VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

I just had my VHF antenna fail after four years. The market seems totally
dominated by Shakespeare. Is there a model that stands out on price
performance? I am inclined to buy the cheapest, if they all only work for a
few years.

Pat Harman
M/V Meriwether

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

In article t,
"Patrick Harman" wrote:

I just had my VHF antenna fail after four years. The market seems totally
dominated by Shakespeare. Is there a model that stands out on price
performance? I am inclined to buy the cheapest, if they all only work for a
few years.

Pat Harman
M/V Meriwether



You should scrap that ShakySpere crap, and buy a real, commercial
Marine Vhf Antenna. Morad Electronics makes some the the BEST
commercial Marine Vhf Anrennas. You don't see that Shakyspere
junk on the High Seas Fishing Fleet, and there is a reson for that.
99% of the North Pacific Fishing Fleet uses the Morad Products,
because they work, are rugged as Hell, and almost never break.


Me
--
add a 2 before @

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

"Bruce in Alaska" wrote in message
...
In article t,
"Patrick Harman" wrote:

I just had my VHF antenna fail after four years. The market seems totally
dominated by Shakespeare. Is there a model that stands out on price
performance? I am inclined to buy the cheapest, if they all only work for
a
few years.

Pat Harman
M/V Meriwether



You should scrap that ShakySpere crap, and buy a real, commercial
Marine Vhf Antenna. Morad Electronics makes some the the BEST
commercial Marine Vhf Anrennas. You don't see that Shakyspere
junk on the High Seas Fishing Fleet, and there is a reson for that.
99% of the North Pacific Fishing Fleet uses the Morad Products,
because they work, are rugged as Hell, and almost never break.


Thanks I just ordered one from Fisheries Supply in Seattle.

Pat

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

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

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

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.

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

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 @

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

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 @

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

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

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

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

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

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 @

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

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

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

"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

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

"surfnturf" wrote in news:WN_Yf.1391$_u1.990@pd7tw2no:

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'm 60 years old. I got my ham license when I was 11 in 1957 because the
ham I used to pester to death to use his equipment and license figured,
rightly, that was the only way HE was ever going to get on ham radio
again without me in the way.

I've run everything from 1,500 watt HF teletype, CW, digital modes, AM,
SSB on the HF ham bands, creating fields so strong the hall light in one
house use to light up with SSB every time you talked on the mic. I used
to build HF linear amps it took 4 people to carry...(c; I've run over
80KW effective radiated power on VHF/UHF for things like bouncing signals
off the moon, long haul troposcatter where lots of power is required,
etc. Your skin got hot if you stood in front of it. I've operated an HF
mobile SSB station at 650 watts output on all the bands, in fields so
strong the dash lights in the car glowed from the wiring picking up the
intense field.

I've been around broadcast transmitters up to 100KW on FM and 25
megawatts on UHF-TV (ERP). They radiate an amazing array of RF, Xrays
from the intense voltages applied to the klystron tubes that are longer
than you are tall. I've climbed AM radio towers to replace the light
bulbs. AM radio antenna IS the tower, itself. I've been on that tower
with the transmitters running full power....5KW, 10KW. You learn quick
not to touch the OTHER side of any insulator you come to to keep from
burning your hands. I've been in the transmitters with the cabinet open
trying to figure out what's arcing at 5KV, 10KV, 25KV from a power supply
that looks like a substation. You can hear the RF "hissing" in there...
(c;

I'm 60. I had one trip to the hospital to retrieve a kidney stone back
in the 80's. I drink distilled water, now, because it HURT! I've always
been, basically, kind of ugly, but that was genetics, not RF's fault...

I'm still sailing and in good health....(c;

RF is dangerous. Too much RF from a cellphone, for instance, causes the
cellphone to occupy the channel over too wide an area, reducing company
revenues per square mile. So, we generate a public panic that cellphones
are too powerful and are causing terrible cancers over your ears. The
public sucks that up like a sponge....and loses its mind allowing the
cellphone companies to turn their power levels WAY down so the phone
range just sucks something awful. New phones run .15 watts, tops.
Cellphone companies are thrilled...revenues are way up!

If RF is deadly, then we MUST turn off all commercial transmitters,
immediately! That 100KW FM rap station down the street is killing you!

If we're running out of oil, we need to ground all airplanes, stop buses
and trains and stay home to conserve, right?

Neither will ever be implemented, of course. It's about the money...

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"surfnturf" wrote in news:WN_Yf.1391$_u1.990@pd7tw2no:

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'm 60 years old. I got my ham license when I was 11 in 1957 because the
ham I used to pester to death to use his equipment and license figured,
rightly, that was the only way HE was ever going to get on ham radio
again without me in the way.

