VHF and antenna

[4x15mph]

Any good recommendations for an antenna that I can install that is not permanent and that maybe even attaches to the waketower (newer forward design, AR210)?

I want a good setup for Bimini. Any pictures and links that I can click on to buy are appreciated. Thank you

 

[BBottoms]

I've got an AR240 with the forward swept tower but it should be very similar. I would consider mine semi-permanent. I used a Shakespeare QCM-S mount attached the the starboard side, top crossbar on the tower. It's a quick connect antenna so I can remove it when I'm just on the local lake as in the picture below. The cable runs up the tower so it's concealed. The radio (Standard Horizon GX1700) is mounted on a piece of starboard where the factory storage cubby is behind the throttles. I can remove the radio and put the storage cubby back in with 4 screws. I have two quick connect antennas, a 4ft and an 8ft (Shakespeare QC-4 and QC-8). I used them on the Gulf a couple years ago with good success.

If you end up going this route and want an 8ft QC-8 antenna I've got several extra. The place I bought from sent me a whole box of them instead of one by mistake and told me to keep them instead of trying to mail them back.

 

[sfadchi]

I've got an AR240 with the forward swept tower but it should be very similar. I would consider mine semi-permanent. I used a Shakespeare QCM-S mount attached the the starboard side, top crossbar on the tower. It's a quick connect antenna so I can remove it when I'm just on the local lake as in the picture below. The cable runs up the tower so it's concealed. The radio (Standard Horizon GX1700) is mounted on a piece of starboard where the factory storage cubby is behind the throttles. I can remove the radio and put the storage cubby back in with 4 screws. I have two quick connect antennas, a 4ft and an 8ft (Shakespeare QC-4 and QC-8). I used them on the Gulf a couple years ago with good success.

If you end up going this route and want an 8ft QC-8 antenna I've got several extra. The place I bought from sent me a whole box of them instead of one by mistake and told me to keep them instead of trying to mail them back.

This is an awesome setup! I may copy you if I keep my boat.

 

[Julian]

I've got an AR240 with the forward swept tower but it should be very similar. I would consider mine semi-permanent. I used a Shakespeare QCM-S mount attached the the starboard side, top crossbar on the tower. It's a quick connect antenna so I can remove it when I'm just on the local lake as in the picture below. The cable runs up the tower so it's concealed. The radio (Standard Horizon GX1700) is mounted on a piece of starboard where the factory storage cubby is behind the throttles. I can remove the radio and put the storage cubby back in with 4 screws. I have two quick connect antennas, a 4ft and an 8ft (Shakespeare QC-4 and QC-8). I used them on the Gulf a couple years ago with good success.

If you end up going this route and want an 8ft QC-8 antenna I've got several extra. The place I bought from sent me a whole box of them instead of one by mistake and told me to keep them instead of trying to mail them back.

Very similar to my set up. The only other thing I've added is an external speaker. I found that without the speaker it was VERY hard to hear the radio in the wind on the ocean (click on the Yamaha 242X link in my signature for install details...#28 is radio install , #29 is the speaker install)

 

[BBottoms]

Found a few more pictures of my install. I originally looked at a Pacific Aerials mount based on another user on here that had installed one. Pacific Aerials has a better antenna selection for their quick detach than Shakespeare. Pacific Aerial's mount is a more low profile better looking but has a bigger mounting plate. The AR towers have a smaller cross member than the 242 towers so the Shakespeare seemed the best route to go for me.

 

[JayZ2012]

@BBottoms & @Julian --- In your VHF antenna installs are you using Bolts for the quick connect base or self tapping metal screws?

 

[BBottoms]

I used machine thread 1/4-20 screws if I recall correctly. I used a tap to thread the holes in the tower after drilling them. You could use self tapping but you'd have to be careful with the aluminum to not strip the threads as it's not very thick, probably 1/4" or so (it's hollow tube, not solid). Bolts would work but you would have to drill all the way through and I didn't want to have more holes than necessary in the tower or fasteners on the inside where they could get a finger. I considered using stainless steel rivet nuts which would alleviate the concern about the aluminum not holding the threads but so far I haven't had any issue. If it ever appears mine are loosening up I'll probably pull it an install the rivet nuts.

 

[Julian]

@BBottoms & @Julian --- In your VHF antenna installs are you using Bolts for the quick connect base or self tapping metal screws?

Mine is attached to the Bimini tubing...no holes required.

 

[fireflymedic]

This works for me but not sure I'd use it if I lowered the tower a lot there's a chance of pinching the coax cable on every use I think.

 

[JayZ2012]

This is what I ended up with. I put it in the top of the tower with self tapping screws. I was able to run the cable in an existing hole in the tower, so it is pretty clean. I'll need to modify the bimini top just a little bit on this side (extend the 'hole' there by about 5 inches).

