Quote:
Originally Posted by jsa3107
I hope its ok to ask about what would be a good marine radio for a lake style boat?
Hand held?
25 watt base unit?
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I’ll
try to keep this short.
Marine VHF is definitely alive and well on Lake Winnipesaukee. Here are some thoughts on handheld vs fixed mount (base) unit. How much splash do you expect your radio to get? Water resistance is important.
A portable handy-talkie is, well, handy. You can bring it in your house or car to hear what is going on but you will be limited regarding distance to talk and receive and have lower received volume. It is hard to hear a handy-talkie over motor noise while underway. You’ll need to consider care and recharging of batteries, plugs for using external power, where to put the handy-talkie so you can hear it while it doesn’t bounce off of a seat or out of a cup holder while underway. The 6 inch rubber antenna on a handy-talkie is inefficient. If your radio claims to be 1 watt or 5 watts, that is power you would get from a GOOD antenna and not the effective output from that rubber duckie antenna. You want your antenna to be vertical and high up for best results.
A fixed mount (base unit) VHF has many advantages. It is easier to read the display and change channel numbers. You will have much louder receiver volume so you can hear the radio, if you want to, over the motor and other noise. Transmitting offers 1 watt or the higher 25 watt output power capability. You will be heard further with the higher power. There is also the ability to use a noise canceling microphone so you can talk and be heard while the loud motor is running in the background.
A fixed mount antenna will considerably outperform the antenna sitting on top of a handy-talkie. You could compromise and use a fixed mount antenna and connect it to your handy-talkie. Many (but not all) portables have the ability to use an external antenna and external (boat) 12 volt power. You have to deal with extra wires dangling from your handy-talkie for connection to the antenna and power. You might be able to add an external mic to the handy-talkie so you don’t have to hold the whole unit up to your mouth to talk (yet another wire to dangle from the handy-talkie).
If you use an external antenna the handy-talkie RECEIVER and ONE watt transmitter power will generally hear and talk the same distance as the fixed mount radio in the one watt transmit mode. As mentioned earlier there are commonly 3 db gain antennas and 6 db gain antennas to mount on your boat. I prefer the 8 foot 6 db gain antenna on the power boat for best performance. The increased gain is accomplished by electronically “steering” or concentrating the directional pattern of the antenna for both transmit and receive toward the horizon rather than in all directions (you don’t need to send or hear a signal that is much above the horizon or straight UP). Some of the 3 db antennas work better with a metal (grounded) area under them which is hard to find on a fiberglass boat.
Side note:
Some antenna manufacturer claims that their expensive 8 foot 6db antenna can be heard at a longer distance than when using their economy 8 foot 6db antenna. Several years ago I wrote and finally spoke with their technical department and did not get what I consider a good, technical answer (but then I don’t always understand Shakespeare) about how their expensive 8 foot 6db antenna outperformed their economy 8 foot 6db antenna. It (6db) is a ratio of power out of the transmitter to the power radiated from the antenna - be the antenna made of gold, copper, wood or a wet noodle – if it measures 6db (referenced to the same standard) then it transmits and receives just like any other 8 foot 6 dB antenna of that style, PERIOD. Construction (cost) may effect how well the antenna tolerates repeated vibrations and weather over years of use but shouldn’t make one 8 foot 6 db antenna work any better than another 8 foot 6db antenna.
Another consideration is the newer Digital Selective Calling (DSC) system (uses Marine channel 70). I haven’t heard much activity with this mode but it will be getting more use. It can send a digital distress signal with one button and if you have it connected to a GPS it will also send your exact position. You can use DSC to make boat to boat contacts and even see where your friends boats are. When last I checked (2 years ago) neither SeaTow, BoatUS or Marine Patrol monitored for DSC.
Receiver specifications are another consideration but too complicated to detail here. Manufacturers often use different measuring methods and references which makes specs hard to compare. Most people don’t look at specifications but they can tell you how weak a signal you can hear, how close some one can use their Marine transmitter before it disrupts your ability to hear adjacent channels and other “geek” type info.
Bottom line, I prefer a fixed mount base radio. Install it and forget about the care and feeding of a handy-talkie.
For your reading enjoyment, here is a link to
How to use a Marine VHF radio. Scroll down to INSTRUCTIONS (short but good procedural info).
Also, here is a
Link to US Coast Guard page of Marine Radio channels and their uses. Recreational boaters usually monitor Channel 16 and then move to Non-commercial channels for communications (although many on the Lake don't follow these rules).
BTW, USCG Portland ME can be heard around the Lake, and they can hear us. Even if you can't hear conversation on a channel, USCG may be using it and your signal
could be interfering with what they hear - best advice is to stick with the prescribed channel plan.
Hope I have not confused you
. Any questions or clarifications, just ask.
Happy and safe boating.