Best, low cost VHF

roughshot

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
164
I have been searching the market for a VHF radio. I would like a fixed mount in my boat and will be using the boat on the Huron and Michigan Great Lakes.
I've seen that the low end market radios are around $75 to $125. Are these good radios or are they cheap junk? As they don't come with an antenna, what do you recommend for that as well?

Thank you in advance.
 

dmccaffrey

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 30, 2008
Messages
32
Re: Best, low cost VHF

If it was my money, I'd get one of these 2 radios:

Icom M304 (http://www.starmarinedepot.com/deta...COM+M304+VHF&gclid=CMDgkse7kaMCFUNf2godpg4rpA)

Standard Horizon Eclipse DCS+ (http://www.boemarine.com/Products/GX1100SW/Default.aspx)

Either will run you about $120-150 and give you an excellent radio with all the features you need.

For antennas, you also have 2 choices:

Digital 8ft 529 (http://www.boemarine.com/Products/529-VW/Default.aspx)

Shakespeare 5225XT (http://www.starmarinedepot.com/Shakespeare+5225+XT+VHF+Antenna.html)

They will run you about $100. Which one is better is kind of a Ford/Chevy question. There are people who swear by (and swear at) each of them.

Don't forget to get a stainless steel mount for the antenna. Do NOT use a plastic mount. They won't last.
 

Doernuth

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
332
Re: Best, low cost VHF

Uniden Solara. Works well costs around $100.

I keep a handheld around too Just in Case....
 

skargo

Banned
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
4,640
Re: Best, low cost VHF

I bought a STANDARD HORIZON ECLIPSE DSC+ for $99 and it's perfectly fine for my use.
I have a mid grade Shakespeare antenna on a SS mount.
 

AguaSki

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
545
Re: Best, low cost VHF

Uniden Solara. Works well costs around $100.

I keep a handheld around too Just in Case....

I also have the Uniden Solara with the Digital 529VB antenna. I am very happy with my setup. The Digital antennas are not as popular, but the are very good antennas. The primary reason I went with Digital over the other brands was because Digital has a color choice of black or white, and I wanted a black antenna on my boat. Most antenna manufactures offer white only antennas.
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Re: Best, low cost VHF

Unless you need advanced features like AIS, any brand-name radio in the $100 range will be fine. The key, as you may have figured out from the other replies, is the antenna.
 

jhebert

Ensign
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Messages
902
Re: Best, low cost VHF Marine Band Radio

Re: Best, low cost VHF Marine Band Radio

The U.S. Coast Guard recommends that you get a VHF Marine Band Radio with CLASS-D DSC features. After March of 2011 you will not be able to buy or install a VHF Marine Band radio that is not CLASS-D DSC rated per FCC regulations. I recommend the Standard-Horizon GX1500S radio as a good, inexpensive CLASS-D DSC rated VHF Marine Band radio.

For an antenna my recommendation varies depending on the type of boat. For smaller boats I recommend an installation like the one I described at

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/VHFAntenna.html

If you have a larger boat and can mount an antenna atop a cabin roof with the base of the antenna quite high above the water, then you can use any number of antennas. The common 8-foot VHF Marine Band antenna made with a fiberglass tube is popular, but they are not very durable if you strike an overhead obstruction.
 

skargo

Banned
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
4,640
Re: Best, low cost VHF

I've noticed pretty much all radios, even the cheap ones, were class D DSC, even last year when I bought mine. It was a requirement for me, and that's why I noticed.
Good advice though, in case there are still some without out there.

Heck, my sub-$100 SH eclipse had the hookup for GPS/NMEA.
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Re: Best, low cost VHF

I've noticed pretty much all radios, even the cheap ones, were class D DSC, even last year when I bought mine. It was a requirement for me, and that's why I noticed.
Good advice though, in case there are still some without out there.

Heck, my sub-$100 SH eclipse had the hookup for GPS/NMEA.
All fixed-mount marine VHF radios sold in the US since 1999 have been required to be at least DSC class D.
 

jhebert

Ensign
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Messages
902
Re: Best, low cost VHF

All fixed-mount marine VHF radios sold in the US since 1999 have been required to be at least DSC class D.

That is wrong.

Manufacturers have been and still are selling VHF Marine Band radios which are not CLASS-D rated, but after March 2011 they will have to stop. For example, ICOM sells some radios now that are only rated for RTCM SC101. Their model IC-M304 says it has "Built-in DSC that meets RTCM SC-101."

For more information about the ban of non-Class-D radios, see my separate article at

http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/002755.html

Don't be fooled by non-Class-D radios. Get a DSC Class-D rated radio.
 

jhebert

Ensign
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Messages
902
Re: Best, low cost VHF


The second and third articles cited above contain no information about the ban of RTCM SC101 rated radios. I do not recommend those articles as a source of information on the ban of RTCM SC101 radios.

In my article I give links to the federal regulations which contain the prohibition of the manufacture, sale, or installation of RTCM SC101 radios after March, 2011.
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Re: Best, low cost VHF

That is wrong.

Manufacturers have been and still are selling VHF Marine Band radios which are not CLASS-D rated, but after March 2011 they will have to stop. For example, ICOM sells some radios now that are only rated for RTCM SC101. Their model IC-M304 says it has "Built-in DSC that meets RTCM SC-101."

For more information about the ban of non-Class-D radios, see my separate article at

http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/002755.html

Don't be fooled by non-Class-D radios. Get a DSC Class-D rated radio.
Oops. They were required to have SC-101 capability, not Class D. My mistake.
 
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