 

[zipper]

Different M/Y boat and tower configuration. Just showing other options. I mounted the VHF radio on the port side dashboard. It seemed a little bit of a tight fit at the helm. And besides I like the visibility of it there, next to the existing fishfinder. I used speaker mounts Krypt Wakeboard Tower Clamps - 1 1/4'', 1 1/2'', 1 5/8'', 1 3/4'', 1 7/8'', or 2''. clamped to my style tower. Which mated well to the Shakespere HD mount. I ran wiring within the tower, where I could. The wiring runs down the tower tubing, thru the mtg. base plate and into the storage lockers on either side. The base plate already has a weep hole drilled thru the center of it, I just needed to measure 3 times and drill thru the fiberglass deck, below the hole, to access the inside of the tower. Port side antenna is a QC VHF and starboard is AM/FM.



Wire visible at transition between upper/lower tower



And where it enters the tower.



I removed the bolts holding the forward tower base to the deck to measure and locate wire pass-thru hole, to be drilled in the fiberglass.

 

[Marine3]

I've got an AR240 with the forward swept tower but it should be very similar. I would consider mine semi-permanent. I used a Shakespeare QCM-S mount attached the the starboard side, top crossbar on the tower. It's a quick connect antenna so I can remove it when I'm just on the local lake as in the picture below. The cable runs up the tower so it's concealed. The radio (Standard Horizon GX1700) is mounted on a piece of starboard where the factory storage cubby is behind the throttles. I can remove the radio and put the storage cubby back in with 4 screws. I have two quick connect antennas, a 4ft and an 8ft (Shakespeare QC-4 and QC-8). I used them on the Gulf a couple years ago with good success.

If you end up going this route and want an 8ft QC-8 antenna I've got several extra. The place I bought from sent me a whole box of them instead of one by mistake and told me to keep them instead of trying to mail them back.

Very Nice! Can you advise on the sizing of the piece of starboard that you used to mount the radio? Thank you

 

[BBottoms]

Very Nice! Can you advise on the sizing of the piece of starboard that you used to mount the radio? Thank you

I used 1/4" black SeaBoard (HDPE). I used the factory cubby/storage as a rough template for the shape and location of the screws but cut it a little larger on all sides so my screw holes weren't right on the edge.

 

[svana]

I've got an AR240 with the forward swept tower but it should be very similar. I would consider mine semi-permanent. I used a Shakespeare QCM-S mount attached the the starboard side, top crossbar on the tower. It's a quick connect antenna so I can remove it when I'm just on the local lake as in the picture below. The cable runs up the tower so it's concealed. The radio (Standard Horizon GX1700) is mounted on a piece of starboard where the factory storage cubby is behind the throttles. I can remove the radio and put the storage cubby back in with 4 screws. I have two quick connect antennas, a 4ft and an 8ft (Shakespeare QC-4 and QC-8). I used them on the Gulf a couple years ago with good success.

If you end up going this route and want an 8ft QC-8 antenna I've got several extra. The place I bought from sent me a whole box of them instead of one by mistake and told me to keep them instead of trying to mail them back.

Hey @BBottoms, does your install orientation affect the gps positioning at all since it’s rotated 90* in 2 directions? Or is it not a factor and you only use the vhf function? Planning on installing mine in the same location (Icom-506) but worried about that factor.

 

[BBottoms]

Hey @BBottoms, does your install orientation affect the gps positioning at all since it’s rotated 90* in 2 directions? Or is it not a factor and you only use the vhf function? Planning on installing mine in the same location (Icom-506) but worried about that factor.

Honestly I've never checked the coordinates on the VHF against my Chartplotter, but if it's like most GPS devices I can't imagine it would make a difference how it's mounted. It's possible the GPS satellite reception may be slightly less versus somewhere more 'open', but I doubt fiberglass has much effect on GPS signals. VHF radios with GPS are mounted in all sorts of orientations on various boats without issue and I don't recall anything from the install instructions about it having to be in a certain direction. Further, standalone GPS antennas are not directional, they're only picking up position. Any 'processing' to calculate heading/speed is done internal in the device, based on change in position.

 

[svana]

Honestly I've never checked the coordinates on the VHF against my Chartplotter, but if it's like most GPS devices I can't imagine it would make a difference how it's mounted. It's possible the GPS satellite reception may be slightly less versus somewhere more 'open', but I doubt fiberglass has much effect on GPS signals. VHF radios with GPS are mounted in all sorts of orientations on various boats without issue and I don't recall anything from the install instructions about it having to be in a certain direction. Further, standalone GPS antennas are not directional, they're only picking up position. Any 'processing' to calculate heading/speed is done internal in the device, based on change in position.

Gotcha. I think that one has a compass function on it which would be the only directional concern I suppose. Mines got an AIS on it and the screen plots out the surrounding area, my main concern is if that’ll display correctly or I need to adjust.