KW 1720 VHF install - The Hull Truth

reddawg · 11-10-2007, 05:27 AM

I am going to install a VHF in the near future and was wondering if anyone has some tips on where to install the radio and the antenna. My thoughts right now is to put the radio above the doors on the console or maybe just inside the doors. The antenna would be a 4' whip style (I don't venture far offshore 10-12 miles at the most) mounted on the side of the console or on the side of the handrail over the windshield.

Also, if you have any tips on the installation itself, I would be grateful. Thanks for the help.

my42post · 11-11-2007, 05:31 AM

I installed a VHF in my 1720 above the doors in the console. Also used the 4' whip which I mounted to the side of the console. The whip also allows you to use a console cover (just bend the whip) which a fiberglass antenna will not. I rarely venture more than 5 miles offshore so the reception works just fine for what I need.

DDHAND · 11-11-2007, 05:49 AM

I have the same boat and I would suggest not mounting inside the console. Even though it only seems like it would be no big deal to open the doors it is actually a PITA in reality.

ggibby · 11-11-2007, 06:16 AM

Hi, I live in Gainesville also.
If you need help with the soldering/connection of the antenna, I can help.
The height above ground (water) of the antenna is what counts, much more than the specific antenna itself (none of them "manufacture" power. You should have plenty of range the way you describe.

Be certain to get a MMSI number (free, from several places, such as even the seatow.com site) and program it into your radio. It makes it almost like a cell phone (can even "ring" your boat directly). Big help in emergencies. If you have a gps, it is usually a one wire connection to add lat/long to your radio's distress ability.

I bought very cheap radios and have done well with them. The ones with the speaker in the microphone don't work -- have to have an external speaker to make any sense of what is coming across. The ones with the 3" speaker built into the radio itself seem to do fine.

Grease or dielectric lube on all the antenna connections after soldering the connectors will make them last longer in the salt.

gordon

reddawg · 11-11-2007, 08:07 AM

Thanks all for the replies. Above the console doors is where I have decided to put the radio.

ggibby, thanks for the soldering offer and I may have to take you up on that. My Bro-N-law says he can do it but...

Is soldering the best way to make the connection or is there alternative? As for the GPS, all I use is a hand held. Will this work with the radio as well? All other advice is great.

savee · 11-11-2007, 08:20 AM

i have a 186 cc don't know if you have a ,compartment door on top of your console to store small items .that's where i installed my radio, works great for me also had 4ft whip ss on the left side of my console easy to install a cover when i fold it

ggibby · 11-11-2007, 12:29 PM

Hi,
My VHF's (I have 2 on my boat) came with mounting brackets making it easy to mount on the top or side of a console, and also with borders to make it easy to mount through a hole if you wanted to cut into the console.

As for the antenna: most come with a cable and the PL259 connector not yet added -- so you can run the cable through whatever tortuous path you need, and THEN solder. Most come with a "no-solder" method as well, and frankly if you aren't very good at soldering, that would be the better choice. Soldering these things is tricky -- the connector is LARGE (it was a world war 2 development....) and requries a lot of heat -- but that can melt the insulation around the center conductor of the cable if you aren't experienced. Then, getting the shield wiring soldered to the outer portion of the pl-256 is even harder. If you relative has done it before, good! I first soldered them for my ham radio station some 30 years ago. This is a crucial connection and many people don't even have an SWR bridge or other method by which to detect that they have screwed up.

Once you have it done, then grease the connector so it won't corrode where it screws into the radio.

If your hand-held has a NMEA output, you will be in business. sometimes they do! Check with the manual or manufacturer's web site. Perhaps you can simply connect to some sort of "usb" connector on the handheld gps and get the nmea output that your radio will need. However, it is SO NICE to have a cheap chartplotter gps on board that you will likely get one soon -- displays depths and hazards and shows your boat right on the map display.

happy boating!
gordon
if you want help with the connector, give me a call, 331 6639.