SSB on a 32?

[mikeandrebecca]

I read through all of the threads here concerning SSB installs but the posts all seemed to be relating to 36s. Have any 32 owners installed an SSB on their boat? If so, what did you use for the antenna? Grounding? Tips and secrets you care to share?

Mike

[Kokomo]

I see no one commented, so I'll share my PDQ36 tales. First, let me say that my wife Bonnie was a Net Controller on an SSB Net and we had excellent reception & output. We used the largest dynaplate and copper foil run below the waterline from the plate to the tuner in the aft compartment. The backstay was cut and insulated and wire ("GTO" I believe is the designation) was used to go from the backstay to the tuner. That GTO wire was held off the lower backstay with pvc spacers to prevent interference. Worked great for years...

[thinwater]

First, let me say that I am both an engineer and a hater of gadgetry; an irony that is not lost on me. I consider cell phones a necessary evil and an occasional convenience. I would have a hand-held GPS if my boat had not come with a chartplotter. I could do without the GPS and enjoy sail just as well; I like paper and compass.The only gadget I admit to loving is the autohelm.

But I do realize that off-shore cell phones and VHS are generally useless and I don't hate technology to the point of compromising safety unnecessarily.

So, if the price of sat phones continues to come down, when do they become more practical and less expensive than an SSB installation? Yes, the per-minute charge is still whooping, but I'm not chatty on the phone.

I guess I am going to take the "wait and see" approach, for now.

[carib sailor]

When cruising the Bahamas you will find that at times it is almost impossible to obtain weather forecasts or weather information without a SSB radio.

[amytom]

Our 32 came with a SSB receiver but it's fried and sitting on a shelf until I get around to tossing it. There were two antennas installed on the mast; a dipole on the port side with the center at the spreader and the ground coming down towards the base of the mast; and a long line on the starboard coming from the deck just aft of the head to the mast head. The long line was supported by a braided line run alongside and the ground was the lifeline.
I guess this worked for receive only but I have no way of knowing. I did remove both antennas as the main halyard had a habit of catching on the port side at the spreader whenever slacked in heavy seas.
I will eventually put a transceiver in and was considering long runs of copper foil in the starboard bilge for the ground plane and re-running the long line on the starboard side, this time running the wire through the center of the braided line and starting it higher up to avoid safety issues. Maybe even running temporary lines pulled up the spinnaker halyard whenever needed?

Page 83 may have something to add as he is addicted to gadgets and has the technical background to back it up.

[thinwater]

OK, all makes sense to me. I've always held that the best thing to do with a dumb questions is to spit it out!

Thanks.

[mikeandrebecca]

Thanks for the replies guys. I really should have paid more attention in school! You would never know that I went to college to study electronics. This stuff (grounding, antennas, etc) is all very confusing for me.

[SecondWind]

Check out Capt. Marti Brown. She has a book that will answer all of your questions: http://www.idiyachts.com

[mikeandrebecca]

Thanks. I do actually already have that book. I guess I should get it out and read it (again).