Isomat NG 46 mast length/height?

[Last Resort]

Does the 46 represent the measurement of the mast for our 31-2 Isomat masts?  If not, how long is it? I'm looking to replace my VHF wire, so figure 50' should do it.  

Also, anyone replace theirs and have any issues?  I'm hoping to feed a new down the mast connected to the old one as a feed out into the cabin....seems simple, but probably isn't :) 

I have white wire now (not sure if it's rg58 or rg8) and figure it's over 30 years old and time to change it.  I'd love to use rg213, but worried it may be too big to feed, and even if installed, being so heavy it might bang inside the mast.  Anyone with rg213 experience in an NG 46?  Otherwise I'm thinking of going with rg8x.  

Thanks for any tips, experience or advice!

[Last Resort]

If I did go ahead with the rg213, then I'd need to drill bigger holes in the mast top and bottom, and that presents a major issue keeping the existing cable as a fishing wire for the new one....any ideas? 

[Peter McGowan]

I used MPD-400.  It’s a modified for flexibility LMR-400. I needed to snip the connectors off as the hole in the mast was just large enough for the cable so I used about 2 feet of duct tape lengthways as I was paranoid that I’d lose the old cable inside the mast if I pulled too hard at a snag and if there’s one thing I’ve learned about joins in cables it’s that they will find something/anything to snag.  

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[Guy Johnson]

A bicycle chain on a piece of rope is a good wire fishing tool for a vertical mast. 

Guy

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Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2024 8:24 AM
To: pearso...@googlegroups.com <pearso...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [pearson ] Re: Isomat NG 46 mast length/height?

 

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[Andrew Milkovits]

I replaced my antenna and cable two years ago on my 31-2 when my mast was pulled. I fished it through using the old cable, like you are planning.

I didn’t measure the mast, but that height sounds right. The cable I bought was 60 feet and there was plenty of leftover which I cut off. 

I used this antenna and cable:

Andrew

On Jun 13, 2024, at 8:57 AM, Guy Johnson <guy...@hotmail.com> wrote:



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[Peter Trunfio]

Do yourself a favor…figure out how to put some sort of sound deadening on the new wire.

If you were to unstep the mast, then some pipe insulation works well in six foot lengths.

But since you aren’t planning to unstep the mast…maybe your best bet is to put some zip ties in a tri-star pattern to keep the wire from slapping off the mast…

PMT

Peter M. Trunfio

+1.917.640.6450 (c)

On Wed, Jun 12, 2024 at 11:30 PM Last Resort <lastre...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Bob Maxwell]

I can't answer all your questions but I can share what I saw when I replaced all the wiring in my P30 some years ago.

The factory wires were wrapped in foam like pipe insulation. I assume it was meant to dampen wires banging against the mast. The foam mostly broke down over the years. The antenna wire was just hanging. There's a bolt in the mast between the spreaders and the antenna cable. The antenna wire had chafed against that, wearing through the outer insulation and shield layer. So yes, getting a look at things is a good idea. I did all my work with the mast down and the end caps removed. If you want to go with a bigger diameter cable, you may need to do it with the mast down.

The P30 mast extrusion has a groove on the inside that will accept sail slides. I bought a handful of those and tie-wrapped them onto the cables every few feet.  That holds the wires, including antenna wire, reasonably securely against the side of the mast, so no banging.

Good luck.

Bob

On Wed, Jun 12, 2024 at 11:30 PM Last Resort <lastre...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Pauleen Ward Brown]

Hi 

The mast on a 31-2 is 46 ft above the water.

 Then there is the length of the mast from the top of the cabin to the step above the keel . However, you are likely to bring out your wire at the cabin roof where they must have an access panel. The radio wire runs between the cabin roof and the liner.

Hope that is of some help. 

Pauleen 

Cora Deo

Breezy Point

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[Last Resort]

Thanks for the numbers Pauleen!  I've purchased 50' of the lmr-400 as it's only a bit bigger, but much less signal loss.  Being a solid center core, it's not as flexible as the smaller stuff, but I'm hoping with a proper feed in at the top and a steady pull from the existing wire, it will straighten out for the trip down the mast without much trouble, fingers crossed :) 

Thanks as well to all for the info and suggestions!