Re: Marine VHF Radio
For VHF Marine Band radios I prefer the STANDARD-HORIZON brand for the following reasons:
--superior transmit modulation
--controls and user interface well organized
--more and better features at lower cost
--excellent technical support
For a VHF Marine Band antenna for a small boat, I prefer the configuration shown in an article I wrote on this topic. See
VHF Marine Band Antennas For Small Boats
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/VHFAntenna.html
If purchasing a VHF Marine Band radio, be aware of the substantial change in regulations which will occur in March 2011. After March 2011 only Class-D rated Digital Selective Calling (DSC) radios can be sold and installed in the United States. The Coast Guard has been encouraging use of Class-D rated DSC radios for some time.
STANDARD-HORIZON makes a nice Class-D rated DSC radio in their ECLIPSE DSC+ model GX1100S. This radio sells for about $150.
