marine radio

[mariob]

what kind of radio is recommended for use on a boat?

I'm talking about a radio for emergencies.

do people use CB, or ham radios or something?

I was asked to check out what kind of radios are used when on the water, and thought maybe the members here could give me some info to get me started in the right direction.

 

[Beefer]

Re: marine radio

VHF radios are the standard. CB's are ok, but in most cases not the preferred choice of communication. VHF's provide weather, emergency, and other marine specific channels.

 

[Mark42]

Re: marine radio

I bought a Cobra brand hand held marine radio specifically for the ability to contact the Coast Guard if I get in trouble. And if you need to, you can talk to the Harbor Master, Dock Master, etc. Also great for getting the weather forcast and wave height for your specific location on the weather bands.

Plus its fun to listen to the fishing boat chatter, and if you are near any yachts, the staff often communicate on the marine bands too.

To me it was well worth the $100 or so.

 

[achris]

Re: marine radio

I guess that depends on where you are... In some states a MARINE CB is the most common... In others it's MARINE VHF. I have both as I travel to remote locations and like to know I can contact commercial shipping if I need to.

If you want to carry just the one unit... call your local sea rescue and ask them what they recommend....

Chris...........

 

[mariob]

Re: marine radio

thanks for the reply's , guys.

I'll most likely be out on lake Ontario.

Mark,

yeah $100 seems reasonable, what model is it?

anyone else got any recommendations on which one to get? I just want to make sure I get a good quality one.

How's Uniden in comparison to Cobra? I saw some on Ebay for around $100 , and then there were a bunch of brands I've never heard of.

is handheld just as good for range / reception?

 

[mthieme]

Re: marine radio

Here on the Chesapeake, VHF is the standard. There is the added benefit of some commercial outfits that use it too (water taxis, etc.).
I always keep my cell phone with me too.
It's also a good idea to let someone know your plans and what your anticipated time of return is.

 

[Mark42]

Re: marine radio

I have model MRHH400VP, its selling for $122. at marine-radio-store.com. But shop around, you might find it cheaper. The only problem I had was the rechargable AA batteries that came with it would not hold a charge, Cobra sent me new ones no charge. The radio works great.

 

[Boatist]

Re: marine radio

For a first radio on board go with a fixed mount. I think the best brand is ICOM but it hard to buy a bad radio today. A quality antenna to me is more important than the radio. With a 8 foot antenna mounted about 2 feet above the water your range over water is just under 5 miles plus the range of the other station. Fixed mounts sold today will have dsc and if tied to a GPS or Loran C can brodcast your postion and on channel 70 for other to here.
Coast Guard also has high mounted antenna and in many area you can reach them from 80 miles or more.

Handhelds have a place but not as the first radio. Batteries die when you need to make that long brocast to the Coast Guard or it not where you thought you left it and in an emergency you can not find it. Power out is 5 watts in to a minus 3 db loss antenna so you effective power out is about 2.5 watts.

A Fixed mount with a 6DB gain antenna has 25 watts out into the 6 db gain antenna so have a efective power of 100 watts. The battery holds up and you know where to find it when you need it.

 

[mthieme]

Re: marine radio

For a first radio on board go with a fixed mount. A quality antenna to me is more important than the radio. With a 8 foot antenna mounted about 2 feet above the water your range over water is just under 5 miles plus the range of the other station.
Coast Guard also has high mounted antenna and in many area you can reach them from 80 miles or more.

Handhelds have a place but not as the first radio. Batteries die when you need to make that long brocast to the Coast Guard or it not where you thought you left it and in an emergency you can not find it.

Strongly disagree.
I switched from a fixed mount to a handheld for two main reasons. Corrosion keeps killing them and I have more than one boat - why buy multiple fixed mounts every other year when I can transfer one decent pocket sized unit? Today's handhelds are very nice pieces of equipment and I highly recommend them.
I thought the batteries might be an issue too. I charged mine at Xmas and is still showing 3 out of 3 bars on the battery gauge. Of course, I don't have it on all day every day, just when I want to use it. And I did purchase a spare battery just in case. But this has turned out to be a non-issue. Also came with a little mount to keep it in one spot so you don't have to go looking for it.

 

[Boatist]

Re: marine radio

Mthieme
Your right we do disagree.
I have had two fixed mount radios on my boat for 28 years. Both still work but upgraded for new features.

Another place we disagree is I feel the radio should be on all day when you are on board. You see the radio is not just for you it for everyone on the water. Can you here a Mayday from the sinking boat 1/4 mile from you when the radio is off. The saftey the radio provides comes from everyone on the water mataining a watch on channel 16. Can you reach the Coast Guard from 80 miles away on your handheld? I have 2 handhelds on board also. One on the dash and the other in our life raft in a waterproof bag.

Both my fixed mounts have a bracket and can remove and put in another boat in less than 2 minutes. Would have to buy a second mount.

