In doing some further investigation on my Marquis, I hooked the battery
up and was doing some checking about. seems like it cranks and wants to
fire fine, not problem there, but flipping the accessory switch I got
nothing. Upon looking under the dash, (easy to do) I find somebone
performed wiring *******y of the highest degree. Evidently the key
swith accesoory position screw had turned green and rotten off, so
somebody did the brilliance of attaching a jumper wire with aligator
clips to mace a connection. Now I'm done some rigging like this to
"make it home" but once there, you seek a permanent, well done
solution, instead of "it works now... that was an easy fix"!

I installed a new key switch, and redid some wire with soldering and
shrink wrap. pulled other connections , cleaned , installed, with
di-electric gell, on some plug-ins, and jsut a dab of clear silicon on
screws that might need pulled in the future.

OK, so I switch on the accessory, and stuff seems to work. I turned on
the depthfinder (Int3erphase 20/20) and it light up. the functions work
well, and even though this is a bit primitive, possibly made in the
early to mid eighties, with its simple black field, and orange line, it
seems to work. punched a couple buttons, and I got the temp (51.3
degrees F. and depth of 1.9 feet) temp of the warehouse, and highth of
the transducer with boat on the trailer.

GREAT!

now I move on to the marine radio. it's a Ray Johnson MC 610. I turn it
on, and with the squelch down, I get open frequency static on most
channels, but the LED channel indiator won't light up so I figure it's
toast.

Probably not worth seeing about getting it repaired??

The antennas are well mounted and secure. Dual graphite sticks approx
4-41/2 ft. long. If I don't replace the radio, I'll probably take the
antennas off, because it would be silly to have the antenna's and no
radio. So I'll probably get a radio...

Any suggestions on a reasonable replacement?

AND are the twin antenna compatable or necessary for a modern radio?

I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks!

I really don't feel I have a need for a marine radio, but if I ever
wanted to take the family on the Ohio, Illinois, or Misssissippi, I
figure it would be really nice to have one.

Tim wrote:
In doing some further investigation on my Marquis, I hooked the battery
up and was doing some checking about. seems like it cranks and wants to
fire fine, not problem there, but flipping the accessory switch I got
nothing. Upon looking under the dash, (easy to do) I find somebone
performed wiring *******y of the highest degree. Evidently the key
swith accesoory position screw had turned green and rotten off, so
somebody did the brilliance of attaching a jumper wire with aligator
clips to mace a connection. Now I'm done some rigging like this to
"make it home" but once there, you seek a permanent, well done
solution, instead of "it works now... that was an easy fix"!

I installed a new key switch, and redid some wire with soldering and
shrink wrap. pulled other connections , cleaned , installed, with
di-electric gell, on some plug-ins, and jsut a dab of clear silicon on
screws that might need pulled in the future.

OK, so I switch on the accessory, and stuff seems to work. I turned on
the depthfinder (Int3erphase 20/20) and it light up. the functions work
well, and even though this is a bit primitive, possibly made in the
early to mid eighties, with its simple black field, and orange line, it
seems to work. punched a couple buttons, and I got the temp (51.3
degrees F. and depth of 1.9 feet) temp of the warehouse, and highth of
the transducer with boat on the trailer.

GREAT!

now I move on to the marine radio. it's a Ray Johnson MC 610. I turn it
on, and with the squelch down, I get open frequency static on most
channels, but the LED channel indiator won't light up so I figure it's
toast.

Probably not worth seeing about getting it repaired??

The antennas are well mounted and secure. Dual graphite sticks approx
4-41/2 ft. long. If I don't replace the radio, I'll probably take the
antennas off, because it would be silly to have the antenna's and no
radio. So I'll probably get a radio...

Any suggestions on a reasonable replacement?

AND are the twin antenna compatable or necessary for a modern radio?

I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks!

I really don't feel I have a need for a marine radio, but if I ever
wanted to take the family on the Ohio, Illinois, or Misssissippi, I
figure it would be really nice to have one.

