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Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
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Author:  yjmechanic [ Tue Apr 13, 2010 2:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
When i bought my horizon, it had a white fiberglass 8' vhf antenna and doesnt match the boat at all. i wanted a shorter black antenna so i went out to the store and looked. The only one they had was a shakespeare 5420xt AM/FM antenna in the height and color i wanted. I asked the sales guy and he said the only differance is the plug that comes with it. Well i bought it and cut the plug off and looked at the wiring, it looks the same as the vhf and the antenna is the same thick fiberglass construction, so i installed it. havent been able to try it out but im curious if I did the right thing. The guy told me the antenna doesnt matter whether its one or the other in the heavy type of antenna. Is he right? did I just install something that wont work? I have searched all over and cant find an answer, please help if anyone knows
Author:  tim [ Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
don't use it. you will blow your radio if you transmitt. ok to use if it is just a reciever and not a transmitter. Is it a ship/shore? Any transmitter ant. must be matched to frequency.
Author:  yjmechanic [ Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
yeah its a ship to shore radio, so the frequency is differant? and the radio will actually be damaged? wow that sucks, i guess i dont understand antennas very well, it looks the same and the internal wiring looks the same, but i definitely dont want to mess up my radio.
Author:  tim [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
yeah, the antenna length has to match the frequency of the radio. Not important when monitoring but very important when transmitting. Even an antenna matched to the radio should be checked with an swr meter (standing wave ratio). You can get different lengths of antennas for the same radio though, they just use a coil inside to match the frequency.
hope this helps
Author:  yjmechanic [ Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
Well bass pro is where i got the antenna and the bad advice, i talked to their manager and he contacted shakespeare antenna and verified they were wrong. :lol: they dont carry the one i need but he is trying to special order it and even offered to have his techs install it when it comes in. i wont let someone else touch my boat (prob drill holes in bulkhead to route it :roll: ) but the offer is nice. they are handling it really well actually, so far. he also said if my radio was damaged that he would work something out for me there, just thought everyone would like an update
Author:  wkearney99 [ Sat Apr 17, 2010 8:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
The point of the antenna is useful range, not looks. The shorter, and thus lower, the antenna the shorter the range it will have. Often a dramatically lower range. This would be VERY BAD if you needed the radio for an emergency. Much like how handheld VHFs are good for little more than contacting the helicopter hovering right on top of you.

There are lots of things to obsess over in life. Worrying how an antenna "looks" just doesn't seem like a smart idea when it compromises the whole point of the radio.
Author:  yjmechanic [ Thu Apr 22, 2010 12:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
i appreciate the advise about the usefulness but you also should be asking the use of the antenna before assuming im comprimising safety. this is a sport boat used for fun in a small 2 mile river area. the boat is never more than a few hundred feet from other boaters and never more than a mile from the marina. the looks do matter to me with an expensive sport boat. most sport boats dont even have radios, i have mine cause i think its a good idea but im not going to run around with a huge antenna hanging from a sleek sport boat when the range i need would be unnecessary, if this were an ocean going boat then i would definitely look to a longer range antenna. sorry if i sound like im being rude but i posted the same question on several forums looking for an answer and on every one i got the safety speech but no answer to my question. except on this forum where i got the answer right away. again glad to know people are looking out for safety but in this case looks can be had without compromise to safety
Author:  wkearney99 [ Thu Apr 22, 2010 7:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
yjmechanic wrote:
i appreciate the advise about the usefulness but you also should be asking the use of the antenna before assuming im comprimising safety. this is a sport boat used for fun in a small 2 mile river area. the boat is never more than a few hundred feet from other boaters and never more than a mile from the marina. the looks do matter to me with an expensive sport boat. most sport boats dont even have radios, i have mine cause i think its a good idea but im not going to run around with a huge antenna hanging from a sleek sport boat when the range i need would be unnecessary, if this were an ocean going boat then i would definitely look to a longer range antenna. sorry if i sound like im being rude but i posted the same question on several forums looking for an answer and on every one i got the safety speech but no answer to my question. except on this forum where i got the answer right away. again glad to know people are looking out for safety but in this case looks can be had without compromise to safety


Rude? Nah. A bit naive, perhaps.

Expensive, and sleek sport boat. Yeah, ok, sure... thanks for the morning laughs.
Author:  yjmechanic [ Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
Expensive, and sleek sport boat. Yeah, ok, sure... thanks for the morning laughs.[/quote]




well then i dont know what you call an expensive sport boat but 40k price tag to me is expensive, maybe there is vastly more expensive out there but its alot to me. i am proud of the boat i have and i like to keep the look of it the way it is.
Author:  tim [ Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
shoot, I paid 45 for mine (that's $4500) and that's expensive to me! But it's a start, and the number one rule of boating (for me at least) is having FUN! Part of that is adding equipment and other items, and we are all different in our needs. Keep looking around, you'll more than likely find an antenna that is to your liking and functional also
Author:  yjmechanic [ Fri Apr 23, 2010 8:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Any differance between vhf antenna and AM/FM antenna?
well some people just got to be like that, i love my boat and dont care what anyone thinks. ive had 2k boats before that i had tons of fun in. i dont think you have to dump 100k on a boat to like it
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