After reading Jeff from Active Captain rave about it. I just installed a Digital Yacht DVT 100 HD TV / FM antenna with amplifier from Defender. I mounted the antenna which is about a foot square to the radar mast plate located just above the RADAR dome. I used the unused existing plate but had to add a piece of 6" x 4" x 1/8 piece of stainless to get the new antenna out away from hitting the mast upright. I used a Shakespeare 25327 (Defender number) flanged antenna mount bolted to the new plate. The new antenna has an adapter that threads right on to the mount. Then I ran the new antenna's lead from the new antenna back to existing the standard antenna. I shortened the new antenna lead as it comes with an easily replaced thread on F connector. I removed the lead from the standard antenna. Got a double male connector and connected the new antenna lead to the old antenna lead. Then shrink wrapped the whole connection. I left the standard antenna in place. Next I removed the standard antenna amplifier located above the helm area. This is a PITA. Then connected the old leads that came from the antenna and the one that run from the amplifier to the TV. For the FM antenna I pulled the radio removed the coil wire FM antenna and deep sixed that. I bought a 10' lead with a Motorola type connector on one end that plugs into the radio. The other end had a BNC connector. I bought a BNC to F connector adapter connected that to the amplifier. The existing power plug receptacle for the new amp was a little different (fatter center piece) cut the old one off and the new one that came with the antenna was butt connected to the old power feed and plugged into the amp. I also pulled a new cable with RCA connectors plugged into the radio's aux connection. The other end has an ear phone jack plugged to the TV's ear phone jack. This allows the TV sound to play thru the stereo when the radio is switched to aux. The antenna lead from the radio to the amp was also a PITA. I used a coat hanger pushed from the rear top right of the radios compartment. Taped the two leads to the coat hanger and pulled the antenna and the aux wire for the TV sound to play thru the radio speakers out of the rear part of the compartment. Then I used wire hoops and the window frame screws to run the two leads vertically up along side window. Once at the top I drilled a 3/4 hole thru the wood and ty wrapped to the existing wires and over to the compartment where the amplifier is located. I drilled a second 3/4 inch hole to enter the compartment. Made the connection to the ear phone jack and the FM antenna lead to the amplifier. The end result was astonishing. Great TV reception and much improved FM radio channel selection. I think we did an auto scan with the TV and it showed 42 channels. We never even got one with the standard antenna. I'll attach some pictures tomorrow.
It's good to hear that the end result justified all your effort. TV and FM reception has been a major disappointment aboard GADGET, so I will probably follow suit. A question and a comment: why didn't you put the new antenna where the old one was/is; and I wonder how to interpret Defender's statement that the antenna is "good for up to [only] 6 miles" offshore.
I wanted the antenna.higher. The old antenna has an antenna connection externally. The new one comes right out the center on the bottom. I did not want to get into removing that antenna mount and rerouteing the antenna lead up through the center. I tie wrapped the antenna lead in that split black covering that is around the mast area and used the screws along the flat piece that is part of the stack with plastic wire loops. I don't know about the offshore question. I live about 26 miles northwest of Philadelphia. I only tested the antenna in one place so far. In an industrial park where I did the final hookup. I finished the installation and was amazed at the number of stations I picked up. The FM was much improved and got a bunch of stations with very clear reception. All I know is that it is much improved over what we had before. Where we keep the boat sometimes in Rock Hall I could only get one FM station. In a couple of weeks we will take the boat too Norfolk and do the Carolina loop. I'll have a much better idea of how well it works by then.
Dave,
The wind will be blowing it on to the mount. I think it will be fine. I usually tow at 65 or 70 so I'll know on the next trip starting Oct 2nd. If it breaks I won't keep it a secret.
An update. We did a little Carolina Loop trip. I have to say the antenna was a big improvement over the reception we had especially the FM radio reception. When we would want to use it we would use the remote control and go to menu and then push the right side button to the right of the ok button side button over to the world icon then select it and do a auto scan. That will tell you the available number of channels for both TV and FM. The stations often start out shaky but the antenna seems to hone in on them and get better. Some are clear right away. That being said while the new antenna is a big improvement local available TV content can leave a lot to be desired. In the larger markets that seems to improve. The change was worth it for us. But in some areas the lack of intelligent content will have you turning the TV off. The FM radio reception is unbelievably better. Out.
Hi Dave,
Enjoyed reading your posts and the pics. I think I will do the same. One question: It looks like you have "spreaders" on the mast with side stays? Did you add this and if so why?
Tom,
Thanks for the kind words. No I did not change the mast setup except to add the plate for the antenna mount. The mast just came like that from the Ranger Factory.