OK, I just looked around a bit and Overton's.com has quite a variety.

In the "cheap stuff" I saw a couple hand helds Humminbird VHF55 that
has quite a few features( I really don't know what I would really need)
for $89.

A Midland Nautico 1 on sale for $49.00

And a solid mount Laowrence LVR850 for $99.00

For what little I'd be using them, if any at all, am I wasting my money
with the "cheap stuff?"

Decisions, decisions....

"Tim" wrote in message
ups.com...


The antennas are well mounted and secure. Dual graphite sticks approx
4-41/2 ft. long. If I don't replace the radio, I'll probably take the
antennas off, because it would be silly to have the antenna's and no
radio. So I'll probably get a radio...

Any suggestions on a reasonable replacement?

AND are the twin antenna compatable or necessary for a modern radio?

I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks!
I really don't feel I have a need for a marine radio, but if I ever
wanted to take the family on the Ohio, Illinois, or Misssissippi, I
figure it would be really nice to have one.


Dual antennas are not necessary, if fact if they are not phased properly
they can reduce the effective transmitting power. If they are wired
together, it sounds to me like some stuck a dual CB antenna on the boat
which would be cut for the wrong freq range for marine VHF.

Given the condition of some of the other electrical stuff, I'd invest in a
new antenna as well as a radio. Uniden and Icom are common radios. (get an
Icom!)

You really should have a marine radio on the boat.

Higher the antenna, the better.

Eisboch

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 15:35:26 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


"Tim" wrote in message
roups.com...


The antennas are well mounted and secure. Dual graphite sticks approx
4-41/2 ft. long. If I don't replace the radio, I'll probably take the
antennas off, because it would be silly to have the antenna's and no
radio. So I'll probably get a radio...

Any suggestions on a reasonable replacement?

AND are the twin antenna compatable or necessary for a modern radio?

I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks!
I really don't feel I have a need for a marine radio, but if I ever
wanted to take the family on the Ohio, Illinois, or Misssissippi, I
figure it would be really nice to have one.


Dual antennas are not necessary, if fact if they are not phased properly
they can reduce the effective transmitting power. If they are wired
together, it sounds to me like some stuck a dual CB antenna on the boat
which would be cut for the wrong freq range for marine VHF.

Given the condition of some of the other electrical stuff, I'd invest in a
new antenna as well as a radio. Uniden and Icom are common radios. (get an
Icom!)

You really should have a marine radio on the boat.

Higher the antenna, the better.


I agree with Eisboch - those may be CB antennas, but I have seen
marine Firesticks. I suspect that they aren't though - unless it has
a phased harness which is possible.

The only real way to tell is with a SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) meter or
if you can get your hands on one, a field strength meter. Probably
for the novice, the SWR meter is the easiest to use and they are cheap
enough - around a good serviceable SWR meter is $20 or thereabouts.
You want to test to see if you get a 1:1 or 1:1.5 ratio on channel 16.

As to radio, I prefer fixed mount to gain the extra power over a hand
held. There really isn't much of a price difference between a bells
and whistles handheld and a decent DSC enabled fixed mount radio -
maybe $20 or so.

Cobra, Uniden, Standard, Icom - all are good radios and do the job
well. I use Icom which are a little more pricey, but an MF55 Cobra
and the equivalent Uniden/Standard radios are all about $100. You get
the extra horsepower (25 vs 5 watts), DSC and a few other features.

It's always a good idea to have a VHF radio onboard - in particular on
bigger rivers and even larger lakes.

Yup. Since I sail in coastal waters on the North Atlantic, I bought the
best hand held VHF I could afford. It's one of the most important
pieces of safety gear aboard.
This may not apply if you sail in waters where VHF radios aren't used.

I noticed that this Ray Johnson had a couple interesting buttons on it,
I'd have to go back up tot he shop to see what, but one of them was
something like "25w" Like, you pushed it in if you wanted extra power.

