Hi CD world,
On unstepping my mast I discovered the coach roof cable fitting to be in rough shape. A little reading leads me to believe I have a smallish VHF cable, RG-58 or RG-8X. I would like to replace it with RG-8. (also called "RG-8U" ????)
This poses a few questions:
1) How should I support this cable within the mast so not to have all the in mast weight on the top where it exits the mast?
2) Is RG-8 the stuff to use? The run will be approx. 50 ft.
3) Where is the best buy on RG-8 cable, and VHF Antennas and Antenna Brackets?
Thanks in advance,
Leo MacDonald CD30K #57 Heather Ann (still with 3 holes)
macdola@gwsmtp.nu.com
VHF Antenna Cable
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Chris Reinke
Re: VHF Antenna Cable
Leo - I can not offer any direct answers to the questions you have posed below. However, I would like to offer a nice trick I learned this past summer while running my radar cable. As you feed the cable up the mast (or pull back up via a feeder line) place 12" or 15" nylon cable ties (often refereed to as zip ties) approximately ever foot or so along the cable. Pull the ties snug but do not trim off the excess tails. The excess tails will coil themselves inside the mast and hold the cable along the inner wall of the mast. This will reduce the potential for the cable to sway and bang along the inside of the mast as you are trying to catch up on your beauty sleep.
Hi CD world,
On unstepping my mast I discovered the coach roof cable fitting to be in rough shape. A little reading leads me to believe I have a smallish VHF cable, RG-58 or RG-8X. I would like to replace it with RG-8. (also called "RG-8U" ????)
This poses a few questions:
1) How should I support this cable within the mast so not to have all the in mast weight on the top where it exits the mast?
2) Is RG-8 the stuff to use? The run will be approx. 50 ft.
3) Where is the best buy on RG-8 cable, and VHF Antennas and Antenna Brackets?
Thanks in advance,
Leo MacDonald CD30K #57 Heather Ann (still with 3 holes)
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Bob Pence
Re: VHF Antenna Cable
Hi Leo, in 97 the mast on our CD36 needed painting plus we wanted to replace the roller furler, forestay, and backstay so DeatonYachts in Oriental N.C. did the work. We removed all the fittings on the mast and booms, ground them to bare, primed and awlgripped. While down we replaced all wiring in the mast. They placed the wires in foam tubes and pulled them through the mast, no clanging or banging and no problems to date. Have Radar cable in there with all the rest, antenna, lights and boat alarm speaker.Hi CD world,
On unstepping my mast I discovered the coach roof cable fitting to be in rough shape. A little reading leads me to believe I have a smallish VHF cable, RG-58 or RG-8X. I would like to replace it with RG-8. (also called "RG-8U" ????)
This poses a few questions:
1) How should I support this cable within the mast so not to have all the in mast weight on the top where it exits the mast?
2) Is RG-8 the stuff to use? The run will be approx. 50 ft.
3) Where is the best buy on RG-8 cable, and VHF Antennas and Antenna Brackets?
Thanks in advance,
Leo MacDonald CD30K #57 Heather Ann (still with 3 holes)
sixpence@dmv.com
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John MacArthur
Re: VHF Antenna Cable
Hi Leo--There is a pretty clever solution to this problem at:Hi CD world,
This poses a few questions:
1) How should I support this cable within the mast so not to have all the in mast weight on the top where it exits the mast?
Thanks in advance,
Leo MacDonald CD30K #57 Heather Ann (still with 3 holes)
http://www.en.com/users/danp/boat/mastwire.htm
I have been thinking about trying it. Good luck.
Johnny (off to Mexico in a couple of more days)
jmac@laplaza.org
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Patrick Turner
Re: VHF Antenna Cable
Leo,
Rig Rite also sells what they call mast slides, Designed to hold all your internal electrical wiring. You clip the wiring to the slides and they slide up an internal channel in the mast. Have not used them, so can't vouch for them. Give Rig Rite a call.
Pat
patturner@earthlink.net
Rig Rite also sells what they call mast slides, Designed to hold all your internal electrical wiring. You clip the wiring to the slides and they slide up an internal channel in the mast. Have not used them, so can't vouch for them. Give Rig Rite a call.
Pat
patturner@earthlink.net
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Bill
Re: VHF Antenna Cable
Hi Leo and Merry Xmas for the Oklahoma Crew....Hi CD world,
On unstepping my mast I discovered the coach roof cable fitting to be in rough shape. A little reading leads me to believe I have a smallish VHF cable, RG-58 or RG-8X. I would like to replace it with RG-8. (also called "RG-8U" ????)
This poses a few questions:
1) How should I support this cable within the mast so not to have all the in mast weight on the top where it exits the mast?
2) Is RG-8 the stuff to use? The run will be approx. 50 ft.
3) Where is the best buy on RG-8 cable, and VHF Antennas and Antenna Brackets?
