I am going to add a fix-mounted VHF radio in my boat. I would like to
know whether I should get a 3dB 3-ft antenna or a 6dB 8-ft antenna to
mount on the T-top. My questions a

- Books and people in this newsgroup recommend 6dB 8-ft antenna for a
small powered boat. This sounds good. But I am wondering whether a
8-ft antenna is too large for my 18-ft boat. Will this make the boat
"look" very top-heavy? Do people really use a 8-ft antenna in a small
boat like mine?

- The other alternative is a 3dB 3-ft antenna and accepting the
reduced range. Does a 3dB antenna provide a good enough range given
the fact that I won't go too far away from the shore (because the boat
is considered as a "bay boat")?

- According to post in this newsgroup, we need a metal plate for
grounding if we use a 3dB antenna, and a fiberglass boat doesn't have
it. My boat is a fiberglass boat. What's the alternative? Does this
mean that I cannot use 3dB antenna?

Thanks for any info in advance.

Jay Chan

wrote in message
ups.com...
I am going to add a fix-mounted VHF radio in my boat. I would like to
know whether I should get a 3dB 3-ft antenna or a 6dB 8-ft antenna to
mount on the T-top. My questions a

- Books and people in this newsgroup recommend 6dB 8-ft antenna for a
small powered boat. This sounds good. But I am wondering whether a
8-ft antenna is too large for my 18-ft boat.


Nope.


Will this make the boat
"look" very top-heavy?


Nope.


Do people really use a 8-ft antenna in a small
boat like mine?

Yep.



- The other alternative is a 3dB 3-ft antenna and accepting the
reduced range. Does a 3dB antenna provide a good enough range given
the fact that I won't go too far away from the shore (because the boat
is considered as a "bay boat")?


Purchase the 8 footer to get the greatest range.



- According to post in this newsgroup, we need a metal plate for
grounding if we use a 3dB antenna, and a fiberglass boat doesn't have
it. My boat is a fiberglass boat. What's the alternative? Does this
mean that I cannot use 3dB antenna?

Thanks for any info in advance.

Jay Chan

JimH wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
I am going to add a fix-mounted VHF radio in my boat. I would like to
know whether I should get a 3dB 3-ft antenna or a 6dB 8-ft antenna to
mount on the T-top. My questions a

- Books and people in this newsgroup recommend 6dB 8-ft antenna for a
small powered boat. This sounds good. But I am wondering whether a
8-ft antenna is too large for my 18-ft boat.


Nope.


Will this make the boat
"look" very top-heavy?


Nope.


Do people really use a 8-ft antenna in a small
boat like mine?

Yep.



- The other alternative is a 3dB 3-ft antenna and accepting the
reduced range. Does a 3dB antenna provide a good enough range given
the fact that I won't go too far away from the shore (because the boat
is considered as a "bay boat")?


Purchase the 8 footer to get the greatest range.


- According to post in this newsgroup, we need a metal plate for
grounding if we use a 3dB antenna, and a fiberglass boat doesn't have
it. My boat is a fiberglass boat. What's the alternative? Does this
mean that I cannot use 3dB antenna?

Thanks for any info in advance.

Jay Chan

Thanks for the useful info. I will go ahead to order a 6dB 8-ft
antenna and a fix-mounted VHF radio.

Jay Chan

wrote:
JimH wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
I am going to add a fix-mounted VHF radio in my boat. I would like to
know whether I should get a 3dB 3-ft antenna or a 6dB 8-ft antenna to
mount on the T-top. My questions a

- Books and people in this newsgroup recommend 6dB 8-ft antenna for a
small powered boat. This sounds good. But I am wondering whether a
8-ft antenna is too large for my 18-ft boat.


Nope.


Will this make the boat
"look" very top-heavy?


Nope.


Do people really use a 8-ft antenna in a small
boat like mine?

Yep.



- The other alternative is a 3dB 3-ft antenna and accepting the
reduced range. Does a 3dB antenna provide a good enough range given
the fact that I won't go too far away from the shore (because the boat
is considered as a "bay boat")?


Purchase the 8 footer to get the greatest range.


- According to post in this newsgroup, we need a metal plate for
grounding if we use a 3dB antenna, and a fiberglass boat doesn't have
it. My boat is a fiberglass boat. What's the alternative? Does this
mean that I cannot use 3dB antenna?

Thanks for any info in advance.

