[C320-list] RADAR cable going up the mast

[Magnuson's Time A Weigh]

John,

I have to echo Jeff's response.  When I bought Time A Weigh, there was work 
that was required per the survey which required the mast to be removed over 
the winter while the work was completed inside. My Furuno unit was installed 
with a connector at the mast base, above the plate at the mast step.  The 
radar unit did not work for the first year, and my delivery plan ( 
Whitehall, MI - to Bayfield, WI ) started memorial day weekend, precluded me 
waiting till the yard staff returned and could pull the mast and make the 
repair.  I finally replaced the cable, which comes preterminated at each 
end, but neither end will fit through the Step Plate.  Since trouble 
shooting would always require pulling the mast to get to a connector, I 
installed a terminal strip in the bilge space adjacent to the compression 
post.   I fanned the wires such that each wire is shorter than the next to 
create a tapered end that can be fed back up through the mast step and 
several feet of slack in the bilge space that can be used to trouble shoot 
any problems, or allow mast removal. Some of the wiring is very fine, and 
some leads are shielded. I soldered and crimped spade connectors to each 
lead on each end of the cable.   The Furuno dealer was not at all happy that 
I planned to splice the cable, but I did not feel I had a choice.  His 
instructions were to run the cable without any splice or connector.  My unit 
has been working great for the last two years.  I hope this helps.

Good Luck,
Gary Magnuson
#205/1995


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <LOCALJG at aol.com>
To: <c320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 9:50 PM
Subject: [C320-list] RADAR cable going up the mast


>A recently purchased Furuno Radar (model 1623) installation was going well
> until it was time to get the radar cable moving up from the base of the
> compression tube to the mast.
>
> Can anyone who has already performed this feat of magic assist me with 
> some
> advise?  We have drilled a hole in the mast above the bottom spreaders,
> where the radar pod is mounted and we have dropped a weighted line down 
> the
> hole in the hopes we could find it with a hook made out of a coat hanger 
> at
> the  base of the compression tube.  Our plan has not been successful.
>
> John G.
> #329/1996