How do you test a marine antenna?
How do you test a marine antenna?
You can also test the antenna by disconnecting it from the radio and seeing how its signal weakens or disappears. Slowly reconnecting just the tip of the coax connector should slowly increase the signal. As you insert the coax connector, the signal strength should increase.
Does a boat radio antenna need to be grounded?
On most boats, the antenna comes with an integrated ground plane. These do not need anything special in terms of grounding. You usually get enough ground bonding just by connecting the antenna to your radio set, which in turn is grounded through your boat’s power supply. These antennas do not need to be grounded.
How do I get a radio check on a VHF radio?
Use an “open channel” to performance the check (channels 68, 69, 71, 72 and 78A). Turn radio to one-watt power setting, and key the microphone. Call “radio check” three times, followed by your boat name and location. Wait for a reply confirming someone has heard your transmission.
Do antennas need to be earthed?
Knowing how to ground an antenna properly can make significant improvements to its performance, whereas a poor ground or earth connection can mean that its performance is greatly impaired. Grounding an antenna properly makes the antenna safe to use and also enables the best to be made of the performance of the antenna.
How do you test a radio antenna?
Connect one lead from the meter to the tip of the antenna, and the other to the radio pin — the piece at the end of the antenna cable that fits into the radio. The reading should be low, usually under 5 ohms; that means a good electrical connection between the tip of the antenna and the radio pin.
How do you check antenna signal with a multimeter?
Use one lead of the multimeter to touch the metal part of the antenna and also touch the other lead to the metal core of the cable. Note: The ohms reading should be zero. If the resistance is more than that, the antenna or cable is damaged, and prevent signal from reaching the reception device.
Can a VHF Marine Band radio receive weather radio transmissions from a boat?
A VHF Marine Band radio that can receive transmissions from NOAA weather radio stations that are a long distance away should be able to receive regular VHF Marine Band transmissions from nearby boats. There is no reasonable explanation why an antenna could permit reception of NOAA broadcasts but not permit reception of local ship transmissions.
Does the antenna perform differently on the NOAA and VHF bands?
The antenna is not likely to perform differently at the NOAA radio frequency than it does at the VHF Marine Band, as the two are close together in frequency. On transmit, an antenna problem can have a severe reduction in range of transmission.
How do I know if my boat antenna is bad?
Measure the VSWR on the transmission line. If the VSWR is not below 2:1, the antenna is very likely not working properly. Most boaters will not have a directional wattmeter or directional bridge, and in all honesty I do not recommend buying one of those cheap $35 meters.
What to do if your boat radio is not working?
Bad-Mike Fix: If the radio doesn’t transmit or you get reports from nearby boaters that they can’t hear you or that you are cutting in and out, the microphone cable may be at fault. While listening on a handheld VHF, stretch and manipulate the mike cable to see if you can pinpoint an intermittent wire in the cable.