Jay Chan

Thanks for the useful info. I will go ahead to order a 6dB 8-ft
antenna and a fix-mounted VHF radio.

Jay Chan

Well, I change my mind, and I will get a 3-ft antenna instead. I
didn't take into the account that the 8-ft antenna can become a problem
when I cast with my fishing rod.

I have a feeling that if mine is a 21-ft boat with a taller T-top (like
the Mako center console that I see in ad), I would have chosen a 8-ft
antenna. But mine is a small 18-ft boat, and I have a feeling that it
just doesn't make the cut for a 8-ft antenna.

Jay Chan

Around 1/13/2006 8:33 PM, wrote:

I have a feeling that if mine is a 21-ft boat with a taller T-top (like
the Mako center console that I see in ad), I would have chosen a 8-ft
antenna. But mine is a small 18-ft boat, and I have a feeling that it
just doesn't make the cut for a 8-ft antenna.

shrugs

I've got an 8' antenna and a 14' boat. I figure that I need every inch
of range I can get...

http://home.comcast.net/~galmgren/gl...t_7-04_004.jpg

--
~/Garth
(.Sig broken)

"Garth Almgren" wrote in message
...
Around 1/13/2006 8:33 PM, wrote:

I have a feeling that if mine is a 21-ft boat with a taller T-top (like
the Mako center console that I see in ad), I would have chosen a 8-ft
antenna. But mine is a small 18-ft boat, and I have a feeling that it
just doesn't make the cut for a 8-ft antenna.

shrugs

I've got an 8' antenna and a 14' boat. I figure that I need every inch
of range I can get...

http://home.comcast.net/~galmgren/gl...t_7-04_004.jpg

--
~/Garth
(.Sig broken)

That is what I have been saying all along. I see no reason not to go with
the antenna that will increase your transmission range.

On 13 Jan 2006 09:56:30 -0800, "
wrote:

According to post in this newsgroup, we need a metal plate for
grounding if we use a 3dB antenna, and a fiberglass boat doesn't have
it. My boat is a fiberglass boat. What's the alternative? Does this
mean that I cannot use 3dB antenna?

There is no need for a ground with a VHF antenna.

Either the 3 db or 6 db antenna will be adequate for near shore
coastal operation.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On 13 Jan 2006 09:56:30 -0800, "
wrote:

According to post in this newsgroup, we need a metal plate for
grounding if we use a 3dB antenna, and a fiberglass boat doesn't have
it. My boat is a fiberglass boat. What's the alternative? Does this
mean that I cannot use 3dB antenna?

There is no need for a ground with a VHF antenna.

Either the 3 db or 6 db antenna will be adequate for near shore
coastal operation.


I'm with Wayne on this one.

The dB rating plays a relatively minor role in the distance the signal
travels. The height of the transmitting antenna plays a larger role. But
the height of the receiving antenna is the most important element.

Example:
A 3' antenna mounted on the top of the gunwale of a small boat might be 5'
above the water line. It can travel only 5 miles to another antenna that
is only 5' off the water...but can travel 15 miles to an antenna that is
100' high (like at a Coast Guard station).

An 8' antenna mounted on the same gunnel can travel 9 miles to another
antenna that is only 5' off the water (big difference!), but only travels 18
miles to that 100' antenna (a not so big difference from the 3' antenna).

If the CG antenna is 250' above sea level (mounted on a tower on a mountain
for example), the 3' antenna can travel 23 miles...and the 8' travels 25
miles.

So the question is...
Who do you want to call with that radio?

Another boat within 5 miles? Then either antenna is fine.

The Coast Guard when you're 10-15 miles from shore? Then either antenna is
fine once again.






Here's a good link to explain this further:
http://www.yachtworks.net/Store/antennas.htm

NOYB wrote:
"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On 13 Jan 2006 09:56:30 -0800, "
wrote:

According to post in this newsgroup, we need a metal plate for
grounding if we use a 3dB antenna, and a fiberglass boat doesn't have
it. My boat is a fiberglass boat. What's the alternative? Does this
mean that I cannot use 3dB antenna?

There is no need for a ground with a VHF antenna.

Either the 3 db or 6 db antenna will be adequate for near shore
coastal operation.


I'm with Wayne on this one.

The dB rating plays a relatively minor role in the distance the signal
travels. The height of the transmitting antenna plays a larger role. But
the height of the receiving antenna is the most important element.

