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VHF, FM, AIS antenna and cable replacement

Slavko Despotovic
 

I have all new antennas with 25m cable to be installed on main mast and mizzen. How difficult have this been to replace old cables in both masts? I have read how was done when masts was down but can not find info how difficult or easy might be when it is done with masts up. I am replacing all 3 antennas

 
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Slavko
SM 2000
#279 Bonne Anse in Croatia
Bill Kinney
 
Edited

Slavko,

If you have to]\he old wires in place, and can use them to pull the new ones through, there are no special challenges to running the new wires with the mast up.  

The only unusual thing is that there are pieces of foam along a string that runs in the wiring chase. Thi is there to keep thew wires from banging agains the sides of the mast.  Not the way I'd do it, but it works.  If you search the forum for "mast foam" you'll find more information.

Bill Kinney
SM160,  Harmonie
Le Marin, Martinique.
Slavko Despotovic
 

Thank you Bill. One more question. Old cables are all in place and here is question. Person that will do this work is saying the he will cut the cable at the top, connect the old and new cable together and then pull it dawn. I have Olivier recommendation to pull up old cable use the messenger line and then pull Dawn a new cable. I both the same antennas as original on Amel, so antenna is connected to cable without visible connection. Have difficulty convincing person to do it the way as Olivier recomended.
What is your experience?
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Slavko
SM 2000
#279 Bonne Anse in Croatia
Bill Kinney
 

Slavonic,

The benefit in doing this the way Olivier recommends is it is much easier to get a secure connection between the cable and a messenger line than directly between two cables.  A very secure connection to whatever you are using to pull the new cable is very important because you will be pulling past the foam, and other obstructions.  If the connection fails while pulling the cables, the amount of work needed to run a new wire from scratch is very significant. Olivier’s procedure is convenient because you can make the important connections to the messenger line while standing on deck, not hanging on top of the mast. The only downside of Olivier's method I can think of is it requires two trips up the mast, not one.

There are ways to get a good, secure connection between two cables, but the ones I know tend to be more time consuming than running the messenger line first.  Which way you pull the messenger line first is just a matter of convenience, up or down, no difference.  

Certainly I would absolutely avoid cutting the cable at the new antenna, so that wire MUST be pulled down the mast. Pulling the messenger line up, or down, doesn't matter technically in any way I can think of.

That's a very long way of saying I would recommend using the method Olivier recommended.  There have been times I have taken short cuts when pulling wires or lines, and it has usually resulting in making the job take a LOT longer and caused more frustration than if I had done the job right in the first place. If I am being paid to do the job, I make sure it goes right the first time, because I can not justify charging someone a couple hour's work to fix what was my mistake.


Bill Kinney
SM160, Harmonie
Le Marin, Martinique
CW Bill Rouse
 

FYI, pulling down the mast is required when there is a large connection head at the bitter end at the mast top. An example is the B&G 213 MHU Mount 

Best,

CW Bill Rouse 
Amel Owners Yacht School
+1 832-380-4970 | brouse@...
720 Winnie, Galveston Island, Texas 77550 
www.AmelOwnersYachtSchool.com 
Yacht School Calendar: www.preparetocastoff.blogspot.com/p/calendar.html


   

On Thu, May 19, 2022, 15:19 Bill Kinney <cruisingconsulting@...> wrote:

Slavonic,

The benefit in doing this the way Olivier recommends is it is much easier to get a secure connection between the cable and a messenger line than directly between two cables.  A very secure connection to whatever you are using to pull the new cable is very important because you will be pulling past the foam, and other obstructions.  If the connection fails while pulling the cables, the amount of work needed to run a new wire from scratch is very significant. Olivier’s procedure is convenient because you can make the important connections to the messenger line while standing on deck, not hanging on top of the mast. The only downside of Olivier's method I can think of is it requires two trips up the mast, not one.

There are ways to get a good, secure connection between two cables, but the ones I know tend to be more time consuming than running the messenger line first.  Which way you pull the messenger line first is just a matter of convenience, up or down, no difference.  

Certainly I would absolutely avoid cutting the cable at the new antenna, so that wire MUST be pulled down the mast. Pulling the messenger line up, or down, doesn't matter technically in any way I can think of.

That's a very long way of saying I would recommend using the method Olivier recommended.  There have been times I have taken short cuts when pulling wires or lines, and it has usually resulting in making the job take a LOT longer and caused more frustration than if I had done the job right in the first place. If I am being paid to do the job, I make sure it goes right the first time, because I can not justify charging someone a couple hour's work to fix what was my mistake.


Bill Kinney
SM160, Harmonie
Le Marin, Martinique

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