I don't think these are CB antennas. they look like they were made for
the boat, Not sure of the configuration of the coax.

I thought a solid mount would probably be a better way to go, seeing
it's kind of hard for it to slip out of your hand and hit the drink.
Like my wifes cell phone did last year...

I'll check out the antennas well. But this set up is probably as
obsolete as the old state cop "whip" antenna.

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 15:35:26 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


"Tim" wrote in message
oups.com...


The antennas are well mounted and secure. Dual graphite sticks approx
4-41/2 ft. long. If I don't replace the radio, I'll probably take the
antennas off, because it would be silly to have the antenna's and no
radio. So I'll probably get a radio...

Any suggestions on a reasonable replacement?

AND are the twin antenna compatable or necessary for a modern radio?

I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks!
I really don't feel I have a need for a marine radio, but if I ever
wanted to take the family on the Ohio, Illinois, or Misssissippi, I
figure it would be really nice to have one.


Dual antennas are not necessary, if fact if they are not phased properly
they can reduce the effective transmitting power. If they are wired
together, it sounds to me like some stuck a dual CB antenna on the boat
which would be cut for the wrong freq range for marine VHF.

Given the condition of some of the other electrical stuff, I'd invest in a
new antenna as well as a radio. Uniden and Icom are common radios. (get an
Icom!)

You really should have a marine radio on the boat.

Higher the antenna, the better.

I agree with Eisboch - those may be CB antennas, but I have seen
marine Firesticks. I suspect that they aren't though - unless it has
a phased harness which is possible.

The only real way to tell is with a SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) meter or
if you can get your hands on one, a field strength meter. Probably
for the novice, the SWR meter is the easiest to use and they are cheap
enough - around a good serviceable SWR meter is $20 or thereabouts.
You want to test to see if you get a 1:1 or 1:1.5 ratio on channel 16.

As to radio, I prefer fixed mount to gain the extra power over a hand
held. There really isn't much of a price difference between a bells
and whistles handheld and a decent DSC enabled fixed mount radio -
maybe $20 or so.

Cobra, Uniden, Standard, Icom - all are good radios and do the job
well. I use Icom which are a little more pricey, but an MF55 Cobra
and the equivalent Uniden/Standard radios are all about $100. You get
the extra horsepower (25 vs 5 watts), DSC and a few other features.

It's always a good idea to have a VHF radio onboard - in particular on
bigger rivers and even larger lakes.

OOPS!

I ahve to make a correction, this set us is a Ray Jefferson" not "Ray
Johnson"

my bad.

I kept thinking Ray Johnson, probably due to the Johnson CBs



Tim wrote:
I noticed that this Ray Johnson had a couple interesting buttons on it,
I'd have to go back up tot he shop to see what, but one of them was
something like "25w" Like, you pushed it in if you wanted extra power.

I don't think these are CB antennas. they look like they were made for
the boat, Not sure of the configuration of the coax.

I thought a solid mount would probably be a better way to go, seeing
it's kind of hard for it to slip out of your hand and hit the drink.
Like my wifes cell phone did last year...

I'll check out the antennas well. But this set up is probably as
obsolete as the old state cop "whip" antenna.

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 15:35:26 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


"Tim" wrote in message
oups.com...


The antennas are well mounted and secure. Dual graphite sticks approx
4-41/2 ft. long. If I don't replace the radio, I'll probably take the
antennas off, because it would be silly to have the antenna's and no
radio. So I'll probably get a radio...

Any suggestions on a reasonable replacement?

AND are the twin antenna compatable or necessary for a modern radio?

I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks!
I really don't feel I have a need for a marine radio, but if I ever
wanted to take the family on the Ohio, Illinois, or Misssissippi, I
figure it would be really nice to have one.


Dual antennas are not necessary, if fact if they are not phased properly
they can reduce the effective transmitting power. If they are wired
together, it sounds to me like some stuck a dual CB antenna on the boat
which would be cut for the wrong freq range for marine VHF.

