downrigger cable & radio question

[beckoning]

DOWNRIGGER CABLE:I have 2 electric BigJon's and 2 electric Walkers. I used to have 2 Canon manuals. The stainless cable on the Walkers and the Canon's never kinks. The BigJon cable on the starboard side tries its best to kink and get all twisted up. Three weeks ago, I more than an hour untangling cable that had wound around itself when I accidentally hit the down switch with the boat in the hoist. Solution #1: After untangling, I took the boat out and let out 150' of cable with a light weight at the end, hopefully to allow the cable to untwist. It helped a little. I'm now very careful. If it happens again, I'll replace the cable. Any braid vertical in the water is a water flea magnet on Lake Michigan, so I won't replace stainless with 250lb braid.

My question: Is there a metal cable out there that won't kink and twist itself into knots if it comes off the spool? Or, could the problem be the cable should come off the top of the spool, and not the bottom? I know that is important when putting mono line on a reel.

Any thoughts?

RADIO: My Standard Horizon seems to have lost its ability to stop scanning when an incoming call is received. It just keeps scanning. Once in a great while, if the transmission is strong (nearby boat, Coast Guard) scanning stops. It's intermittent. Any thoughts as to why? Or just a worn out radio?

 

[mike_i]

Regarding you radio. Sounds like you may have the squelch too high/tight that the receiver is losing the received signal when weak then going back into the scan mode. Turn the squelch up to where it just quiets the noise/static. A strong signal will have no problem keeping the receiver open if the squelch is high/tight. I hope this makes sense, I know what I'm saying but it's hard to put into words.

 

[dingbat]

If it happens again, I'll replace the cable. Any braid vertical in the water is a water flea magnet on Lake Michigan, so I won't replace stainless with 250lb braid.

My question: Is there a metal cable out there that won't kink and twist itself into knots if it comes off the spool? Or, could the problem be the cable should come off the top of the spool, and not the bottom? I know that is important when putting mono line on a reel.

Any thoughts?

You said you don't have a problem with the stainless (braided) cable on your Cannons.

Cannon's uses a 7 strand SS braid on their down riggers. With that being the case, one could surmise that the "braid" itself isn't the issue. Its either the materiel (spectra) or the number of strands that make up the braid.

Have you tired any of the newer multi-strand braided lines?
The 8 strand braids are extremely slick.

If worst comes to worst, why not put Cannon line on your Walkers?

 

[beckoning]

Thanks Mike I and Dingbat. Both good suggestions.
CABLE: I think the cable is whatever came on the BigJon's originally. I will try the 7 strand and look into the 8 strand.

RADIO: I'll try it. I can send and receive from the Coast Guard (where I do my radio check, 15 miles south. They receive well, and they reply well, but when they do a broadcast, it is frequently VERY static. I'll experiment with the squelch. In the prior 20 years of fishing on Lake Michigan, I've never had a receive problem. I'm going to open the antenna plug at the back of the radio and see if the solders are still good. Maybe replace the radio with another very basic radio. Uniden on Amazon = $108.

 

[dingbat]

RADIO: I'll try it. I can send and receive from the Coast Guard (where I do my radio check, 15 miles south. They receive well, and they reply well, but when they do a broadcast, it is frequently VERY static. I'll experiment with the squelch. In the prior 20 years of fishing on Lake Michigan, I've never had a receive problem. I'm going to open the antenna plug at the back of the radio and see if the solders are still good. Maybe replace the radio with another very basic radio. Uniden on Amazon = $108.

A bad cable connection doesn’t discriminate between radio checks and broadcast messages.

Having said that, VHF is line of sight communications. If you can’t see the broadcast antenna, you can’t hear broadcast.

On a typical day, you’re not going to hear anything that more than 3-4 miles away. The only reason you’re hearing the CG 15 miles away is they are broadcasting from 100-150’ tower.

Having said that, my money is on a compromised VHF antenna. I never got more than 3-4 years out of a low end antenna. Have not had a problem since jumping up to the 5225-XT Galaxy series antennas

 

[mike_i]

Does the coast guard actually respond to radio checks on ch 16 other than telling you ch 16 is for hailing and distress only and to take your traffic to another working frequency? They have several towers they can switch to so you can hear them loud and clear one minute then weak the next transmission. I fish offshore southern Cal. and able to receive the coast guard 90+ miles away. Before you start replacing your radio see if you can get your hands on a thru line wattmeter to test your antenna system.