ANTENNA CONSIDERATIONS
A variety of antennas is available from a number of quality suppliers. It is recommended you draw upon the advice of your Marine Dealer in determining a suitable antenna for your vessel and range requirements.
The general rul~s for antennas are: The more gain the greater the range and, the higher above the water line the greater the range. Antennas should be located so as not to be
in proximity to metal objects. Antennas should not have excessively long coaxial feed cables.
CHOOSING A LOCATION
Some of the more important external fa,ctors to consider in selecting the location of your MC 615 are:
1.Select a location that is free from spray and splash.
2.Keep the battery leads as short as possible. Connec:tion directly to the battery is most desirable. If direct connection cannot be made with the supplied power lead, any
extension should be made with #10 AWG wire. Long extensions should use larger wire.
3.Keep the antenna lead as short as possible. Long antenna leads can cause substantial loss of performance for both receiving and transmitting.
4.Locate your antenna as high as possible and clear from metal objects. The reliable range of coverage is a direct function of antenna hoight.
5.Select a location that does not allow the radio to bE! subjected to direct sunlight (including that coming through windows).
6.Select a location that allows free air flow around the heat sink on the rear of the radio.
7.Select a location well away from the ship'scompass. Auxiliary speakers also should be located away from the compass.
After you have carefully considered the various factors affecting your choice of location, position the radio (with the bracket, microphone, power plug, antenna plug and any auxiliary plugs installed) into the selected location to assure, there is no interference with surrounding items. Make the location of the mounting bracket.
Remove the bracket from the radio and use it as a template to mark the holes to be drilled for the mounting hardware. Drill the holes and mount the bracket with hardware compatible with the material of the mounting surface. Install the power cable (red is +, black is
Install the radio into the mounting bracket and connect all cables and accessories to the appropriate jacks and connectors.