Height of boat v/s mast v/s bridges v/s

[honeybadger]

My Trawler from the water line to the top of the wheel house is 8 feet 8 inches, However i have 2-8 ft antennas and a SSB/HAM antenna along with my radar dome, i can add the radar dome and its 11 feet 8 inches but the main antennas will need to lay way back killing my transmission distance, My dad claims put the radar dome on a mast about 4 feet Up a mast the anchor light and SSB/HAM antenna at 8 ft , Question is i will be 16 feet above the water line then, From driving a sail boat with a 54ft mast we always wait for bridges but at 16 ft is it worth it ?? also this would allow me to put my Vhf antenna Up right not laying down for travel? any input or ideas are Great ? thanks guys for all the usefull info so far.

 

[Vyndance]

Normally a SSB antenna is 23 feet. Use a 407 swivel mount with a stand-off and you can lower or raise the SSB antenna in less than a minute by your self. Use cam mounts for the VHF and mount the radar on the cabin roof. Use a 1 foot anchor light and your whole package is less than 10 feet for bridges.

 

[honeybadger]

Yea i have the vhfs on ratchet mounts, and i have the Radar 30 inches up just so its above the 2 GPS antennas , thought about moving the down off the roof and mount the radar flat on the roof. My SSB/antenna is a base loaded unit and its only 48 inches tall i think,

 

[Vyndance]

Please check into the antenna and let us know.

 

[honeybadger]

Will do i will have my dad check it out he is a HAM dude so he should be able to tell me if it will work and have the correct SWR and all that stuff, I just Like having SSB when i am cruising line of sight VHF is Not great when your off shore or remote and trying to get in touch with someone.

 

[FF]

The lower the better as bridges vary.

We are under 10ft 6 inches and are delighted (compared to 54 ft 90/90 mast height ).

The simplest system to have VHF with the big stick down is a second antenna.

We use a whip type , as would be on the top of a mast , and its fine only 10 ft up as most comm is with bridges and locks which are either in sight or only a couple of miles away and their frequencies are power restricted.

For visible distance com,your hand held is fine.

FF

 

[honeybadger]

Yea i have a 36 inch vhf on my little boat i might swap them and have only one 8 ft vhf and have the anchor light just above the radar dome.I have been to about 8 marinas around here looking at bridge heights along with my Norfolk VA to Miami guide i used in the past, It has Bridge Heights on it. Most bridges are 16 to 20 feet closed. However the closest one to my house is 12 feet closed! sucks for dinner plans wait for the bridge on the hour for my dinner then leave so i can make the bridge.

 

[honeybadger]

Vydance i haven't checked that ssb antenna yet i need to run see my dad and make sure it's the correct one for the am/fm ssb radio i have.