Furuno FS-1503 - Manual (Page 15)

1-8
Typical antenna installations
Ship station
On ship stations, the long wire antenna is spanned
between supporting structures. The length of the
horizontal wire should be between 6 and 15
meters. And the length of the vertical wire should
be no less than 5 meters, the longer the better
transmission.
Long wire antenna Whip antenna
Sailboat
On sailboats, the long wire antenna is mounted on
the backstay using special high-voltage insulators.
Make sure the selected location is sufficiently apart
from any metal riggings which might cause
detuning. If a wire topping lift is used with an insu-
lated backstay, special care must be taken to
ensure the topping lift does not get caught in the
backstay since the antenna may be shorted to
ground—damaging the transmitter.
Fishing boat/Sailboat
For whip antenna installation on a fishing boat or
sailboat, the mounting location must be chosen
carefully so as not to interfere with vessel
operation. In case of a sailboat, locate the
antenna away from the spinnaker, jib and of
course the boom. Stay especially clear of the
backstay. The taffrail is a good location in the
event of dismasting, since the antenna won’t
be carried away. The best location, however, is
atop the mast, the higher the better for effective
communication. It is always a good idea to keep
spare wire or an emergency antenna onboard in
case of an emergency.
Power boats
On power boats, selection of a mounting location
for a whip antenna is much easier, since there is
no mast or deck fixture to worry about. A whip
antenna can be installed almost anywhere,
again the higher the better. If your boat has a
flybridge, install it there. If not, install it atop the
cabin. Make sure the mounting location is
sufficiently apart from any nearby objects
which might affect communication.
Figure 1-6 Typical antenna installations