My antenna snapped and I could fix it if...

[sdowney717]

Tested antenna out on the water, it works, picks up channel 16 fine and the weather channel.
Had real rough water coming back from Kiptopeke where the WW1 cement ships from the breakwater. 4 to 6 foot waves and rain and lots of wind. Everything not attached went flying. We were taking on waves coming at us from the bow, up, then down and buried the bow and transom several times underwater. Then after we got to the Back River reef, it calmed down and sun came out. It makes me not want to cross the Chesapeake bay again in this boat.

Here is how they look. My depth sounder said I was in 20 foot of depth, I got very close to these old ships.
On the other side of them was lots of big waves.
Second pic you can see the CBBT to the far off left side of picture.
Third picture shows the other row of cement ships with CBBT in the distance.
The current was very strong here and very windy day, you can see it in the sky, the stormy day.

 

[BertKu]

Hi Sdowney, I am delighted that you were able to fix your aerial. Should you ever find, that the reception is not good enough anymore, because you are too far out, do the following. Either make your aerial shorter to 1/4 labda or longer to 1 labda. I would just make a new cheap very good aerial. In your case your optium received frequency is way below the 160 Megaherz. somewhere in the TV frequency bands.
1) get a 1/2 inch pvc pipe, UV protected , a 1/2 Inch coupler,, some extra coaxial cable a piece of copper. I used in the above photo example an earth pin from a 230 Volt RSA wall plug, drilled a 2 mm hole in the middle, two holes to secure the aerial, a piece of SS welding rod and if you can get, a piece of rubber end-piece. Just cut it off at the right length. i.e. at 162.2 Mhz , 1/4 labda is about 50 cm
Put it together as per photo and use hot glue, first after you folded the earth wire of the coaxial cable flipped over back to form a rigged ground base. Then push the copper core of the coaxial cable into the copper and screwed it tight, then push the lot into the 1/2 Inch pipe, glue it with hot glue, place the SS aerial on the other side of the copper and screw it tight. Then push the coupler over it and fill it totally with hot glue. Put a rubber tip onto the 2mm SS wire end.
3) You have the best aerial for very little money.

 

[sdowney717]

People buy new for convenience sake, but I like to either fix old stuff or make a DIY like you too!

I was thinking you could also put some grease or silicone or oxguard

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=20144386

in the copper coupler to ensure water wont set up and electrolysis cell. Then seal it up with glue.

 

[peterjoki]

Hey sdowney!

Nice job! Most importantly your tests have proven a successful repair.

Love the cement ships. What an awesome piece of history.