Given the condition of some of the other electrical stuff, I'd invest in a
new antenna as well as a radio. Uniden and Icom are common radios. (get an
Icom!)

You really should have a marine radio on the boat.

Higher the antenna, the better.

I agree with Eisboch - those may be CB antennas, but I have seen
marine Firesticks. I suspect that they aren't though - unless it has
a phased harness which is possible.

The only real way to tell is with a SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) meter or
if you can get your hands on one, a field strength meter. Probably
for the novice, the SWR meter is the easiest to use and they are cheap
enough - around a good serviceable SWR meter is $20 or thereabouts.
You want to test to see if you get a 1:1 or 1:1.5 ratio on channel 16.

As to radio, I prefer fixed mount to gain the extra power over a hand
held. There really isn't much of a price difference between a bells
and whistles handheld and a decent DSC enabled fixed mount radio -
maybe $20 or so.

Cobra, Uniden, Standard, Icom - all are good radios and do the job
well. I use Icom which are a little more pricey, but an MF55 Cobra
and the equivalent Uniden/Standard radios are all about $100. You get
the extra horsepower (25 vs 5 watts), DSC and a few other features.

It's always a good idea to have a VHF radio onboard - in particular on
bigger rivers and even larger lakes.

I'm oging back up to check stuff out in a moment, I'm really not sure
if the radio itself is a Ray Jefferson? But I KNOW THE ANTENNE ARE,,,,


Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 18 Nov 2006 13:57:31 -0800, "Tim" wrote:

I ahve to make a correction, this set us is a Ray Jefferson" not "Ray
Johnson"

I figured that anyway.

Ray Jefferson radios were state of the art in their day. It was
during the period of time where Raytheon was a leader in all kind of
sophisticated electronics and military electronic hardware Ray
Jefferson was the consumer division. One of the more interesting
radio I've ever owned was a Ray Jefferson 630 which was a great BCB
radio for DX'ing.

It's an interesting radio - I'd be interested in seeing a picture of
it.

In any case, it's dated so I'd look around for something a little more
modern.

On 18 Nov 2006 12:04:11 -0800, "Tim" wrote:

In doing some further investigation on my Marquis, I hooked the battery
up and was doing some checking about. seems like it cranks and wants to
fire fine, not problem there, but flipping the accessory switch I got
nothing. Upon looking under the dash, (easy to do) I find somebone
performed wiring *******y of the highest degree. Evidently the key
swith accesoory position screw had turned green and rotten off, so
somebody did the brilliance of attaching a jumper wire with aligator
clips to mace a connection. Now I'm done some rigging like this to
"make it home" but once there, you seek a permanent, well done
solution, instead of "it works now... that was an easy fix"!

I installed a new key switch, and redid some wire with soldering and
shrink wrap. pulled other connections , cleaned , installed, with
di-electric gell, on some plug-ins, and jsut a dab of clear silicon on
screws that might need pulled in the future.

OK, so I switch on the accessory, and stuff seems to work. I turned on
the depthfinder (Int3erphase 20/20) and it light up. the functions work
well, and even though this is a bit primitive, possibly made in the
early to mid eighties, with its simple black field, and orange line, it
seems to work. punched a couple buttons, and I got the temp (51.3
degrees F. and depth of 1.9 feet) temp of the warehouse, and highth of
the transducer with boat on the trailer.

GREAT!

now I move on to the marine radio. it's a Ray Johnson MC 610. I turn it
on, and with the squelch down, I get open frequency static on most
channels, but the LED channel indiator won't light up so I figure it's
toast.

Probably not worth seeing about getting it repaired??

The antennas are well mounted and secure. Dual graphite sticks approx
4-41/2 ft. long. If I don't replace the radio, I'll probably take the
antennas off, because it would be silly to have the antenna's and no
radio. So I'll probably get a radio...

Any suggestions on a reasonable replacement?

AND are the twin antenna compatable or necessary for a modern radio?

I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks!

