[C320-list] adding gxm 30 antenna

Tue Mar 7 11:09:24 PST 2006

Sandy (and all others interested)

I did take a look at Persistence on Saturday; unfortunately the boats are
packed so tightly together (it is indoors) that there was no way for me to
climb onboard to really see how the antenna was set up. Here is what I
observed:

The old antenna is mounted on the stern rail, port side. It is mounted above
one of the vertical rail stanchions. The aft navigation light is mounted on
that vertical stanchion, right below the GPS antenna. From what I can see,
they drilled a hole to accomodate both the antenna cable and the electrical
wires. My guess is that they then drilled holes and ran everything into the
aft port locker. Without being able to get on board, I can't be sure where
they ran the antenna cable to get it up to the pedestal. I am attaching this
reply to Allan Field's email because it looks like he has the solution that
is the closest to what I am seeing.

My big question right now is whether you can link numerous extensions
together on the GXM30 antenna and still get good info. The existing cable
plus the extension cable included only gives you about 10'of cable. That is
not nearly enough to run down through the stanchion, under the deck, and up
through the pedestal. The extension cables are >$15 so I think I will buy
one just to experiment. If I can hook a bunch of them together to get the
length needed, then the stern mount would work. If not, I will need to come
up with another setup. For those who were wondering about the actual
mounting of the GXM30 antenna, it does come with an optional pole mount (the
unit itself has a magnetic base so that it can be stuck to the exterior of a
car, for example, and it has non-skid material on the bottom so that I can
just put it on my dashboard in the car and it stays put.)

We decided on Saturday that with typical Michigan weather we should all be
working on our boats in about 5 weeks. Come on, Spring!

-Joan
 C320 #90 Persistence

----- Original Message -----
From: "Allan Field" <Allan.Field at comcast.net>
To: "'C320-List'" <C320-List at catalina320.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 7:30 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] adding gxm 30 antenna

> Sandy - Following is a copy of a posting from about 2 weeks ago regarding
> the antenna mounting.  The August 2005 Mainsheet has an article in the
C320
> technical section regarding how to run wires to the binnacle.  I also
posted
> pictures in the Sea Shadow album out on the C320 website.
>
> Dave - I mounted a GPS antenna and an XM radio marine antenna to the aft
> stanchion, port side.  Here is what I did.
>
> I unhooked the 2 portside lifelines where they hook to the aft stanchion
> with the pelican hooks.  Sitting down in the port side locker (the one
made
> for a bicycle but not the bike rider!) I put a wrench on the nuts (there
are
> at the base of the tube that the pelican hooks attach to.  I needed
someone
> else topside to then back off the 3 bolts, using a large Phillips
> screwdriver, while I held the nuts from below.  The 3 bolts pass through
the
> tube base, then the deck, and then are backed with 3 large fender washers.
>
> Once these 3 bolts were backed off and removed, I was able to pull the
tube
> away and from the boat and slightly down alongside the rubrail so as to
> expose the underside of the tube base.  I then drilled a hole through the
> deck.  There was no metal backing plate in the deck.
>
> At this point, one should then re-epoxy the hole then drill a new hole for
> the antenna wires through the cured epoxy.  I did not do this.
>
> This is where the real fun starts.  Using a carbide drill bit (1/2-inch)
and
> an electric drill, I drilled a hole into the tube base from the bottom up.
> I have a portable scaffold so did this while standing on the scaffold next
> to the hull.  Make sure you wear eye protection and good gloves as the S/S
> shavings get very hot.  Drilling this hole at high speed took about 30
> minutes of continual drilling.  The base is thick as is the steel.
>
> I then drilled 2 very small holes, just large enough to pass my antenna
> wires through, into the stanchion where it runs parallel to the deck.  The
> first hole, for the GPS antenna, is about 6 inches back from the turn in
the
> tube and the second hole for the XM is about 12 inches further back.  I
> fished line up to the holes from the bottom and, using a surgical
hemostat,
> stuck the hemostat into the holes to grab the line and pull it through the
> hole.  From here on out, the job is easy.  Using the line as a messenger,
> pull the antenna wires down through the tube base and into the deck hole,
> slide the tube base back into position after a generous application of
> sealant, get your helper back to work from either in the locker or
topside,
> replace the bolts, nuts and washers, and run the antenna wires to
wherever.
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> Allan S. Field
> Sea Shadow - #808
> Columbia, MD
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: C320-List-bounces at catalina320.com
> [mailto:C320-List-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Sandy Olson
> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 3:41 PM
> To: 'C320-List'
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] adding gxm 30 antenna
>
> Hi all,
>
> Anyone have suggestions on where/how to mount this new antenna which
> gives access to xm radio and weather?  I am thinking stern on portside
> but unsure how to run the wire from there to the pedestal where the GPS
> unit will be mounted. Do I need to drill into the boat (if so what
> supplies would I need) and how do I get the wire into the pedestal?
>
> Sandy #466
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: C320-List-bounces at catalina320.com
> [mailto:C320-List-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of John Van Vessem
> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 10:52 PM
> To: C320-List
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Pushpit mounting
>
> What the heck is a pushpit???
>
>   John(Sojourn645)
>
> Dave Anderer <danderer at udel.edu> wrote:
>   Does anyone know off-hand how the pushpits are mounted to the boat?
>
> I want to pull one off to mount a GPS antenna and run the wires
> internally. There are just 7 screws, but what do they go into? If into
> tapped plates glassed to the hull - great! If into individual nuts,
> which then fall off and get lost between the hull and the liner - not
> great.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Dave #642
>
> [By the bye, I finally have the new SS shaft installed. Solution was
> finally to just let the yard do it. Took them about 4 hours to lift the
> boat, drop the rudder, and install the shaft.]
>
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>
>
> John Van Vessem
> Sojourn 645
> Vallejo Yacht Club
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