mcmurdo F1 DSC, Installation Manual

Page: 23 / 32

Page 17
Connection of antenna
The antenna and the antenna cable are a very important part of the radio installation
and it is therefore very important to use good quality materials. The antenna must be
marked as a VHF antenna covering at least the frequency band from 153MHz to
163MHz. VHF antennas for use on leisure ships typically have 0dB or 3dB gain
(although specialised antennas may have gains as high as 9dB). Depending on the
environment, the 3 dB gain antennas can give better coverage and together with a low
loss antenna cable will ensure greater radiated signal power and better receiver
sensitivity.
When securing the antenna plug to the coax cable make sure that the cable is
prepared to the dimensions shown in the illustration below. A frequent cause of poor
communication is that the antenna connection is faulty, therefore make sure that this
connection is properly made and that it is inspected at regular intervals.