Anyone use SSB or HAM radio HF aboard?

Anyone here use SSB or HF ham radio aboard their boat?

I have a HAM radio lisc, and the person I bought my boat from threw in an Icom IC-735 and AT-2 tuner, so I'm thinking to install it aboard my boat.

Any suggestions on antennas? Shakespeare has a 17'6" antenna and a 23' antenna - not sure which is better for me (I have a 43' Marine Trader).

Thanks!

7tiger7 wrote:
Anyone here use SSB or HF ham radio aboard their boat?

I have a HAM radio lisc, and the person I bought my boat from threw in an Icom IC-735 and AT-2 tuner, so I'm thinking to install it aboard my boat.

Any suggestions on antennas? Shakespeare has a 17'6" antenna and a 23' antenna - not sure which is better for me (I have a 43' Marine Trader).

Thanks!

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Yup, we have a 735 (and an m710) aboard our Defever, driving a 23ft Shakespeare.* I'd recommend the longer antenna, but far more important is your ground (the RF ground to the tuner).* The best antenna in the world won't put out a good signal without a solid RF ground.* Gordon West has studied grounds, and he discovered that a good clean contact with the sea water is fine. (he once just threw the foil in the water and got a perfect match)* I use copper foil (never wire) run from the tuner to a through hull fitting for the engine.* With this simple ground, I have worked around the world with just 150 watts.* Past wisdom has dictated many square feet of copper mesh, underwater plates, or engine room steel tied together, but Gordon proved it's not needed. Make sure to run large (perhaps #6) gauge wire for you power too................Arctic Traveller

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-- Edited by Arctic Traveller on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 10:28:36 AM

Hi Arctic,
do you recall which model 23' Shakespeare you have? Seems they have alot more HF antennas I realized, including 28' ones (which I think is way more than I need or can afford).

I just went and looked, but I can't tell. You can see it in my avitar photo (too small to see though )** I do remember there were some very expensive options, and I have no doubt I didn't go that way.* I think I spent about $125.00 (wholesale price)* I wouldn't go any shorter than 23 ft....................Arctic Travelller


-- Edited by Arctic Traveller on Monday 28th of March 2011 10:19:48 PM

Go for the tallest ant you can install.
I have a shakespear 28 ft unit.
The copper from the tuner to the earth plane is copper strip 2" x 1/16" all the way to a bronze earth plane mounted on the outside , this cast earh plane has a large surface area.

Benn


-- Edited by Tidahapah on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 12:14:17 AM

Gee, after decades of no electronics, VHF will be a big advance for me having only used compass and charts.* And GPS and radar*too!* Think I'm trading the challenge of piloting to the challenge of mastering these systems.

WE have a "ham" radio , but it is used to download fax weather & sea state charts.

In the past only a really fine set was frequency stable enough to copy charts.

Today a $100 portable and a computer program will do the job.

We had HF/SSB radios on both our sailing yachts and have ordered one for the new trawler. If you are contemplating any long distance cruising I would not*be without one, not only for the weather and email but also for the social interaction.

Don

ps latest round of construction photos were uploaded to our website on the 26 March. Not much*obvious change as most of the work is "behind the scenes"

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-- Edited by Navigator on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 04:28:58 AM

Been using SSB/Ham for decades. Previous radio was an Icom 710 and now we have an 802. If you plan extensive cruising it is invaluable. If you are only doing local waters and inland waterways, probably not so much. Chuck


-- Edited by Capn Chuck on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 06:57:22 AM

The IC-735 is an oldy and has a good reputation. They made a lot of them starting in the mid to late 80's (?). I'm not sure of the email compatibility but for ham/SSB they work good.

Are you sure you have an AT-2 tuner? Icom did make an IC-AH2 tuner that handle 120 watts and will work well with the 735.

We have had HF radio for years and regularly use it for email, weather data, HF radio nets, news and talking to friends. We wouldn't travel with out one.

We have a Glomex 2 piece, 23' antenna that we got for free that we found at a boat yard. If you look at some of the second hand marine stores, there are lots of HF antennas that people have removed from their boats. I would go with a 23' as the AH2 tuner can easily tune to 23' feet but I'm not sure of the 17'.