I've run everything from 1,500 watt HF teletype, CW, digital modes, AM,
SSB on the HF ham bands, creating fields so strong the hall light in one
house use to light up with SSB every time you talked on the mic. I used
to build HF linear amps it took 4 people to carry...(c; I've run over
80KW effective radiated power on VHF/UHF for things like bouncing signals
off the moon, long haul troposcatter where lots of power is required,
etc. Your skin got hot if you stood in front of it. I've operated an HF
mobile SSB station at 650 watts output on all the bands, in fields so
strong the dash lights in the car glowed from the wiring picking up the
intense field.

I've been around broadcast transmitters up to 100KW on FM and 25
megawatts on UHF-TV (ERP). They radiate an amazing array of RF, Xrays
from the intense voltages applied to the klystron tubes that are longer
than you are tall. I've climbed AM radio towers to replace the light
bulbs. AM radio antenna IS the tower, itself. I've been on that tower
with the transmitters running full power....5KW, 10KW. You learn quick
not to touch the OTHER side of any insulator you come to to keep from
burning your hands. I've been in the transmitters with the cabinet open
trying to figure out what's arcing at 5KV, 10KV, 25KV from a power supply
that looks like a substation. You can hear the RF "hissing" in there...
(c;

I'm 60. I had one trip to the hospital to retrieve a kidney stone back
in the 80's. I drink distilled water, now, because it HURT! I've always
been, basically, kind of ugly, but that was genetics, not RF's fault...

I'm still sailing and in good health....(c;

RF is dangerous. Too much RF from a cellphone, for instance, causes the
cellphone to occupy the channel over too wide an area, reducing company
revenues per square mile. So, we generate a public panic that cellphones
are too powerful and are causing terrible cancers over your ears. The
public sucks that up like a sponge....and loses its mind allowing the
cellphone companies to turn their power levels WAY down so the phone
range just sucks something awful. New phones run .15 watts, tops.
Cellphone companies are thrilled...revenues are way up!

If RF is deadly, then we MUST turn off all commercial transmitters,
immediately! That 100KW FM rap station down the street is killing you!

If we're running out of oil, we need to ground all airplanes, stop buses
and trains and stay home to conserve, right?

Neither will ever be implemented, of course. It's about the money...


Hey, Bruce, if this is what RF did to Larry, maybe we should take a closer
look at it's harmful effects! (OK....... just joking)
Old Chief Lynn

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

In article ,
"Lynn Coffelt" wrote:


Hey, Bruce, if this is what RF did to Larry, maybe we should take a closer
look at it's harmful effects! (OK....... just joking)
Old Chief Lynn

Well, I wouldn't go quite that far....I have always maintined that
Marine Radars cause for physical harm, by hitting folks in the head with
rotating antenna, then from ANY preceived RF Radiation cause. I do
know a couple of Norwiegens (SquareHeads) that do have a few lumps
from mounting antennas up next to the Radar Antenna Units on some
of the bigger Crabbers and Draggers.....

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

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 @

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

"Bruce in Alaska" wrote:
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

RF indicators: Yes, we've put on a few Radio Shack SWR bridges as well
as some Vanco's, which came in a handy vertical case configuration. I've got
a Vanco in my 10 meter coax now.... it was put there to tune my attic
dipole. (before I got my snazzy MFJ-259)
I've never done this newly authorized contract SOLAS inspection by
myself. When I was still in the business, the FCC's field engineer did the
inspecting, and I was hired to tag along and keep discrepancies from
becoming open warfare. Of course if I was the regular servicing tech, there
weren't and discrepancies. Yoou Betcha! Wasn't Zinns, or something like
that, the nice guy that liked to go to a nice place for lunch and tell
inspection humor stories? He was my favorite inspector.
Old Chief Lynn

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

Bruce in Alaska wrote in news:bruceg-
:

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.

Just unplug any florescent tube from one of the cabin lights. Tape it to
the antenna about where the guests hang onto the insulated backstay. At
150 watts it's quite bright in the dark and modulated by the mic audio very
nicely.

Have a nontechie guest hold a florescent tube in his/her hand and move it
up near the antenna while you're on the air. Great fun to watch their
faces when it lights up in their hands.

Of course, it's more fun at 10KW. They don't need to be near the
antenna....(c; Just hand them the lit tube you've been holding when they
come around the corner....(c; "Here, hold this a minute, wouldya? I'm
trying to tune this transmitter and need two hands."

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

"Lynn Coffelt" wrote in news:e16m9n$vnv$1
@emma.aioe.org:

Wasn't Zinns, or something like
that, the nice guy that liked to go to a nice place for lunch and tell
inspection humor stories? He was my favorite inspector.


You boys needed to meet Mr Sheehan, the FCC inspector from Savannah. His
boss had to go retrieve him from a small town lockup when he barged into
the radio room of a small town sheriff's office demanding to see the
transmitter without identifying himself, properly.

