennas, what do you all think about the issue of
RF
exposure and the recomendation that omni directional antennas with a
gain of
under 9 dB be mounted 5 meters (15 ft) above deck level?

Even the 1 meter above head level given as minimum height for the base
of
the antenna seems to be ignored on many boats.

surfnturf



RF Radiation is NOT ever going to be a problem on ANY non-commercial
vessel. Period. None of the radiators that one can buy and install
ever even come close to maximum RF Radiations Power Densities considered
the Safe Levels. The same is true for most commercial Marine
installations. My only concern would be to make sure that any MF/HF
Antenna system be well insulated at any place where a person could come
in contact with it. GTO-15 certainly would do this job for wire
antennas, or a nonconductive insulating layer applied to any other
antenna section that is within reach of a humans. The worst that could
happen, should a person come in contact with the above, while
transmitting, is that they could get an RF Burn, that is going to smart
for a few days, but heck, an operator can get that, from a MF/HF Radio
that doesn't have an adiquate RF Ground, from the Mic Hangup Button.

Old Chief Lynn, will certainly testify to the above.....

Military Vessels are a completely different can of worms, and they ALL
have proceedures, and Operational Rules that are in place to protect
operators and others who work in proximitry to the Radiating Surfaces.

Bruce in alaska

My humble opinion is that the radiation from the antenna of a 25 watt
VHF transmitter probably doesn't do a person much good. However when
considers how long the transmitting continues, it is probably nothing to
worry about. (unless you have completely run out of things to worry about)
How long do you hold the mic button down on an average cruise, anyway?

Radiation from MF/HF transmitting antennas probably poses equally
little to fear. But as Bruce points out, exposed wires and terminals can
bite! And the smoke from RF burns on your nose, ears or fingers smells bad
too.

It would impress visitors to the radio room when the operator would
hold a fully lit 40 watt fluorescent tube in his hands, with no wires
attached.

A lead pencil to draw RF arcs was much safer, and was a good indication
that something coming out of the transmitter. And was a dandy tuning aid,
too. Just tune for longest arc.

Old Chief Lynn