As previously stated grounding is important. Dynaplates are good if you have one already installed on your boat but I wouldn't put 4 more holes in my boat to add one. The automatic tuners with good grounding will work fine.

When you install the radio and go to test it, turn off all your appliances, fluorescent lights and inverters/chargers. Even better get a way from the dock. Stray noise such as sailboat masts and local RF from radio towers will also degrade your reception.

Does anyone have a good guide on HF radio frequencies for cruising nets, weather broadcasts, etc?

7tiger7 wrote:
Does anyone have a good guide on HF radio frequencies for cruising nets, weather broadcasts, etc?

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Phil:* What is your cruising area?**The Bahamas have set schedules and frequencies as does the*Eastern and Western Pacific.* The cruising guides for the areas usally have that information.

Weather is usally*given on the cruisers net or by some one that has*local knowledge.* We get most of our weather through*our HF radio with a Pactor modem.* We*are able to download weather forecasts for given areas as well as Grib files.* We also have a paid subscription for BuoyWeather.* There we can get point to point weather forecasts as well as specific area forecasts.* If you're within 100 miles or so of the US,*you may want to look at*Sirius/XM*satilte radio for your weather.

If you want news or sports,*go on line*look at VOA or the*BBC for times and schedules.**

7tiger7 wrote:
Does anyone have a good guide on HF radio frequencies for cruising nets, weather broadcasts, etc?

Click to expand...

*Try here for a start, http://www.cruiser.co.za/radionet.asp

or try searching something like "maritime radio net schedule".* ..........Arctic Traveller

Cool, will check out the cruiser.co.za link.

For now I plan to cruise down the east coast of the US, along the ICW, from Boston to South Carolina, for now.

7tiger7 wrote:


For now I plan to cruise down the east coast of the US, along the ICW, from Boston to South Carolina, for now.

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I'm not sure you will use your SSB/Ham radio much for your cruising area.* Between VHF, aircards/cell apps*and wifi you'll have better access to information than you will with HF radio.* Maybe you'll want to wait and see what the other cruisers are doing for your area.* Just a thought.

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Hi Larry,
yes, you are right - I don't plan to use the HF for more than a "nice to have".
I do have a cell based wifi card (aircard) which most likely will work everywhere I go on the east coast.
But I figure - I have the HF rig, the AT tuner - so buying and installing the HF antenna is not much more $, and would be cool to have. And if I ever DO venture off shore on a leg of a trip (ie, Montauk point to Virginia), where I'll be 50-100 miles offshore, would be nice to have.

And if I ever DO venture off shore on a leg of a trip (ie, Montauk point to Virginia), where I'll be 50-100 miles offshore, would be nice to have.

Many of the ICOM sets were really EZ to cut the blocking wire , and are stable enough to work the commercial marine telephone nets.

So many were sold to Non Hams (from the warentee registry cards) that ICOM made the blue wire really long , and wind across the interior so it would be easier to locate and cut.

That's what I call great market response and customer service!!!

Where is this blue wire? I wonder if the PO may have already snipped it?
Phillip

IF you can transmit on ANY frequency , not just ham land , the radio has been fixed.

Will try it out. It's sitting in my home right now, need to string a dipole perhaps - but i live in downtown Boston, so that may be tough....

7tiger7 wrote:Where is this blue wire?

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*There isn't a "blue wire" there are 2 diodes that can be clipped to open the bands and getting at them is not trivial.

Transmitting on a marine mf/hf frequency with an amateur transmitter is illegal except in an emergency.

Most marine radio comms are on ITU channels,*the vast majority of which are duplex channels so be prepared to do some serious knob twisting to program the channel splits on the 735 because*you can't turn a knob fast enough to*communicate with anyone otherwise. And don't expect an untrained*passenger to be able to use that radio to call for help if you can't.*

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The IC 720A with its companion AT 500 antenna tuner has dual frequency ,Duplex ability right out of the box.

Some knowledge would be required to tune in the send and receive frequency to contact the phone service.

But then some knowledge is required to use the head.