Over here, we all miss Mr Sheehan....(c;

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

In article ,
"Lynn Coffelt" wrote:


RF indicators: Yes, we've put on a few Radio Shack SWR bridges as well
as some Vanco's, which came in a handy vertical case configuration. I've got
a Vanco in my 10 meter coax now.... it was put there to tune my attic
dipole. (before I got my snazzy MFJ-259)
I've never done this newly authorized contract SOLAS inspection by
myself. When I was still in the business, the FCC's field engineer did the
inspecting, and I was hired to tag along and keep discrepancies from
becoming open warfare. Of course if I was the regular servicing tech, there
weren't and discrepancies. Yoou Betcha! Wasn't Zinns, or something like
that, the nice guy that liked to go to a nice place for lunch and tell
inspection humor stories? He was my favorite inspector.
Old Chief Lynn


Bob Zinns was one of the best FCC Engineers that worked out of the
Seattle Field Office. I think that Pete Baliogenn, was before your time,
but he was the "*******" that always found something to RDI (Repaired
during Inspection) during any inspection. He carried a Black Book, that
we all called, the "Baliogenn Bible", that had all the non-Rule Rules in
it, and he could ALWAYS find something to bitch about. I figured out,
early on, that if Pete was coming to do an Inspection, that I needed to
leave at least one "Glaring" ommission for him to find, that was easy to
fix on the spot, and after he found it, and I fixed it, he would be alot
more reasonable about the rest of the stuff. Years later, when I joined
the FCC, as a Resident Field Agent, I did my initial training with the
Seattle Field Office, and had Gary Solsby as my Training Officer. I
still drop in on those guys, and gals when I get down that way.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

In article ,
Larry wrote:

"Lynn Coffelt" wrote in news:e16m9n$vnv$1
@emma.aioe.org:

Wasn't Zinns, or something like
that, the nice guy that liked to go to a nice place for lunch and tell
inspection humor stories? He was my favorite inspector.


You boys needed to meet Mr Sheehan, the FCC inspector from Savannah. His
boss had to go retrieve him from a small town lockup when he barged into
the radio room of a small town sheriff's office demanding to see the
transmitter without identifying himself, properly.

Over here, we all miss Mr Sheehan....(c;


There is a good FCC Story about Pete Baliogenn, getting thrown out of a
small Cop-Shop over in Idaho, somewhere, because the Sheriff, didn't
have his annual "Cert" work done. Pete went and got the local US
Marshall, and locked the Sheriff in his own Jail, shutoff and sealed
ALL the Radio Power Switches and told the Senior Deputy that if ANYONE
but a Licensed Radio Tech broke the seals while doing the "Certifacation
Work" they would join the Sheriff in the back cell. Pete really had a
mean temper, if you crossed him, and he KNEW his Powers, and how to wield
it, when he felt justified. I learned a lot about intimidation from
watching him work. This was back in the Day, when the FCC wasn't just a
"Paper Tiger" outfit. I have used the US Marshall's Service and the USCG
to provide Enforcement Mussle, a couple of times when it was required.
Once on an Alaska State Ferry that Failed a SOLAS Inspection and was due
to sail in a couple of hours. It is amazing the cooperation you get
when a USCG Lt. is standing on the Bridge with a couple of Armed USCG
Crewdogs......

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

Bruce in Alaska wrote in news:bruceg-
:

ALL the Radio Power Switches and told the Senior Deputy that if ANYONE
but a Licensed Radio Tech broke the seals while doing the "Certifacation
Work" they would join the Sheriff in the back cell. Pete really had a
mean temper, if you crossed him, and he KNEW his Powers, and how to wield
it, when he felt justified.

It might have been interesting that while this was going on a murder or
some other disaster the radio system could have had an effect on, like
saving a life in a car crash they wouldn't know about because the stupid
**** turned them all off.

It'd be a honey of a lawsuit and this asshole would have been history if
someone had the right politician looking into it.

FCC Bureaucrats aren't omnipotent. They are employees of the
state....subject to its laws and lawsuits, assholes or not.

He might have learned something.....(c;

Same is true of IRS agents....

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

Buy a wire coat hanger, and straighten it out. Clean off one end with
your teeth and jam it into the back of the radio. It will serve in an
emergency.

Who wants to yap on the blower, anyway?

Terry K

VHF Antenna Recomendation
 

Patrick Harman wrote:
I just had my VHF antenna fail after four years. The market seems totally
dominated by Shakespeare. Is there a model that stands out on price
performance? I am inclined to buy the cheapest, if they all only work for a
few years.

Pat Harman
M/V Meriwether

i'm partial to wilson electronics but i wouldn't agonize over the
decision. in the end it's a piece of wire cut to the right length ...
it's good to know how to make one in case you get into trouble
somewhere. if you learn something about antennas you can even make
special ones for special situations in case of emergency.