Good Morning Listserve: Here's a link to an item I first saw on ebay, then found for $40 cheaper at Defender: http://tinyurl.com/99zmy (http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|344|295760|320775&id=332511) According to the Defender page - "The Gam / McKim Split Lead Single Side Band Antenna eliminates the need for backstay insulators forever. No longer must the integrity of backstays be compromised by cutting and installation of costly insulators. The Split Lead antenna simply press fits onto your existing backstay wire...no special tools required...and is secured at both ends by a simple plastic clamp. " "Safety: The split lead antenna installation requires no alteration of the backstay thus preserving full mechanical integrity of the backstay wire. All RF elements of the antenna are fully insulated eliminating the possibility of the shock hazard posed by the bare wire connection in conventional backstay antennas. " "Ease of Installation: No cutting, no swaging, no measuring, no special tools, no special skills required...simply press fit over the existing backstay wire and clamp at top and bottom " Now, all those seem like real positive points! I hate the idea of cutting and swaging my backstay. Cooking a crewmember who inadvertently grabs a backstay for support while I'm transmitting would kinda discourage my wife from cruising (anyone heard Eileen Quinn's 'Radio Widow'?). Easy installation and removal too! Who could ask for more? So, waddya'all think? Any listoid experience with this type of antenna? At $360(Defender)-$399(ebay) it ain't cheap but, is comprable to the cost of two backstay insulators. David ---------------------------------------------- David Sampson 25-Ton Master SV Raven - Folkes 39' MV Isabelle - CHB 39' Juneau, AK www.ravens-journey.com ----------------------------------------------

david_sampson@eed.state.ak.us At 07:55 AM 1/27/2006 -0900, you wrote: >Here's a link to an item I first saw on ebay, then found for $40 cheaper at >Defender: http://tinyurl.com/99zmy >(http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|344|295760|320775&id=332511) The long link does not work. Go to antennas, ssb and pick out the antenna from the list. David, I took a good look at the Gam Electronics web site. It is not impressive. The pictures are pretty low quality and the details are missing. This may mean nothing or it may be significant. I can't tell for sure. They may be building a really high quality product, but you can't figure that out from what is posted. There are no radiation pattern charts. There is no testing information at all. The details of materials used that demonstrates the products are suitable for a marine environment are missing. Is the wire coax tinned and other details about the shielding? But, the biggest question in my mind has to do with how much signal is radiated to ground being as how the antenna is close coupled to the backstay. If the coupling is minimal and good quality materials are being used then this may be a significant product, otherwise.... I suspect that they could provide a reasonable answer to all this. But, have failed to. They may be pretty good engineers, just poor marketers. Regards, Mike Capt. Mike Maurice Tualatin(Portland), Oregon