VHF antenna cable broke

boatman37

Lieutenant
Joined
May 14, 2015
Messages
1,273
just noticed on my new to me 1986 sea ray sundancer 250 that the VHF antenna cable is broken off where the radio would be. like the end broke off. the other end goes inside the antenna. can this cable be replaced or repaired? or do i have to replace the whole antenna? there is no radio in it at this time but i am looking to buy one soon
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,413
You can buy the connector, but not knowing the age or the condition of the antenna, I'd replace it
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
Yes the connector can be replaces. But that depends on your ability to work with such connectors. Do you know how to solder?
 

boatman37

Lieutenant
Joined
May 14, 2015
Messages
1,273
yeah i can solder. i watched a video on it. looks pretty simple. the PO said he used a portable recently. he was the original owner so i assume at some point he used a fixed mount. new to this boating things so i;m sure i will have many more dumb questions...lol. trying to dot all my i's and cross all my t's before i put it in the water
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
yeah i can solder. i watched a video on it. looks pretty simple. the PO said he used a portable recently. he was the original owner so i assume at some point he used a fixed mount. new to this boating things so i;m sure i will have many more dumb questions...lol. trying to dot all my i's and cross all my t's before i put it in the water

Well boatman37, now is the time to put your soldering abilities to work. Either buy another connector, OR clean up the old connector and reuse if it is a solderable type connector. Seriously, it is not really hard to solder such a connector back on the cable. Post your results and other questions. We are listening... :thumb:
 

StingrayMike

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 17, 2014
Messages
355
Need to be REAL carefull when soldering the connector. If you get ANY of the shield, even 1 strand, will degrade your signal.
and if you heat up the center pin on the connector too much, you cane melt the inner insulator, causing a short as well.
just need to be carefull
 

boatman37

Lieutenant
Joined
May 14, 2015
Messages
1,273
well after thinking about it, i guess i would have to put a new end on either way. the hole in the side of the boat is only big enough for the cable to go through, not the connector. so an end would have to be put on either way unless i would be willing to either drill a larger hole or run the cable up over the side rail
 

keninaz

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 15, 2010
Messages
448
They do make solderless connectors for the connector but I don't recommend them for marine installs.
The soldered connection makes a much better electrical bond.
But as you have no experience be forewarned the most common mistake is too much heat for too long and you melt the insulating material between the center conductor and the outer shield and the antenna is then useless until you cut it off and start fresh again.
 

keninaz

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 15, 2010
Messages
448
The only way I would used a cable connector like that is to cover the exposed areas and plug with silicone rubber. Worked on radio equipment for the Navy for over 50 years.
 

Snowboy150

Cadet
Joined
Jun 30, 2015
Messages
7
Before you solder, maybe too late now, put on a shrinkable tube, then solder and then push the shrinkable tube over the solder joint and heat shrink the tube to give a watertight finish.
 

boatman37

Lieutenant
Joined
May 14, 2015
Messages
1,273
haven't done it yet but thanks for the advice. i always use shrink tubes on my spices so that was already part of the plan. i work in IT and have made up hundreds of CAT5 and CAT6 cables, as well as RG58 for TV cables. i have never had much luck with the screw on connectors. i will either crimp or solder. need to get a radio first though...lol
 
Last edited:

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,413
The only way I would used a cable connector like that is to cover the exposed areas and plug with silicone rubber. Worked on radio equipment for the Navy for over 50 years.
The brilliance of the connector is that it's a crimp connect with no exposed wires. It has orings on backshell and connector seat and the entire connector is gold plated. No more nasty green center pins causes by the use of dissimilar metals in the connection. If your still concerned about ingress, epoxy encapsulation of the backshell is the only to go and not something I'd recommend an amateur tackle
 
Last edited:
Top