Chrysler Sailors Forum

I've decided to go with a Standard Horizons GX1700B vhf for my boat. I'm wondering what is the best antenna and cable combination for a masthead setup. And where do you all have your radios mounted. The previous owner of my boat had the radio mounted in the aft cabin under the ladder in the cabin and I don't really like that. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Boaty

My 22has a Squatty Shakespeare mounted atop the mast and I ran LMR-400 to it. Not that our application is so long you would need.it, I just wanted as little loss as possible coming from and going to the antenna.

The Squatty. Has only 3dB of gain, so it's pattern gives me good coverage even close in.

I have GPS in my chart plotter so a simple hook-up provides it to my VHF for DSC considerations, so I went with the cheaper GX 1600 and bought a Ram Mic with the savings. Radio in the cabin, Ram at the tiller, barley pop in the cup holder.

Think you and I met last summer. I'm the electronics guy at Torresen Marine in Muskegon. Stop by and say hi sometime!

Mark

I used the same squattry body antenna on my mast and ran RG8X up the mast.

I found a squaty body antenna and 60' of RG8X cable for $84.99 at www.thegpsstore.com. Is the RG8X cable any good?

Hey Boaty-

Here's a site to give you a general idea:

http://www.econ2way.com/catalog/public/ ... _cable.htm

Though specs vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, you note that the RG-58 is twice as "lossy" as RG-8. RG-8 = good.

Cheers!

Mark