Kaimusailing

Work on the cabin tops continued as well as some installation preparation for the SSB radio. The ICOM M710 was inexpensive and I bought it without microphone or power cable. The microphone from the M810 was transfered over, but the power cable was not compatible, different connector, fewer wires. I bought molex connectors, installation tool, and inline fuse holders to complete the power cable. The M710 uses three 14 gauge power lines with inline fuses. I will make up a 12 gauge equivalent. The M710 power cables are rare and expensive, the one I priced was about $60 including shipping from Taiwan. The main sticking point is the molex connector which isn’t available any more. By substituting a current design molex connector and reterminating the power lines of the radio, I could use the mating connector with wiring to the power panel. Custom.
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The antenna tuner cable is also different from the cable used on the M810 and the AT120 tuner. The AT130 tuner was used with the M710 and it has capabilities above 23 MHz, where the 120 is not rated above that frequency range. Both tuners use the same control portocol, just the connector is changed for the 130, so that ICOM can sell more antenna tuners. I bet the AT140 would also have a specific connector.
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After some thought I decided to mount the SSB radio in the forward left corner of the pilothouse where it will be away from the doors and any salt spray, and be far to the left of the compass, which is sensitive to any electrical wiring. The antenna tuner will be near the solar wiring chase that comes down from the pilothouse roof and use that chase for the wire to the antenna, which will be one of the starboard shrouds, insulated from the mast and the chainplate.
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After making up the power cable and connecting the SSB to the antenna tuner, I ran the rest of the 12 gauge wire off to a hoist at a nearby tree. I powered up the radio and did the “TUNE” function while having a borrowed SWR meter in line with the radio output. Ideally the meter would read 1 when the antenna tuner completed its tuning sequence, which sounds like a lot of chatter of relays within the unit. It came out to 1.08, which is great. Success. I listened to a couple of persistent signals, such as the WWV time clock, and weather advisories.
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I found that the old SSB control head in the forward right corner of the pilothouse, mounted up high near eye level, was perfect to mount the new VHF radio. The radio came with no mounting bracket, but the SSB control head bracket would suffice. Also the control head power cables would do nicely to supply power to the VHF. As I started to put it all together, I decided to power up the radio, I had to make sure it worked or I would lose the opportunity to return it. I used my old AIS antenna and a borrowed adapter, but the radio had nothing but static. The radio itself seemed to work fine and all the menus came up properly. I emailed the vendor and said the radio didn’t work, but I wasn’t sure about the antenna. He replied it was tested before it was shipped and worked fine.
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I needed to try another antenna, but all the nearby boats either had their rigs down or disconnected. I checked my mast and found the internal coaxial cable looked OK, the whip was missing from the top of the antenna, but I had a replacement and tried to mount it. It was incompatible without some grinding of the internal ferrule. Then it was possible to assemble, but it was obvious that the antenna mounting hardware was incorrect and would not hold the antenna whip for long. It held it long enough to attach the coax to the radio and power it up with a spare battery and alligator clips. It received several signals. I emailed the vendor again, sorry to bother him, the radio works fine.
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The cabin tops were given a scrubbing with detergent, then sanded with the random orbital sander, then given a coat of unthickened epoxy, just a thin coat as primer for arctic white paint. The photo is of the port hull cabin top with winches removed.