vhf radio, ant placement?
 

on 36-33 outlaws were is everyone placing vhf radio and ant. cant find a good place on the 36

I'm trying to decide the same thing on my 342. I think I'm going to go with a flush mount radio mounted near the stereo receiver and go with a 3ft stainless whip antenna mounted on the port side.

Jeff

I use my VHF all the time. It is extremely important to have on and available when in coastal waters. I even had it interfaced with my headphone communication system.

You really need it and the antenna on the starboard side for quick and easy access.

You can see the antenna in the upright position in this picture. It is the 36 inch stainless antenna on an adjustable mount. Usually I keep it down, works very well and all I have to do is reach over to raise or lower it. The mount is inline with the cleat, just to the back side of it. I'm still trying to find a picture of the outside showing the antenna. My camera is at the office?

Well, I cannot find an outside shot on the computer of the antenna. Will try to post one tomorrow.

Let me tell you what I did on the 272. I flush mounted the Icom VHF in the cuddy for easy access during overnights, and ran a full feature command mic to the helm. It worked GREAT and did not take up much space. I had planned to do the same with the 36, but to interface the VHF and intercom, I was not able to use the command mic.

Bith my Shooter and the 302 I have mounted a nylon mount just behind the seat with a 3' whip. Radio is just under the steering wheel on both too.

dock does it ever get in the way where you have it mounted. (radio)? which intercom system did you go with? does the 3 ft stainless whip ant. give you good range?

The radio really does NOT get in the way. I was very concerned about that and looked at it long and hard before I installed it there.

I am 6'1" and usually always stand. It is very easy to operate while underway. Not a problem while sitting either.

It has been there for 10 months now, through four poker runs and some rough coastal waters and I have never hit my leg on it once.

The seat is somewhat offset and it is not a problem.

This is the second antenna like this I have had and the range is good. Remember that VHF is line of site. The higher up you mount the antenna and the taller the antenna is the more range you have. I would guess that I have a range on open water of several miles. Really have not tested it for range.

I will have to post some pictures of the communication system. It was installed after the pictures I posted were taken. The company was Performance Radios out in California. They really don't show a marine system, I called Steve and told him what I wanted and he did a little custom work to adapt a system to my boat. Total cost from him was close to $1000.00 including four headsets, and another $200.00 for a good stereo guy to install it.

With the communication system all four crew can talk to each other and we can all hear the VHF in the background. Two of us can push buttons and talk back out over the VHF. Wind noise is very minimal and the folks riding in the back like it because it muffles the exhaust noise.

Again, I will post the link and some pictures tomorrow night.

3' stainless mounted behind the driver seat on the gunwale in my 24 Outlaw. I just keep it down and tucked under the side support of the driver's seat until I need to get some range. You'd never enen know it's there.... Range is okay, but I don't use it all that much, we spend almost all of our time on inland lakes and rivers.....

My VHF is mounted under the steering wheel (facing up). The antenna is on the flat part of the deck right above the dash (on the starboard side right above the tach). I use a 3' antenna with Shakespeare's Lift N Lay mount. Here's a picture (it doesn't show up to well. The location for both works fine.