On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 15:34:22 -0500, "Rick & Linda Bernard"
wrote:

Planning on installing a new mast head VHF Antenna. Also planning on
running new VHF cable. The question is what type of cable is the best?
Also should I use the old standard Metz or something else?


We're putting up a Shakespear 1/2 wave on the 56' mainsail of my
friend's Amel Sharpi. Nicely made antenna where the element is much
better secured to the coil than on my Metz. The SO-239 UHF connector
is also nicely secured to the inside of the mount to keep it out of
the weather. I'm pulling in some new military-spec coax to replace
the old, corroded stuff at the same time. I bought a 1000' spool of
RG-58A/U for $10 at a thrift shop about 3 years ago. The mil-spec
stuff is much better shielded than white marine cable. I was going to
put RG-6 foam and foil into it before I put connectors on each end of
the spool and measured a BETTER signal through 1000' of it than I
could have gotten with RG-6 foam and I don't have to worry about the
center conductor migrating through the foam in a turn.....

I've had trouble with the flimsy way Metz holds the whip to the coil,
that ferrule and nut. Looking up the mast and seeing the whip's
missing sucks.


Larry

Extremely intelligent life must exist in the universe.
You can tell because they never tried to contact us.