VHF Radio

[Gfriedman]

Any recommendations. Am looking for a fixed mount one.

What are the specs i should be considering when buying one? What features are important, and what is just for show?

Thanks,

Garrett

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: VHF Radio

I bought this Uniden 2 1/2yrs ago and I''m happy with it for $119.

 

[Expidia]

Re: VHF Radio

Don't know what your budget is or if you go off shore but invest more money into the antenna. The radio's can be bought for $75 plus. Most are pretty much the same. 25 watts is what the are rated for. Uniden makes inexpensive models.

If you have a DSC combo GPS than for $75 you can get a DSC model which has 2 thin wires that connect from your VHF unit to your GPS and in an emergency other boats and the CG could locate you very quickly.

Bare bones wise I would buy the Shakesphere Galaxy 8 foot antenna for around $100 and a DSC VHF for $75.

The 8 foot antenna is more important than the radio. Others will chime in saying you can get away with a 4 footer, but for me I don't want to bet my life on being short 4 feet if you evr go on big water. With an 8 footer you could talk to the CG 30 miles away because they can mount their antennas on top of mountains. It lays down flat if you trailer. They work by line of sight, so the higher the better.

 

[Gfriedman]

Re: VHF Radio

Budget is kind of open.

Just want to make sure i properly equipped. Not going far off shore, but I always air on the side of over prepared than under when boating.

Does having an 8ft antenna make it a pain in the *** about going under bridges with the boat? I assume you could just fold it down like you mentioned for towing.

Got any pics of yours?

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: VHF Radio

Heres mine its a 8ft Shakesphere Galaxy and yes it folds down.

 

[rjwoodrome]

Re: VHF Radio

I leave mine folded down most of the time. but it is readily accessible for quick adjustment if needed..

 

[JimS123]

Re: VHF Radio

Yes, the antenna can be a PITA, but you get used to it. I have more issues with it getting in the way when fishing.

You might just consider not getting one at all! I still have mine, but only because I don't want to have to fill up all the holes if I take it off. My old Loran antenna is still in place....LOL. Years ago, we communicated with all our friends, but in the last few years there is hardly any traffic on VHF at all. Now everybody uses their cellphone.

If you can get a cell signal wherever you go boating, just write down all the important phone numbers and you'll be fine. USGC, Local Sheriff, Towboat, Customs, etc.

If you DO want a VHF, all the suggestions above are good ones.

 

[superbenk]

Re: VHF Radio

What are the opinions on the handheld units? I've been considering one for use on the upper Delaware & upper Chesapeake. I only have a small boat that I only intend to use in inland freshwater. Are these handheld VHF adequate for those purposes? Will it be any better than just using my cell?

 

[Expidia]

Re: VHF Radio

Anyone who recommends using their cell phone for boating does not know that much about boating! How do you hail a passing boat in an emergency. What's his cellphone number????

The DSC VHF radios are so cheap now. Google it. I saw a Uniden for $78 with free shipping and no tax.

Invest more towards a combo fishfinder/ GPS with DSC capability. Then you have the ability to let the CG know exactly where you are. What if a passenger is having a heart attack. What if you had the same. All a passenger would have to do is press the red button and help is on the way directly to your location.

The 8 foot antenna will give you maximum range. Like I said the CG could hear you 30 miles away.

I just lower it for low bridges or trailering. The bracket I used below is stainless. It can be found on the web for the same price as those white plastic ones. There is a lot of stress in the wind on that antenna so I prefer the stainless. I think it's stainless. It could be chrome too, but get a metal one.

 

[JimS123]

Re: VHF Radio

Anyone who recommends using their cell phone for boating does not know that much about boating! How do you hail a passing boat in an emergency. What's his cellphone number????

I have had a VHF onboard for 35 years and I will continue to do so because its there. The point I was trying to make was that nobody uses them anymore. I'm sure I can raise the CG if I try, but I have their phone number on board too. Every year at the start of the season I make my routine VHF call for a radio check just to be sure my system still works. It has been several years since I have received a reply.

Yeah, you're right I can't call a passing boat with my cellphone. But they don't seem to be monitoring Ch 16 either. However, they WILL respond to my flares or my red flag. Gotta be prepared for everything, but don't put all your eggs in one basket.