Thanks in advance,
Leo MacDonald CD30K #57 Heather Ann (still with 3 holes)
Three years ago I completed a complete re-do on the Mast of my Catalina 27... I too replace all mast wiring... the first time I didnt do anything with the coax, and sure enough,,,,, what a racket.... SOOOOOOO, I had to drop the mast the very next week, and this time I installed 1 1/2 pvc pipe on the inside of the mast and ran all wiring and a runner (hual) line as well. It took just a little tinkering, but when I got the rythem down, putting the pop rivits in the mast to secure the pvc was a snap....
When I drop Rhapsody's mast to do the same to her (hopefully this winter) I plan on doing the same thing..... I read about the process in Don Casey's (??) "This Old Boat" I really liked the final results, and to me it seems a little more "hardy" than wire ties, although, I have not tried them and have heard from those who have and like them... They would be easier.....
Happy Holidays to all!!!
The Slaters
cd25d@rhapsodysails.com
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Bill
PS
Sorry I forgot about the coax... I used RG-8U... The big stuff and even over and around the local hills and mountains, I could talk about 20 - 25 miles... with no problem... That may have just been the masthead antenna. I dont know....Hi CD world,
On unstepping my mast I discovered the coach roof cable fitting to be in rough shape. A little reading leads me to believe I have a smallish VHF cable, RG-58 or RG-8X. I would like to replace it with RG-8. (also called "RG-8U" ????)
This poses a few questions:
1) How should I support this cable within the mast so not to have all the in mast weight on the top where it exits the mast?
2) Is RG-8 the stuff to use? The run will be approx. 50 ft.
3) Where is the best buy on RG-8 cable, and VHF Antennas and Antenna Brackets?
Thanks in advance,
Leo MacDonald CD30K #57 Heather Ann (still with 3 holes)
Hi Leo and Merry Xmas for the Oklahoma Crew....
Three years ago I completed a complete re-do on the Mast of my Catalina 27... I too replace all mast wiring... the first time I didnt do anything with the coax, and sure enough,,,,, what a racket.... SOOOOOOO, I had to drop the mast the very next week, and this time I installed 1 1/2 pvc pipe on the inside of the mast and ran all wiring and a runner (hual) line as well. It took just a little tinkering, but when I got the rythem down, putting the pop rivits in the mast to secure the pvc was a snap....
When I drop Rhapsody's mast to do the same to her (hopefully this winter) I plan on doing the same thing..... I read about the process in Don Casey's (??) "This Old Boat" I really liked the final results, and to me it seems a little more "hardy" than wire ties, although, I have not tried them and have heard from those who have and like them... They would be easier.....
Happy Holidays to all!!!
The Slaters
BS
cd25d@rhapsodysails.com
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Leo MacDonald CD30K #57
Re: PS - Onset pics
Hi Guys,
I tried to e-mail you a few weeks back but no luck. Yesterday I tried to show Ruth Ann the Onset pictures via the link in the CCDO BB - no luck
... So HI how you doing and what is your web site address?
T/Y,
Leo CD30K #57 Heather Ann (on the hard in Groton, CT)
macdola@gwsmtp.nu.com
I tried to e-mail you a few weeks back but no luck. Yesterday I tried to show Ruth Ann the Onset pictures via the link in the CCDO BB - no luck
... So HI how you doing and what is your web site address?T/Y,
Leo CD30K #57 Heather Ann (on the hard in Groton, CT)
macdola@gwsmtp.nu.com
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Catherine Monaghan
Re: VHF Antenna Cable
Leo,
I don't know if the inside of your mast is the same as that on the CD-32 but it may be. Take a look at the inside of your mast. If it is anything like the mast on the CD-32, it will have two internal tracks. These tracks accommodate sail slugs -- the cylindrical shaped ones. Any wiring should be attached to slugs with cable ties about 18 inches apart. The wire or wire bundle is then run up the mast with the slugs in one of those tracks. There is no way for the wiring to knock around inside the mast if you use this method.
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
I don't know if the inside of your mast is the same as that on the CD-32 but it may be. Take a look at the inside of your mast. If it is anything like the mast on the CD-32, it will have two internal tracks. These tracks accommodate sail slugs -- the cylindrical shaped ones. Any wiring should be attached to slugs with cable ties about 18 inches apart. The wire or wire bundle is then run up the mast with the slugs in one of those tracks. There is no way for the wiring to knock around inside the mast if you use this method.
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
Hi CD world,
On unstepping my mast I discovered the coach roof cable fitting to be in rough shape. A little reading leads me to believe I have a smallish VHF cable, RG-58 or RG-8X. I would like to replace it with RG-8. (also called "RG-8U" ????)
This poses a few questions:
1) How should I support this cable within the mast so not to have all the in mast weight on the top where it exits the mast?
2) Is RG-8 the stuff to use? The run will be approx. 50 ft.
3) Where is the best buy on RG-8 cable, and VHF Antennas and Antenna Brackets?
Thanks in advance,
Leo MacDonald CD30K #57 Heather Ann (still with 3 holes)
catherine_monaghan@merck.com