VHF Antenna on a Classic

[RickSE]

Does anyone have pictures or detail of how they mounted a VHF antenna on a Classic? I'm looking for some ideas on how to do this wothout hacking up the boat.

[Cuda]

My Minx had one on it when I bought it. I took it out, but left the hardware on where it was mounted. Look under the thread "Making gcarter proud", you can see the mount on the port side under the brace I redid.

[RedDog]

with my old 18 it was clamped on to the grab rail - no windshield model.

On my 22, I use a handheld unit with a built in antenna

[need for speed]

On my old 22 I had one clamped on the handle on the passenger side that way I did not have to drill any holes and held the vhf on under the dash with A LITTLE 5200 then I could juts pull it off. :wink:

[Mr X]

Why not just buy a hand held radio?
Would'nt a big antenna on a 22 classic SE kinda look........well.......FUGLY?

[Cuda]

Why not just buy a hand held radio?
Would'nt a big antenna on a 22 classic SE kinda look........well.......FUGLY?
I agree, that's why I removed mine, just left the hardware so I didn't have to patch holes.

[DonCig]

Why not just buy a hand held radio?
Would'nt a big antenna on a 22 classic SE kinda look........well.......FUGLY?
Ted, I see by your logo or profile that you have driven over 800 + Donzis?
Is it appropriate to ask if you have been driven Hard and put away Wet for those 800 rides? LOL

See you at AOTH if the sun is shining and the Dam Don't Break!

Don

[RickSE]

Why not just buy a hand held radio?
Would'nt a big antenna on a 22 classic SE kinda look........well.......FUGLY?

I have a hand held but the hand held is not powerful enough when I'm way up-lake on Powell. For safety reasons I need to have a back up and the antenna would not be up all the time on the boat, I'll just put it up if I need it. If you break down in an up-lake side canyon on Powell chances are you're gonna be there for a while on your own until someone comes along. The VHF coverage on the lake is pretty good but I can't hear anyone on my 5W when I'm up-lake and I'm not sure if they can hear me. I can be right next to someone with a 25W fixed radio though and hear all the chatter on their radio so I just need more power.

Actually I want to put the biggest antenna I can find on the boat with a little orange bike flag on top so people can see me coming. :boat: That's a joke by the way.

Hey Ted, we're flying back to FL on the 17th, driving down your way on the 19th to check the boat, then returning on the 23rd to take the boat home on the 23rd or 24th. Is the little Scorp. running? I lost your phone number in all the travels I've done lately.

[yeller]

Rick, why not use one with a clamp on bracket? That way you can store in the bow and just pull it out when needed.

[Mr X]

Rick,
yes the little Scorpion and the 28 ZX twin Scorpion are both running.
Name your poison and you got a ride in either one you want. :wink:
They both run the same speed.

[Sam]

As a rule of thumb a handheld only puts out a max of five watts of power. Generally speaking you are supposed to get one mile of range every watt of power.

[Mr X]

Dont cell phones work out there?

[Sam]

I'm sure they do to some extent but as I'm sure you know when talking to the C.G. they like VHF :yes:

[Mr X]

Oh......

[RickSE]

Cells work but it's very spotty as you go up north on the lake. Powell is surrounded by Indian Reservation and National Parks land so the coverage is minimal. The yellow is digital service but sometimes your down below a 300' cliff wall that blocks the signal. The VHF has a lot better coverage on the lake with repeaters running up the lake.

[RickSE]

I finally bit the bullet and mounted a VHF in our boat. I tried to do it as clean as I could so I could take it out later if I wanted to without too much repair work. Anyway, I bought a 5' Shaksphere antenna and one of their multi-axis stainless steel mounts. I removed parts from the mount to make it a single pivot and made my own s.s. mount hub. The mount under the windshield only required two holes, one for the screw mount and one for the cable. I like it because it's semi hidden, folds down to where it won't get stepped on and gives me more communication options on a lake where you can get yourself in trouble with no one around. We already had to use the radio on our last trip to contact National Parks. I mounted the radio in the side panel since I figured it would be easier to recover the panel then fill a fiberglass hole in the dash if I take the radio out.

[Planetwarmer]

I wish I would have seen this thread before now. Mine is mounted under the dash on the right hand side. It is mounted on the top of the foot thingy with the tip facing forward. Works great, and you cant see it unless you are under the dash.

You may have trouble with the tip banging on the boat if it isn't secured. Nice install though.:yes:

[RickSE]

Thanks PW. How big is your antenna? Sounds like it's all under the deck??

Thought I'd just attach my results to this old thread of mine from a few years ago. When the antenna is down (picture 1) I slide two foam pads over the shaft and lash the tip to the windshield frame with a rubber band; seems to keep it stable.

[Carl C]

Why not just buy a hand held radio?
Would'nt a big antenna on a 22 classic SE kinda look........well.......FUGLY?

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showpost.php?p=447063&postcount=18

Not if you paint it red and put a 'coon tail on it....:nilly:. I opted for a hand held :).

[Cuda]

I had a suction cup one that I kept on my fishboat. I sometimes fished 40 miles offshore. I never had to do it, but I figured I could attach the antena to my tallest fishing rod to get distance,