Example:
A 3' antenna mounted on the top of the gunwale of a small boat might be 5'
above the water line. It can travel only 5 miles to another antenna that
is only 5' off the water...but can travel 15 miles to an antenna that is
100' high (like at a Coast Guard station).

An 8' antenna mounted on the same gunnel can travel 9 miles to another
antenna that is only 5' off the water (big difference!), but only travels 18
miles to that 100' antenna (a not so big difference from the 3' antenna).

If the CG antenna is 250' above sea level (mounted on a tower on a mountain
for example), the 3' antenna can travel 23 miles...and the 8' travels 25
miles.

So the question is...
Who do you want to call with that radio?

Another boat within 5 miles? Then either antenna is fine.

The Coast Guard when you're 10-15 miles from shore? Then either antenna is
fine once again.

Here's a good link to explain this further:
http://www.yachtworks.net/Store/antennas.htm

Thanks for the explanation of the reason why a 3-ft 3dB antenna may be
all I need.

I go home and check the possible location for a 8-ft antenna in my
18-ft boat. I have a feeling that a 8-ft antenna is just too long. If
I mount it in the front rail of the T-top and set the antenna at a
45-degree angle toward the stern, the 8-ft antenna will still stick out
covering the entire deck in the stern of my boat. This is going to be
a problem if I want to cast from the deck in the stern of my boat
because my fishing rod "may" hit the antenna. A 3-ft antenna that is
pointing straight up will not have this problem.

A 3-ft antenna mounted on the T-top will be as much as 9-ft above the
water level. According to this formula:
range-in-miles = square-root-of-height-above-water-in-feet x 1.42
I should expect to get the range of up to 4.26 miles. This seems to be
more than enough because I will be boating and fishing near the shore
(not more than a couple miles from the shore), and the coast guard with
their very tall antenna should be able to reach me.

OK, seem like I should get a 3-ft 3dB antenna.

Jay Chan

wrote in message
oups.com...
NOYB wrote:
"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On 13 Jan 2006 09:56:30 -0800, "
wrote:

According to post in this newsgroup, we need a metal plate for
grounding if we use a 3dB antenna, and a fiberglass boat doesn't have
it. My boat is a fiberglass boat. What's the alternative? Does this
mean that I cannot use 3dB antenna?

There is no need for a ground with a VHF antenna.

Either the 3 db or 6 db antenna will be adequate for near shore
coastal operation.


I'm with Wayne on this one.

The dB rating plays a relatively minor role in the distance the signal
travels. The height of the transmitting antenna plays a larger role. But
the height of the receiving antenna is the most important element.

Example:
A 3' antenna mounted on the top of the gunwale of a small boat might be
5'
above the water line. It can travel only 5 miles to another antenna
that
is only 5' off the water...but can travel 15 miles to an antenna that is
100' high (like at a Coast Guard station).

An 8' antenna mounted on the same gunnel can travel 9 miles to another
antenna that is only 5' off the water (big difference!), but only travels
18
miles to that 100' antenna (a not so big difference from the 3' antenna).

If the CG antenna is 250' above sea level (mounted on a tower on a
mountain
for example), the 3' antenna can travel 23 miles...and the 8' travels 25
miles.

So the question is...
Who do you want to call with that radio?

Another boat within 5 miles? Then either antenna is fine.

The Coast Guard when you're 10-15 miles from shore? Then either antenna
is
fine once again.

Here's a good link to explain this further:
http://www.yachtworks.net/Store/antennas.htm

Thanks for the explanation of the reason why a 3-ft 3dB antenna may be
all I need.

I go home and check the possible location for a 8-ft antenna in my
18-ft boat. I have a feeling that a 8-ft antenna is just too long. If
I mount it in the front rail of the T-top and set the antenna at a
45-degree angle toward the stern, the 8-ft antenna will still stick out
covering the entire deck in the stern of my boat. This is going to be
a problem if I want to cast from the deck in the stern of my boat
because my fishing rod "may" hit the antenna. A 3-ft antenna that is
pointing straight up will not have this problem.

A 3-ft antenna mounted on the T-top will be as much as 9-ft above the
water level. According to this formula:
range-in-miles = square-root-of-height-above-water-in-feet x 1.42
I should expect to get the range of up to 4.26 miles.

But that's only to reach another antenna that is right at the level of the
water. If there were another boat with an antenna 9' above the water, you'd
carry at least twice that distance.