VHF Install

[b35w]

Managed to rip my antenna bracket apart while I was down in Key West on a mangrove tree. The antenna itself did not break but the bracket snapped in half. I picked up a new bracket and re-ran the wire. Obviously did not do something right in putting the connector back on the antenna wire. I did not solder the connection so I'm guessing that is probably the issue.

I am still having an issue picking up people over distances greater than a couple hundred yards. The weather Channel is not coming in very clear as well. Any recommendations?


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[ecu1984]

Managed to rip my antenna bracket apart while I was down in Key West on a mangrove tree. The antenna itself did not break but the bracket snapped in half. I picked up a new bracket and re-ran the wire. Obviously did not do something right in putting the connector back on the antenna wire. I did not solder the connection so I'm guessing that is probably the issue.

I am still having an issue picking up people over distances greater than a couple hundred yards. The weather Channel is not coming in very clear as well. Any recommendations?


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I solder all mine, don't trust the unsoldered type connection.
The ground connection is critical in it also. Google is my recommendation if you don't have a friend to do it for you.

[b35w]

I watched a couple videos looks pretty straightforward. Probably just going to Cut the old connector off and put a new one on.


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[Goin Coastal]

If any of the outer strands on the coax touch the inner wires or the outer housing, it will calls all kinds of issues.

[b35w]

If any of the outer strands on the coax touch the inner wires or the outer housing, it will calls all kinds of issues.

I guarantee you that's what happened. Thanks!


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[willyworm]

I was a cable guy in a previous life, so I probably don't know much here, but I'll try... in a typical coax connector the braided shield mesh on the outside of the coax is grounded to the connector itself and the signal travels along the center conductor (the solid copper piece in the core). The wire is built with a specific impedance in mind. Usually it's 75 ohm but in this application may be 50 ohm or so. The distance between the braided outer shield and that center conductor determine the impedance. So one pinch somewhere along the wire, bringing the outer shield closer to the center conductor, could throw off the impedance and adversely affect the radios ability to transmit to the antenna or receive from the antenna.

Due to a concept called "skin affect" the higher frequencies travel along outer edge of the center conductor. So prepping the wire by skinning it back with a jack knife can damage the center conductor and again affect signal transfer.

So be super careful when putting on a new connector and like GC said make sure the braid don't touch the center conductor and you should be fine.

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