HK wrote:
Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..

You're kidding about the difficulty in putting a connector on
properly, aren't you? I've done it at least a dozen times over the
years the old fashioned way (never used one of the quickie "crimp"
connectors).
Harry, the connector is not the issue (assuming it's done in a
decent manner).
The proper loading of any RF antenna is a complex relationship of
the designed output impedance of the radio, the characteristic
impedance of the transmission line (cable) and the impedance of the
antenna.

Higher powered RF transmitters have tuning boxes between the radio
output and the transmission line/antenna arrangement that
effectively changes the length with capacitors and inductors to
optimize power transfer.

I agree that at 25 watts and a on typical boat installation it isn't
going to make much difference.
To an RF engineer, it will all look and operate like trash anyway.

Eisboch
As I said, so long as I can reach the Coast Guard, I don't really
care much about VHF communication. We have really good cell coverage
most everywhere on the Bay.


Until that Yamaha coughs, you drop your cell phone overboard, the wind
is picking up, water splashing over that LT, and your radio's output
stage sizzles because the SWR ratio is 4 to 1 or something. :-)


I am a nerd about this stuff and set the boat's radio systems up with
SWR meters because I can't help it. The result though is that I can
communicate easily with boats 20 miles away.

Eisboch



I've listened to the usual channels on VHF for hours at a time and
hardly ever hear much conversation. I can call the CG on my VHF, and
maybe with all the breaks some other boater within range will come by
for a look see. But unless you are in one of the higher boater density
areas, you're mostly all along out there. Where I fish for flounder, I
can go half the day without seeing another boat.

Frankly, I think we need something a lot better than VHF, some variant
of marine cell (not satellite) for in shore and near shore. The bigger
offshore boats that sink, well, we need more fishing reefs anyway, right?

Harry how often do you fish for flounder. It is one of my favorites,
and if I had founder available, I might just take up fishing.