8' Digital Antenna Opinions

[TooFly]

http://www.davesmarineelectronics.co...e8antenna.aspx

Any opinions on this multipurpose antenna?

Thanks,
Paul

[FishStretcher]

My higher gain VHF 8' antenna was $49.99 at West Marine. That's a lot of dough to add some cell reception.

[TooFly]

Thanks, man. Who makes it?

[Ruge13]

Cell? Seems like overkill to me for something you probably won't use much. If you lived in places without cell coverage, or planned to run that 20' well beyond cell range often (>8-10 nm) then maybe, but I wouldn't bother with it.

529-VW is what I would go with. Had them on several boats, love them.

[Stauter99]

Digital makes a great antenna. I have had some 528-VWs that i was very satisfied with.

[TooFly]

Ruge - deja vu. Didn't you said that already?

Yup. 529-VW it is.

Thanks guys.
Paul

[FishStretcher]

I bought a Shakespeare. 6db gain. I was not super pleased at $49.99 for an 8 foot wire, maybe a choke coil, and fiberglass with a 1" 14TPI thread and a connector. $280 for the same is astounding. OK, it has cell performance, too. But still...

If you want to spend $280 on a VHF, then get a pair of 4 foot extension poles and a $50 antenna. You want an antenna as high up as you can get it. Just my opinion.

[TunaMeltdown]

I had two Digital 16' VHF antennas on my 25' SeaCraft and one of the top sections snapped while offshore in some very sloppy weather. Called their customer support number and after explaining that it just broke while running offshore and that I didn't hit a bridge they sent me out a new top section for free.

[Ruge13]

I could be completely wrong on this, but this is how it was demonstrated to me if I remember correctly...If you look at the internal construction of a Shakespeare it is glass surrounding a wire. Digital's are glass surrounding an element rod. The construction is quite a bit different from what I have seen. Granted, it could be different models etc. Memory is a bit foggy.

There are a lot of variables involved other than antenna (atmospheric, connections, cable runs, height, etc) but performance of the same Raymarine radio using both antennas on the same boats was remarkably different, on not just one, but two boats. The Shakespeare was a Galaxy 500 something, 8' while the Digital was the 529-VW. Both had factory installed terminals, not cut and crimped aftermarket. I would chalk it up to other variables if I didn't see the better performance more than one occasion. It would take some convincing to get me to go back away from the Digital 529 at this point.

[Fr. Frank]

Strength and clarity are two different issues from the issue of range.

It doesn't matter how much you spend on an antenna, the simple truth is that VHF radio waves are limited to a maximum range of line of sight. Period.

Bu when you add in angle of transmission amplitude (rocking of the boat), your effective transmitted line of sight can momentarily be pointed straight at the surrounding waves, for as much as 60% of your actual time of transmission. This is where the decibel amplitude of the antenna comes into play. (SEE IMAGE)

Obviiously, a 3db antenna gives you the widest local transmission, where your vessel movement makes the least difference. The 9db antenna gives you the best range, with the sacrifice of angle of transmission amplitude. 9db antennas are really designed for a fixed land antenna. The 6db is best for most private small craft, and the 3db is best for sailboats where the antenna is located at the masthead.

Good advice can be found at West Marine here. http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...s#.UajjrJz4KVg