Typical antenna installations
| Long wire antenna | Whip antenna | |
Ship station | Power boats | ||
On ship stations, the long wire antenna is spanned | On power boats, selection of a mounting location | ||
between supporting structures. The length of the | for a whip antenna is much easier, since there is | ||
horizontal wire should be between 6 and 15 | no mast or deck fixture to worry about. A whip | ||
meters. And the length of the vertical wire should | antenna can be installed almost anywhere, | ||
be no less than 5 meters, the longer the better | again the higher the better. If your boat has a | ||
transmission. | flybridge, install it there. If not, install it atop the | ||
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| cabin. Make sure the mounting location is |
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| sufficiently apart from any nearby objects |
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| which might affect communication. |
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Sailboat
On sailboats, the long wire antenna is mounted on the backstay using special
Fishing boat/Sailboat
For whip antenna installation on a fishing boat or sailboat, the mounting location must be chosen carefully so as not to interfere with vessel operation. In case of a sailboat, locate the antenna away from the spinnaker, jib and of course the boom. Stay especially clear of the backstay. The taffrail is a good location in the event of dismasting, since the antenna won’t be carried away. The best location, however, is atop the mast, the higher the better for effective communication. It is always a good idea to keep spare wire or an emergency antenna onboard in case of an emergency.
