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(no email)
Date: Tue May 15 2007 - 17:45:16 EDT
I wish someone else would weigh in on this. I am not an expert in antennas,
and I too generally question conventional wisdom, but I don't just dismiss
it either. If a wet salty string will work, then an insulated backstay
should work also.
I suspect the copper clad steel used by the military, if that is the case,
adds strength while retaining the surface conductivity. It would be similar
to Susan's dual antenna. But there are other considerations; such as having
an uninsulated backstay next to the antenna wire. What effect does that
have? Is the chainplate grounded or not? Is conductivity a big issue?
There is NOT a lot of amperage running through the wire. I don't know
answers to these questions. I do know that my backstay antennas works,
looks neat, and is strong.
So that is the bottom line for me. An insulated backstay appears to work
just fine on my vessel and on others, and is no more a weak point in the
rigging than any other rigging terminal. For Susan to say "they do fail, not
if, but when" applies to every rigging wire on the boat. Don't be afraid of
an insulated backstay. If failure is an equal probability at every swage or
terminal, then yes, an insulated backstay is twice as likely to fail, but it
is still a small number which can be mitigated by close inspection and good
workmanship. On my boat I have 20 points of rigging failure with an
insulated backstay, 18 without. The overall risk has gone up by about 10%.
This issue is not one of backstay antennas, but of inspecting and replacing
old rigging.
Regards
Jeff
Jeffrey M. Stander
listserv moderator and webmaster
s/v BEATRIX - KP44 #276 (1980)
SKYPE ID: pacific_voyager
www.kp44.org
www.svbeatrix.com
-----Original Message-----
From: susan meckley [mailto:]
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 12:35 PM
To:
Subject: [world-cruising] Re: ssb antennas....
I would never recommend cutting the back stay for an insulator...they do
fail, not if, but when. However, that being said, if one must use the
backstay for an antenna, be sure to use the insulators such as Sta-lock
provides.
It is always wiser to run a separate antenna wire. Good results can be
otained with a string (soaked in salt water) as an antenna, when conditions
are good...I have tried it.
But...when conditions are marginal, you want everything possible going for
you...COPPER from the radio to the upper insulator
I wonder why the military and commercial shortwave stations use "copper
clad steel" if steel such as the backstay, is ok then why waste the money
to use copper clad steel.
BUT, in electronics, if it works don't change it untill it does not work
and you have to do something.
Nuff said on this subject
Bye peoples...heading out to sea in 10 days....Johnston Island KH3
Susan, W7KFI
USSV Dharma
If you don't change direction you will arrive exactly where you're headed!!
Susan Meckley, Skipper
USSV Dharma
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