I really don't feel I have a need for a marine radio, but if I ever
wanted to take the family on the Ohio, Illinois, or Misssissippi, I
figure it would be really nice to have one.

I've got the cheapest Standard Horizon that West Marine carried. It works
great, especially after I replaced the old antenna.

Dang! I locked the cap key!

Anyhow, I just went up tot he shop and pulled the big lights out so I
could look the communication system over well.

I'll be...

The radio is a Uniden and the LED doesn't work. And had only one
coaxial mount, the other antenne was for something else.

The two antenne are miss matched. One is a Ray Jefferson, and the other
is some off brand which looks almost identical with exception of the
mount, which you pull straight up and let it drop to mount, then you
have to pull it up again to lay it down.

The Jefferson has a lever with which, you pull up for a release, set
the antenna, then lock it back into place. works pretty well, actually,
but the lever is in a PITA place to get to. is about 6'5 feet long, and
the no-name is about 6. Plus the Jefferson looks like it was made for
the boat, and the add-on is exactly what it is, and add on, and when
both antenne straight up, the Jefferson is ni-on to straight vertical,
while the no-name rests at some sort of an angle at least 7 degrees.
Up on further investigation in the cuddy, I saw a couple wires, red and
black with a fuse, and a mic mount screwed into the wood.Also, Voila!
there's the coaxial end for the antenna as well, stuffed down between
the bedding pad. so Eisboch, I take it you were right. there was a CB
mounted in there. I don't know what they did for an antenne for the
ancient GM am/fm 8 track, that is hanging under the dash, but it's
going to go, too!

So, I'm pretty well settled that for a Marine radio, I'll cross that
bridge when I get to it. but the no-name antenna is going to go. If i
go with a mounted VHF I'll be finding a nicer place to mount it. The
people that had this, have the depthfinder AND the VHF mounted right in
the way of vision, which I don't care for. too cluttery, and not good
thinking.

Here's a pic of the dash layout

http://i7.ebayimg.com/04/i/08/c7/ee/fe_12.JPG

http://i15.ebayimg.com/03/i/08/c6/45/07_12.JPG

pretty tacky, huh?


I think I can clean it up pretty well, though. The old radios
gobye-bye, and now to find a better place for the depthfinder....






Tim wrote:
I'm oging back up to check stuff out in a moment, I'm really not sure
if the radio itself is a Ray Jefferson? But I KNOW THE ANTENNE ARE,,,,


Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 18 Nov 2006 13:57:31 -0800, "Tim" wrote:

I ahve to make a correction, this set us is a Ray Jefferson" not "Ray
Johnson"

I figured that anyway.

Ray Jefferson radios were state of the art in their day. It was
during the period of time where Raytheon was a leader in all kind of
sophisticated electronics and military electronic hardware Ray
Jefferson was the consumer division. One of the more interesting
radio I've ever owned was a Ray Jefferson 630 which was a great BCB
radio for DX'ing.

It's an interesting radio - I'd be interested in seeing a picture of
it.

In any case, it's dated so I'd look around for something a little more
modern.

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 18 Nov 2006 17:45:25 -0800, "Tim" wrote:

The
people that had this, have the depthfinder AND the VHF mounted right in
the way of vision, which I don't care for. too cluttery, and not good
thinking.

Not really.

It's better to have the radios and other electronic instrumentation in
easy view. On both Contenders, I had an electronics rack attached to
the T-top so that all the instrumentation (except engine) was located
just slightly above eye level - I find that more comfortable.

Most dash mount their electronics and on the Ranger, that's how I have
my GPS/Finder and radio mounted - right in plain sight and easy to get
to and adjust if necessary. You can mount it such that the cables
will be clean and neat and not obvious looking.

On that set up, I'd leave it as it is. The new radio will be much
smaller than the current model and take up less space so that it won't
look awkward.


Could be, Tom, I was thinkingof oving the depthfinder over more to the
right, in place of the radio, to un restrict the frontal view, though.
and possible ounting the radio, on the right side low, down below the
throttle, facing up. theres generous room there.