Mizzen GPS Antenna Mount

[Willin']

When I bought my 31' yawl the GPS antenna was a clampon on the taffrail with the cable running into the stern cowel vent, but I soon learned that if I mount anything metal near it on the rail (eg the barbecue or lifesling, the GPS goes pear shaped.

I'm thinking of making a wooden mount on the solid spruce mizzen above where the main standing backstay passes it. I'll probably cut the cable and add a thrue deck fitting near the mast base.

The only metal fittings above it will be the stainless shrouds and bronze tangs on each side and the bronze sailtrack and slides on the aft surface.

Just wondering if anyone has experience with such an arrangement.

Thanks,

Mark

[paladin]

Use caution....You have better reception higher up and away from metal, but the cable has tremendous losses so that a long cable run can be detrimental to the performance.

[John B]

When I finally broke down and bought a chartplotter last year after nearly 30 yrs sailing and the last 10 or 15 with my trusty garmin GPS12, the gps reciever it came with was described as something 'better' than normal. Had its own power source or some such stuff( I dunno.. electrics are mystical to me). Anyway.. its on the pushpit and works fine despite the mizzen mast and the boom waving around over it.....except for when someone lounges out the back facing aft , chin over the mizzen traveller. Took me a couple of episodes of plotter bleeping to work that one out.
Incidentally willin' , there's nice little proprietry cable glands available that do a nice job of a water tight seal for through deck. They allow you to pass the cable through a larger hole without cutting anything.

edit: since that day I haven't needed the gps anyway. I just close my eyes and I see a star map in pink and purple.

[Willin']

Good advice and thanks to all. Just remembered that one of the reasons I originally wanted to ask this question but neglected to mention(Mom interupted me half way through with some serious cookies and milk) was because of the VHF antenna and attendant coax perched at the top of the mizzen.

Actually, Johnny B, I hadn't researched the thru deck connector yet, so thanks doubly for that.

I'll bear the run length in mind Chuck, but I suspect it will be nearly the same on such a small boat.

Cheers,

Mark

[gashmore]

Most GPS manufacturers recommend mounting the antenna on the cabin top or rail. Mounting the GPS antenna high on the mast is generally not a good idea. While mast sway will not effect the location data outside the normal margin of error it can effect the heading and SOG readings because they are based on the relative change between readings.

[Willin']

Most GPS manufacturers recommend mounting the antenna on the cabin top or rail. Mounting the GPS antenna high on the mast is generally not a good idea. While mast sway will not effect the location data outside the normal margin of error it can effect the heading and SOG readings because they are based on the relative change between readings.


Roger that, that's the kind of input I was looking for. Maybe I better put the barbecue grill on the mast instead.