Ian Waugh - A Mariner\'s Guide to Marine Communications

Whip antennas usually come in two or three sections, joined

together by screw connections at a height that is not easily accessible

(figure 7.4 below). The whip antenna is not strong enough to support a

ladder. If you mark the antenna with a tell-tale mark at the joint, you can

see (using binoculars if necessary) whether the two sections are coming

loose or are staying tight together - without taking the antenna apart at

the base.

Some whip antennas are connected to the below-decks ATV

through the deck insulator (figure 7.2). Others have an external wire

connection as shown in figure 7.4. Ideally, for both whip and wire

antennas, the closer you can fit the ATV to the base of the antenna, the

better.

whip

aerial

lead-in

. msua~ I sc
r-'--''-,
ATV
/ / /1

top screw ..... ......,v'

connection

tell-tale

paint mark

bottom screw .. " ___ _

1---1 connection

support

stanchion

sc = screw connector

Figure 7.4

lead-in

sc

bulkhead sc --msu. I ator

insulator 1-'-""'"

ATV

Whip antennas (alternative arrangements)

MARINE COMMUNICATIONS 149