RF Ground - 2009 PC or Similar - Helm Location

[toofast]

I've started quite a project to upgrade my electronics as my classic e-120 died on me. Spent time today trying to understand what I do and don't know.

The digital radar voltage converter (vcm1000) mentioned that it needs connected to the RF ground system....or if I don't have one I can connect directly to negative battery terminal.

So I THINK the RF ground is the bus bars all over the place, except none to be found anywhere near the helm (that I can find).

I also have this bus, that appears to have a negative going to a battery, wonder if I can use that instead.

Hopefully some of this makes sense, as I think I am a bit over my head

 

[toofast]

So it turns out there's a chase that allows me to go back to the engine compartment.... so I just ran 20 foot of number 10 ground to the bus in the engine compartment.

I'm sure if I'd have torn apart all the bundles I would have found something else that descended at the easiest option.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[GSENT]

Jedd,
It may be in your best interest to add an additional power block and ground block under the dash for future wiring.

 

[Trapland]

Only speaking generalities here as I don’t know anything about your new equipment. An RF ground and an electrical ground are not always the same. They are usually bonded together but simply attaching radio equipment to electrical ground may not give best performance and could actually cause grief with other electronics.

On an automobile, RF equipment (am/fm, CB, scanner, satellite, etc) uses the entire metal surface of the exterior as RF ground, sometimes only via capacitive coupling, sometimes direct electrical connection.

Most modern pleasure boats aren’t made of sheet metal.

If I needed to connect something (antennas, arrays, etc) to RF ground on my boat, the top of the radar arch would be best, as it’s aluminum, followed by a large rail if I didn’t have one. Then that RF ground must be bonded to the boats electrical ground. It should be already, but check for low DC impedance to reduce ground loops.

Or maybe I’m not helping. Hope so.