What VHF radio?

[711skwerlz]

I'm looking for a dashmount radio and antena. Any suggestions or advice would be great. I found out this weekend that my handheld is only good for a couple hundred yards. can't go too big due to size of boat and budget. Thanks for any info.

[waterlogged]

Radio brand really doesn't matter I am told. Just make sure you spend your $$ on a quality antenna.

For my $$ I would buy an ICOM brand radio. Good quality, sound and user friendly.

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Day in, and day out, Raymarine makes great products and has great customer service. If you don't want to go that route, west marine is running in--store specials on their vhfs. They hold up well. Call the one nearest you, but I saw at least two left at the one on Niagara Falls Blvd( Amherst area). They were half-price.

[big easy]

Most major brands of radios work very well,and all have great performing low cost models.I've run Icom's and Standard Horizon brands on my boats and they were flawless.

You can get a perfectly fine radio for less than a hundred bucks.I've always used The Shakespeare Galaxy antenna's although there are other good brands as well.

Here's a couple for $69.99 and $89.99 from Hamilton Marine.they are out of Maine they ship very quick and are great to deal with.I ran the Eclipse radio for ten years on my last boat and it never Missed a beat.

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse. ... 32867.html

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse. ... 1,0,0.html

[LongLine]

It's all in the antenna. Get a good one.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[nwpaconcours]

Even your handheld would work many many times better with a quality marine antenna. Still not the power output of a 25 watt radio, but you'll get a lot of the way to the performance of a full size radio with a new antenna. Of course your marine radio might be your lifeline, so a full power radio is good insurance (with a good antenna). I mounted a Standard Horizon in the dash and happy so far.

[711skwerlz]

I thought about hooking an antenna to the handheld but than what good is a handheld. I'd rather go full power and hardwire it to the boat. no more bouncing around on the dash, dead batteries or broken conversations.

[AustinWilliams]

I just picked up the Uniden Solara DSC radio for $89 bucks at Bass Pro. The radio has lots of neat features at a cheap price. As earlier mentioned, brand doesn't really matter when it comes to VHF.. it's all in the antenna. I use the Shakespeare Galaxy series also.

[Landshark]

just picked up an eagle evr 150 for a friend at all season sports in pulaski for 59 dollars brand new in the box

[bottom-feeder]

BOUGHT THE CHEAPEST ONE WEST MARINE HAD 5 YRS AGO ALONG WITH AN 8' ANT.....NO ISSUES YET......HAVE HAD IT ON 3 DIFFERENT BOATS SO FAR

[Landshark]

That works good on your canoe todd

[711skwerlz]

I picked up a cobra today $99 and a 3ft shakespear antenna $37 with swivel mount. Gotta be better than the handheld. Can't wait to mount it up and try it out. I'll report back. and hopefully be talkin to ya on the water.

[jimski2]

The elevation of the antenna from the water is the key. If your 8 foot antenna is ten foot off the water, your range is one mile for every half foot above the water, meaning twenty miles since "line of sight" is what works. If the other guy has the same setup, and weather conditions are right, you can be forty miles apart and "may" communicate. A three foot antenna does not cut it for range either. The Coast Guard has an antenna high on a ridge above Lake Erie that reaches from Detroit to the St. Lawrence Seaway. Their stations have high antennas as also a helicopter has the best height to receive your signal.

[711skwerlz]

Thanks for that info jimski2. I think this setup will work for me as I spend 95% of my time on the fingerlakes. Maybe a trip or two to ontario. Can't get too far with that little 40horse.

[711skwerlz]

Just some feed back after re terminating the coax I now have great reception. Last night I was talking to justin from Sampson, He was at serverne. Thats all I was looking for. Thanks guys!!

[rolmops]

Make sure that you get a VHF that you can hook up to your GPS and that allows you to get an emergency MMSI number.There should be a button on the radio that will broadcasts a MAYDAY , your GPS position and your MMSI the moment you push that button.This will inform the coast guard where you are and who you are.They will be able to contact your family with the info they get from your MMSI number.

[711skwerlz]

The radio does have that feature but I don't have a gps hooked up yet. I plan on it before I start running to The big-O.

[Lund SSS]

Just some feed back after re terminating the coax I now have great reception. Last night I was talking to justin from Sampson, He was at serverne. Thats all I was looking for. Thanks guys!!

You did good Sampson to Severne is about 8 miles. A bigger antenna might not have done anything but get in the way on a 16' er.

[711skwerlz]

My thoughts exactly. I already had to move my net holder to keep it off the antenna. But the folding base is slick for trailering and for the cover. One down side is people don't realize I have a radio when were on the water.

[ray koziatek]

as of last year at osweago i spoke to the coast guard and they said not to use or depend on the emergency button as they were not set up at the time to respond to the new single ..and if their was a emergency to use the old fashioned way by hailing (calling )on ch 16... but tha was july 09 ,,so maybe they have the new system up and running...

[711skwerlz]

Good to Know. Thanks