 

[Expidia]

Re: VHF Radio

Where do you boat . . . on a Duck pond" You don't show where you are from. Technically, if you have a VHF radio on board it's supposed to be "on" at all time and tuned to channel 16. One can leave it on and turn up the squelch so no static comes through only calls. I can't believe in 35 years you have not heard anyone calling out for help on channel 16.

I hear plenty of distress calls on Lake George, NY and Lake Champlain NY & Vt and the Hudson River each season. Mostly by boats taking on water type calls. Usually, the CG auxiliary or the Sheriff responds to these types of calls very quickly. If they just break down they can use their cell in most areas and call Sea Tow. Life threaten situations a VHF is the only way to go.

Also, if you fish you can usually jump to one of the other channels that the fishing charter boats talk to each other on and find out where they are biting.

I've even heard several calls from the CG last season asking for any boats in the distressed boaters position to respond if possible.

These new VHF radios also transmit 24 hour weather forecasts for your area and can be set to automatically break in with important weather alerts like thunder and lightning storms.

Most experienced boaters not only have a fixed VHS on board they also carry a handheld as a back up or for use in a ditch bag when on coastal waters.

http://powerboat.about.com/od/marinecommunication/a/CGDiscontinued.htm

 

[Expidia]

Re: VHF Radio

Check out this unit. It's called the "black box" because the only thing that shows is the mike which has all the units controls and a really clear speaker phone.

I paid less than $150 over the web.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...-JmUDg&usg=AFQjCNGW0elhDHpBtvNOHydpVmPtHMobMw

Here is what mine looks like. The box is hidden under the dash and when I leave the boat unatended like while docked at a restaurant I just unplug the mike and toss it in a locker and lock it.

The VHF radio is the mike to thhe left of the wheel:

 

[NYBo]

Re: VHF Radio

Technically, if you have a VHF radio on board it's supposed to be "on" at all time and tuned to channel 16.

Not exactly. This applies only to certain classes of boats (mainly commercial boats and large pleasure craft). For the rest of us, the rule is that the radio must be monitoring Channel 16 if it is on and not currently being used for communication on another channel.

Also, if you fish you can usually jump to one of the other channels that the fishing charter boats talk to each other on and find out where they are biting.

Technically, that's against the law, believe it or not. You are not allowed to benefit from communications not intended for you, even if they are broadcast over a public radio channel.

Most experienced boaters not only have a fixed VHS on board they also carry a handheld as a back up or for use in a ditch bag when on coastal waters.

A very good strategy.

 

[Expidia]

Re: VHF Radio

Technically, that's against the law, believe it or not. You are not allowed to benefit from communications not intended for you, even if they are broadcast over a public radio channel.

What are you a Priest

Everyone follows the fishing charter chat! Let um call each other on their cell phones if they want privacy.

Here's a good article on VHF. Actually, I don't see anything about boat size. It just makes sense to me when I'm in my boat, my radio is tuned to channel 16!

http://www.fish4fun.com/vhf_radio.htm

 

[NYBo]

Re: VHF Radio

What are you a Priest

Everyone follows the fishing charter chat! Let um call each other on their cell phones if they want privacy.

Just pointing out the law. Whether someone chooses to obey it is up to them.

 

[Expidia]

Re: VHF Radio

Just pointing out the law. Whether someone chooses to obey it is up to them.

So your avatar shows CG auxillary. What do you think of the poster above who has never heard a distress call on channel 16? How often do you get calls on that channnel?

He probably has not turned on has radio in 35 years!

 

[reelnative]

Re: VHF Radio

Not exactly. This applies only to certain classes of boats (mainly commercial boats and large pleasure craft). For the rest of us, the rule is that the radio must be monitoring Channel 16 if it is on and not currently being used for communication on another channel.

Technically, that's against the law, believe it or not. You are not allowed to benefit from communications not intended for you, even if they are broadcast over a public radio channel.

