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

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
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"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

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
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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
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