Where's your VHF antenna?
 

I have a '95 Cafe Racer. My VHF radio is in the glovebox. The VHF antenna is below deck (under the port side dash, above the locker) and gets unbelievably BAD reception!
Any suggestions on how to mount something, somewhere that doesn't look like some slapped on afterthought but will some decent reception?

Chasin' CA$H

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

VHF ?

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

Mine is on the top of my handheld radio!! :D :evilb: :p

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

I have often thought about the same thing .....but I had to pull in a disabled Sail Boat 2 weeks ago ... and the VHF came in handy communicating back and forth ...however a hand held is probably the answer ...My VHF antenna is always getting in the way ... Manuvering up to the bow ...getting hung up on the cover ....or the last episode was pulling into the slip ...I have a work platform that runs across the back of the boat that is raised when we take the boat out ....If you forget to lower the Antenna it gets snapped off .... :rolleyes:

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

who needs a vhf we just have a handheld and a cell phone cuse the most common conversing from our boat is to our mechanic :D

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

Diddo

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

We use the VHF for conversation boat to boat thru our intercom systems when traveling. We regularly travel long distances up and down the coast of FL and to the Bahamas. Cell phones in the Bahamas, and about 8 miles off of the Fl Coast work pretty poorly. Besides a cell phone call could be work calling, I prefer to turn it off...

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

Like my Cigarette brother Z/P I have a handheld VHF radio, but I prefer no to stop, shut off the engines and take off my headset to have a conversation with another boat or other station. Our intercom/stereo/VHF systems work great except for the lack of VHF range.
Surely someone out there in OSO land talks boat to boat while running...

CA$H

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

boy that was a waste of gas. vhf is line of sight reception, antennas are ugly! you choose which is more important...

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

On the 38' SE we had it mounted under the engine hatch. You could get OK reception, and if you really needed to speak to someone clearly just pop the hatch open.

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

Ok,, I was talking to some of the guys in the sailboat website,, I think it BLOWBOATERSONLY.com,, and they has some really neat Ideas on where we could stick our VHF antennas,, :eek: :D ,,, Just Kidding Cash,,,, Im meeting with a DEREMA rep (supplier of radios and gps for westmarine, boatus, etc.) today over lunch and I will see if he has anything new in the line of smaller antenna's or good hidden placement that will work. :drink:

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

Zero Patience and I were talking today and we think we're on to something... Z/P found an antenna whip that is removable from the base. We're thinking of mounting it just above the glove box on the far left side of the dash. The idea is to attach the 36" stainless whip while running and remove it otherwise. The trick will be the thru dash mounting process. We're looking for the right hardware to hold the base and which has a good looking cap. When removed, with cap in place, no ugly mast to look at!

CA$H

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

In my Cafe, my antenna is mounted upright in the back of the closet (across from the head)...works fine.

Re: Where's your VHF antenna?
 

Like someone mentioned, it is line of sight transmission, so the higher the antenna the better. Doesn't seem like there is much of a way around that. Too bad no one makes a retractable one like a power antenna on a car, except 9 feet long.