hand held VHF radios

[Ken B]

I'm looking to buy a hand held vhf radio to have on the boat on the lake. Does anyone have any recommedations? I don't want to spend more than $150 or so.

Ken

[Airwaves]

Boat US has 6 handheld models for sale under $150, three are house brands, West Marine (I don't know who makes them), the other three, two Standard Horizon and one Uniden both have pretty good reps.

Just out of curiousity, why would you go for a 5 watt handheld vs a full 25 watt fixed mount VHF? BoatUS has 5 models (Standard Horizon, Raymarine and Uniden) for under your target price.

[Phantom]

Ken -- I have to agree. I think you will be gravely disappointed with a handheld. I presume you are thinking cost & "for emergancy use only" . If that's your criteria - quite frankly, take your cell phone with you and pre-program MP phone # into it.

I had a handheld for a few years on the Lake and it's reception is great -- It "hears" all the big 25w radios. It's transmission however is/was horrid. There are way too many obsticles (islands, cliffs, etc) to make it truely effective. Today we still use our (old) handheld but it is merely a means of communicating back to shore (our cottage) so that we don't have to yell etc. or when boating in the general proximity of the cottage to alert the wife, et al.

Example: our cottage is in the proximity of FL#1 --- once under the Wiers bridge and into Paugus the Handheld doesn't make it! In the other direction (line of site) it is barely audible from the Merideth Town Docks. It will recieve well from behind Govenors Isl - but slip behind another island (Timber etc) forget it. And these are not "cheap" handhelds.

A bunch of experts will certainly chime in here and talk about "line of site", elevation, atmospheric conditions, on & on -- I'm simply sharing real life!! We love our 25w in the boat and it carries 2/3 of the lake most all the time.

p.s. -- This screen name (Phantom) is our boat/hailing name.

[jrc]

I agree with Phantom, my five year old Standard Horizon handheld is great for listening to the WX channels and eavesdropping on fisherman. But as far a transmitting it doesn't go very far. I'm pretty sure this has more to do with the low antenna height than with the low power. A permanent radio will have more power and a higher antenna.

Originally Posted by Phantom

...Today we still use our (old) handheld but it is merely a means of communicating back to shore (our cottage) so that we don't have to yell etc. or when boating in the general proximity of the cottage to alert the wife, et al...

I'm sure Phantom means that he only uses it to talk from his boat to his cottage. Because I think talking from shore is against the rules unless he has a special license.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by jrc

...I'm sure Phantom means that he only uses it to talk from his boat to his cottage. Because I think talking from shore is against the rules unless he has a special license...

Good catch JRC!

From the USCG FAQ page on radio communications:

I need to be able to communicate with a friend in a boat by radio. What license or approval do I need to install a marine radio on shore?

You need to apply for a land radio station license using FCC Form 503, available at http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/marine/fctsht14.html. You may find that the FCC won't approve your application based upon your intended use: typically, you'd need to have a requirement to communicate with a fleet of vessels (e.g. more than one), or provide some sort of service to vessels, or not be able to use the services of a public coast station. If you do not meet the FCC's requirement for obtaining a land radio station license, you cannot operate a marine radio ashore. You must use a public coast station, such as WJG Maritel, Globe Wireless, or Mobile Marine Radio.

[Phantom]

Let me think about that --- "absolutely" !!


Just like everyone else (barffff)

[Kamper]

Handhelds are generally a backup to a fixed mount radio or carried in a ditch-bag for off-shore boaters. If you shop around you'll find Cabela's, BassPro and several others carry fixed-mount units with an antenna discount for what you are budgetting for a hand-held. Their are a lot of people who only carry a hand-held because it's convenient and there's no installtion hassle.

Here's a product review I put on "The Hull Truth" forum last spring. This product is still available at the source listed.
---

I bought a Midland Nautico this year (already have a fixed mount). I had a few extra bucks and it was $60 from Sportsmans Guide.

It's described as "splash proof." Accessories included headset, mounting bracket, recharger and battery, DC adaptor and... A water proof sleeve that will help it float.

The removable battery has to charge 24 hours before first use then 12 hours for recharge. You can only recharge the battery while it is in the unit. You can substitute 3 AA size batteries instead if you need to.

The rotating switch on top is for on/off and volume. I havent figurred all the functions yet because I havent practiced with it much. There is an instant '16' button but all other channels and features are worked through a 'Menu' button, incuding setting up the 'Scan' button. It seems a little tricky like a digital watch but over time I'm sure this would become second nature.

Since it's not waterproof outside the bag, I dont consider this a serious radio. More toy than tool. A reasonable choice for someone who wants to monitor their local traffic during a day at the park or from their house.

There was a significant delay in delivery due to back-order. Probably a popular item because of the very low price.

[Ken B]

Thanks for the feedback. I was thinking a hand held because of space. The VHS would be more for an emergency situation and I guess a cell phone would certainly fit that bill but I'd feel safer ( don't know why) with something other than a cell phone. Based on everyone's input, I guess I 'll look into a fixed mount.

Ken

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by Ken B

Thanks for the feedback. I was thinking a hand held because of space. The VHS would be more for an emergency situation and I guess a cell phone would certainly fit that bill but I'd feel safer ( don't know why) with something other than a cell phone. Based on everyone's input, I guess I 'll look into a fixed mount.

Ken

One very good reason to feel that way: Cell phones do not communicate with other cell phones directly. You must be able to communicate through a tower. Just like on roads, there are areas on the lake where coverage is restricted to non-existent, depending on who your carrier is and where you are in relation to an appropriate tower. VHF can communicate unit to unit, and there are more and more units on the lake each year, improving your chances of reaching someone in an emergency. You probably knew all this, just reinforcement to your thoughts .

[jrc]

Originally Posted by Ken B

Thanks for the feedback. I was thinking a hand held because of space. The VHS would be more for an emergency situation and I guess a cell phone would certainly fit that bill but I'd feel safer ( don't know why) with something other than a cell phone. Based on everyone's input, I guess I 'll look into a fixed mount.

Ken

A handheld is better than just a cell phone, but a fixed mount is better still. If you always boat on normally busy days you'll never be out of range of another boat, even with a handheld.

[dva]

Ken i have a radio that was given to me. Let me know i give it to you very cheep. Dinsmoor17@aol.com. I am in Alton.