A very good strategy.

the law is you are supp to have a licence to own and operate that radio well it was a few yrs ago and if you have that radio on your boat you are supp to monitor ch16 and if you are the nearest boat to a distress call you are to assist if all possable, also you are to act as a jumper for a week call that cant be herd from the cg if the distress boat is out of there hailing range,,,,


dont argue with fools it only brings you down to there level and then they will beat you with experiance

 

[bruceb58]

Re: VHF Radio

You do not need a license to operate or own a VHF radio. They changed the requirements in 1996 for that.

 

[Boatist]

Re: VHF Radio

How well VHF Marine Radio works really depends on where you are boating. On small inland lakes and small rivers I find very little use.
Along the Coast and large lakes and large rivers with Commercial Traffic then a VHF Marine Radio is a must.

I feel the First VHF Marine Radio Should be a 25 watt Fixed mount with a 8 foot 6DB Gain antenna. This gives you a Effective Radiated Power (ERP) out of 100 watts.
With the antenna mounted about 3 feet above the water you will have a range of about 4.7 miles plus the range of the other station. So boat to boat is about 10 miles.
For sail boats a 3 foot 3 db gain antenna mounted on the mast head is best.
Boat to the Coast Guard Range along the coast out here is about 80 miles because the Coast Guard antennas are mounted on high mountains top as high as 3000 feet.
All new Fixed mount VHF Marine Radios must have DSC Distress button.
If you have a MMSI Identification Number in your radio and have it connected to a GPS then pressing the DSC Distress button will start sending out a Distress call on channel 70. If the Coast Guard receives this automatic distress message they will know where you are and information about your boat. Even if your out of range of the Coast Guard every boat with a DSC Vhf Radio will also get your distress call and their radio will automatically send your message out so if they are in range of the Coast Guard they will get your message. At this point Rescue 21 the Coast Guards name for DSC Distress call is not in place in many areas but they are working to get full coverage of the entire coast of the USA and some inland areas. You radio will keep sending the Distress message out until it gets a reply from a land station. When the coast guard get this message they will try to call you on Channel 16. So while your trying to plug the leak and bail water out of the boat or trying to put out the fire your radio is sending a distress call.

Handheld VHF Marine Radios have 5 or 6 watts of power and transmit into a rubber duck antenna that is about minus 3 DB loss for a (ERP) of about 3 watts.
The range depends on how high off the water your get the radio but for most about 2 miles plus the range of the other station. I have not seen a Handheld that has DSC Distress button yet.
You handheld your must stop what your are doing a make a MAYDAY call tell them where you are.

Cell Phones in some area may be better than a VHF Marine Radios if there is no one who has a vhf radio but would be my last choice. If you are sinking or on fire how do you call the boat ? mile from your position. Offshore Cell phone only work for a very shore range. There are no cell towers 5 miles out. Flare require someone to be looking your way and they do not work in the fog. Even if seen what you usually here on the radio is we Believe we saw a red flare to our south. Coast Guard usually replies, Keep a sharp look out and report any additional sittings.

I agree that the antenna is more important than the radio. The first antenna I got was 8 foot and 6 db gain but small around an felexable. I would be fishing near other boats and could here there radio. I would scan all the channels and not pick them up. I double checked the Standwave ratio with a bridge and everything looked good.
Finally I just bought a shakespeer 5225 antenna. First trip out I could not believe the different I could here everything. At the dock people would ask me what channel I was picking up all the fishing traffic on. I would explain it is the antenna not the radio or channel.

For poeple who want the best VHF DSC radios get one with a CLASS D DSC. This gives you a seperate channel channel 70 for DSC distress calls or polling to see where your buddy is fishing without calling on the radio.

I also carry 2 handhelds VHF radios. One in our survival bag and the other on the dash.
One in the bag sealed in a heavy zip lock bag.

Below you will see three links to a Coast Guard commander talking about how DSC works.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-f4nhnBThg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdkxsWBncSc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQk5MRwuxgo&feature=channel

 

[jhebert]

Re: VHF Radio

Not exactly. This applies only to certain classes of boats (mainly commercial boats and large pleasure craft). For the rest of us, the rule is that the radio must be monitoring Channel 16 if it is on and not currently being used for communication on another channel.

Technically, that's against the law, believe it or not. You are not allowed to benefit from communications not intended for you, even if they are broadcast over a public radio channel.

A very good strategy.

Could you please give a citation to the regulations that govern this?