Shakespeare 4400 Installation Woes

[eeboater]

My boat came with a Shakespeare 4400 3 ft whip antenna. Unfortunately, the mounting hardward was plastic and since the previous owner kept it outside the plastic had become old and moldy. I ended up buying new mounting hardware, but not I'm horribly confused.<br /><br />Can someone explain to me how the vhf cabling attaches to the antenna? I thought you simply inserted it in the end and screwed the antenna onto the mounting hardware, but when I am on the water I hear nothing whatsoever. It could be possible that there was no radio traffic, and noone responded to my radio tests; however, I tried it on Memorial Day weekend on the largest (and busiest) lake in the area - still with no success.<br /><br />Here are two photographs to aid in your deduction of my problem. Thanks in advance,<br />Sean<br /><br /><br />

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[Silvertip]

Re: Shakespeare 4400 Installation Woes

It isn't going to work that way. The cable is typically attached at the antenna is not removable. The radio end is unterminated so the cable routes throught the mount then to the radio where a connetor is added. Screwing the antenna onto the mount must be done carefully as the cable needs to be lubricated and turned at the same rate as the antenna. You twisted off the center conductor and the shield when you removed the antenna.

 

[eeboater]

Re: Shakespeare 4400 Installation Woes

Yup... that'd be me making an idiot of myself and busting a perfectly good antenna... grr...<br /><br />*Please move to Stupid human tricks*<br /><br />Thanks.<br /><br />Sean

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Shakespeare 4400 Installation Woes

Don't beat yourself up! Think of it as a lesson learned and you now have wisdom that you can pass on to someone else when they make the same mistake.