VHF radio
Good questions to ask.
Why have a VHF radio on board? Well we pretty much all have cell phones today and if you are in trouble on the Lake dial 911. This will give you the state dispatch who will get you to NHMP for assistance. It takes a while but that is the system. With a VHF you often get more immediate help because instead of asking for help from one source it is a general call to anyone who has a VHF on. All boates must monitor channel 16 when their radios are on.
Which radio is best for you? Let's start out with the differences between a hand held VHF and an installed VHF. BTW I am not a radio "expert".
A hand held has some advantages. It is portable so if you have more than one boat or, say plan to rent a boat you can take it with you. The hand held has it's own power supply so if your problem is a dead boat battey it will still work. Conversly, if the boat's battery is OK but the hand held's little dinky battery is dead, you are out of luck.
The hand held is limited to 5 watts. It's range is much shorter than an installed radio.
An installed radio is 25 watts ahd has much better range and probably a better power supply than the hand held. It will require the installation of a fixed antenna. They come with features today where they can mate up with your GPS and with the push of a buton your position will be transmitted to a satalite and the government will know where to go to save you. Not really practical on the Lake.
My opinion. Get a VHF. With all of the other safety equipment that you have on board you will find that the VHF is one of the "biggies".
We will save finding your position and proper procedures for making and recieving calls on the VHF for an other day.
Misty Blue
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