I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

[rbryant1492_mfb]

The local west marine is about to go out of business that have their brand of fixed mounted vhf radio the VHF 550.
The price is 90.00 after taxes. The 30% off the regular price should I go for it?

 

[Eric in NC]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

I was looking at this same radio today at WM because I have the the earlier non-DSC version. My older version has too little speaker volume, but this newer version seemed a lot louder. And has DSC, of course. The $90 price is certainly good...I think the store today was selling them for $100 plus tax. Unless you go offshore, it's a good deal IMO.

 

[rbryant1492_mfb]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

Whats wrong with the off shore featire?

 

[Eric in NC]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

Nothing I'm aware of. But for me, I'd feel a little uneasy depending on the least expensive radio on the market when my boat and my passengers' butts are on the line...not to mention my own personal butt

Since my boat will probably never get far enough off shore that I can't see land I'd have no hesitation to use this model. But I also carry a cell phone for back up, and as soon as I replace the current radio, the old one will go into the locker as an additional backup.

 

[rbryant1492_mfb]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

O ok
Good point about the least expensive radio on the market .
The local west marine is going out of business so they have discounted all of their stuff. So its not the cheapest :d

 

[Eric in NC]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

One great feature of that or most any other new radios is the DSC. If you are in an area where Rescue 21 is up and running it is available to you right away...and most other coastal and inland areas are supposed to be operational by 2010-11. Now, I guess I need to hope a WM goes out of business here in coastal NC

 

[Boatist]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

I have two West Marine Handheld VHF radios and they are fine. Also West marine does not make that radio they just put their name on it. Look around and you will find an identical radio of another brand and then you will know who actualy builds it.

While I like ICOM today I do not think you can really buy a bad radio. If you take care of them they will all last 20 years or more. That means you do not leave it out in the covered boat where temperatures reach 140 every sunny day. Instead you take it in and put it in the boat before going out.

In MY opinion A Top Quality Antenna much more important than the radio. Compare antennas to the Shakespeare 5225.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

i agree antenna, off shore there is more relaying than direct contact. i have fixed and handheld. both do a good job, if used properly.

 

[rbryant1492_mfb]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

Thanks for the info. I will be headed there to west marine this morning 09-01 to pick up the radio.
Asking this question leads to another question.

 

[cjames]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

Select your antenna carefully. I have one cheap radio, and one good one (rayjefferson). I started out with 2 shakespere 8' antennas. Now the rayjeff is hooked up to a Morad Model VHF 156-HD Antenna, and the difference is night and day. I highly reccomend it, and its right around the same price as a 'good' shakespere antenna. The US Coast Guard and the Bearing sea crab fleet might know something about VHF antennas, and they use the morad 156...

 

[GaBoy]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

How does everyone feel about using a portable against a fixed? At West M they told me not to use the handheld, no range on seas so you could hookup an antenna to the handheld???

 

[rbryant1492_mfb]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

I saw that you can use an antenna with a handheld the big thing is you will just transmit with 5 watts as opposed to 25 for a fixed.
The best thing you can do is get a really good antenna and go from there.

 

[cjames]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

I have a standard/horizon handheld, I carry it in addition to 2 fixed mount radios in the boat. A handheld is a nice back up in cace of an electrical failure, or if you need to ditch the boat completely. It's probably not a good substitue for a fixed mount 25 watt radio, unless you are boating mostly on small inland lakes. Cost is also a factor. The handheld cost twice as much as my 'good' radio, but its still only a 5 watt radio... Remember, ANY radio is better than no radio. If cost is an issue, go to a pawn shop, surplus, or marine consinment store, and youll probably find a shelf full of used fixed mount radios for a very reasonable price. Alot of people get caught up on having the latest and greatest, and spend hundreds of dollars to replace a perfectly good radio. Heres a good example. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STAN...016QQitemZ260158721400QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

[Boatist]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

Two problems with used radios.
You never know if it has a intermitent problem that might pop up at the very worst time.

Also if you have a GPS most of the used radios are not going to have the DSC feature. While Coast Guard is not monitoring yet when they do it will be an important saftey feature.

I feel Fixed radio is one of the most important saftey iteams and comparied to the cost of other electronics it a real bargin.

 

[cjames]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

Thats a very good point Boatist, used equipment is a gamble, but I'd still rather see a $20 ebay radio in a boat than none at all. My point being that even if youre broke, you can still afford some kind of radio. My personal feeling is that it should be part of the coast guard required safety equipment, on anything bigger than a canoe. And $250 or so for a decent radio and antenna is a heck of alot more important than a $1500 chartplotter when the ***** comes down. It doesent help to know where you are, when you have no way to tell anyone....

 

[Eric in NC]

Re: I am looking at a fixed mounted west marine vhf radio Go or no go?

Thanks for the info. I will be headed there to west marine this morning 09-01 to pick up the radio.
Asking this question leads to another question.

So did you get it? And what was the other question?

How does everyone feel about using a portable against a fixed? At West M they told me not to use the handheld, no range on seas so you could hookup an antenna to the handheld???

For my money, fixed mount VHF first, cell phone second, and submersible handheld VHF last.

Also if you have a GPS most of the used radios are not going to have the DSC feature.

Boatist, you are right about most used radios probably being too old to have the DSC feature. I'm not sure if you were suggesting you need GPS to use DSC, but just to clarify, GPS is "optional." Yes, you lose the ability of the DSC radio to broadcast the vessel's location without GPS (or Loran), but you still have the single button digital alert to CG and others, continuous unattended calling for help, and the ability to "privately" contact another MMSI-registered DSC unit without hailing on 16 or any other channel. And, of course, anyone on the boat can initiate the call for help by pushing the "obvious" red button. (I apologize if I have misinterpreted your comments.)