More sterio installation questions

[Pain Management]

I was looking to use one of the three spare switchs on the control panel in case I ever forget to turn the radio and/or batteries off and end up with a dead battery. I took a look at the back of the switch and there are already wires hooked up. I know the switch isn't being used for anything so why the wires? Is it already set up hot? I can really use a brief installation description if you could.
My second question is can you somehow use the vhf antenna for both a am/fm radio and vhf radio?
Thanks in advance
George

 

[goinsfishin]

Most Parkers I've seen use a standard wiring harness that already is wired for accessories that you may not have. Look in the forward part of the bilge and you will probably see a coil of wires tie-wrapped to the frame rail, they are probably also labeled for their most common usage.
The hot side of the switches is wired from the facory.

There is such a thing as a FM/VHF splitter to allow use of a single antenna, never tried it, maybe someone else can chime in.

My third input is to question why you would put the radio on a switch to begin with. If you've already left the radio on and forgotton to throw the main battery switch, what good is another switch to remember?
IMHO it's just another extra component to troubleshoot when the inevitable electrical gremlins show up.

 

[evetsmd]

I'm on the Chesapeake Bay, close to Baltimore Washington and Annapolis. When I installed my am/fm radio, all I did was hide a 6 ' wire antenna inside the cabin. No external antenna at all. Reception is great, I get everything I could want.
Now this may not work well for you guys who go offshore but for on the Bay it's been just fine.
Good Luck