 

[cimy3]

Re: marine radio

For Lake Ontario, I would use a Marine VHF radio and have it fixed mount. You should be able to get a decent radio for around $100...shop around.

I agree with Boatist, but will add one more. What if a wave comes and knocks the portable vhf radio out of your hand and it falls into the water....no help for you. The US Coast Guard out of Oswego, NY monitors the VHF band. I know...had to ask for assistance once.

Good luck.

Ray

 

[mthieme]

Re: marine radio

Mthieme
Your right we do disagree.
I have had two fixed mount radios on my boat for 28 years. Both still work but upgraded for new features.

Another place we disagree is I feel the radio should be on all day when you are on board. You see the radio is not just for you it for everyone on the water. Can you here a Mayday from the sinking boat 1/4 mile from you when the radio is off. The saftey the radio provides comes from everyone on the water mataining a watch on channel 16. Can you reach the Coast Guard from 80 miles away on your handheld? I have 2 handhelds on board also. One on the dash and the other in our life raft in a waterproof bag.

Both my fixed mounts have a bracket and can remove and put in another boat in less than 2 minutes. Would have to buy a second mount.

If my fixed mounts lasted 1/3 that, I never would have considered switching. Whether it's fixed mount or handheld, the capabilities are the same and it boils down to personal preference.

I agree with you about keeping it on, but in the relative conditions of the Magothy River, it is pointless due to traffic, high population. DNR presence and the lack of radios on smaller recreational boats. When on trips out of the river, all the burners are cooking.
Not only can I here a mayday 1/4 mile away from a sinking boat - I can easily see it.
The crab lines I work are 1/2 mile long. Lord knows how, but I can still see (just barely) the floats which are less than 6" round although bright orange from that distance.
Somebody jumping and/or splashing, yelling, whatever would be heard and obvious.
I think a lot of assumptions take place within the forum such as the body of water, vessel size, etc.
Sounds like your vessel might be a tad bigger than mine - I'm just a little shy in deck real estate for a life raft. I'm also enjoying the dashboard space I never had because of the radio, an old sonar unit and a CB radio. These took up the entire dash on my 19'er.
If I had a bigger boat with more available funds, I'd have more, bigger and better electronics on my boat...not to mention a bigger boat! My smallest boat, which I have been using 80% of the time this season is a 14' McKee. There is nowhere to mount anything. There is a cup holder which is a darn handy place - if not the only place - to stick a handheld radio.

 

[dingbat]

Re: marine radio

Not only can I here a mayday 1/4 mile away from a sinking boat - I can easily see it.

You?re missing the point. That?s like saying I don?t wear a seat belt because I?m just going to the corner grocery. Stuff does happen close to home and it happens quickly.

Does your hand held have DSC? I have an ICOM 502 which is wired into my chartplotter to provide full DSC capabilities. Should something happen, with the push of a button my position and the nature of the problem are broadcast, and will continue to be broadcast until such time that I terminate the alert. No need to play around trying to figure out where you are and radioing for help. All I have to do is hit the emergency button and go back to attending to the situation

On the opposite side of the coin should an SOS go out, not only do I get an audible alarm but their position displayed as text on both the VHF display and is plotted on the chartplotter so I have a visual position fix on the vessel?

Should you and your family be in imminent danger would you want me in the area or some guy with a hand held relying on a visual for help?

 

[mthieme]

Re: marine radio

You're asking an awful lot equipment-wise out of a 14' skiff on a little river.
Like I said before, most small boats around here don't have a radio much less a chartplotter.
Everyone around does carry a cell phone and they have this new thing - 911...
and they use it...works well.

 

[Mark42]

Re: marine radio

Don't worry about battery discharge. The radio is on its charger mount at home, where I can listen to the marine weather forcast. So its fully charged when I pick it up. On the boat, it will charge off a cigarette lighter. So there is really no reason to worry about dead batteries. Plus, a set of alkalines make a good backup. I have run the radio all day without having to charge.

When you have a smaller boat, you remember to bring your handheld, and they don't get misplaces when attached to your belt or clipped on the dash. Plus, if it falls in the water, it will float and still works.

 

[dingbat]

Re: marine radio

You're asking an awful lot equipment-wise out of a 14' skiff on a little river.
Like I said before, most small boats around here don't have a radio much less a chartplotter.
Everyone around does carry a cell phone and they have this new thing - 911...
and they use it...works well.

Back in the creeks, OK. Something happens, stand up. Wet dodads at best

If you run the open water then there is no excuse for not having DSC onboard when you can buy a handheld with DSC for under $200.

I got to ask, when calling 911 for an emergeny response out on the water what address do you give the operator, out in the Bay?

 

[mthieme]

Re: marine radio

Back in the creeks, OK. Something happens, stand up. Wet dodads at best
If you run the open water then there is no excuse for not having DSC onboard when you can buy a handheld with DSC for under $200.
I got to ask, when calling 911 for an emergeny response out on the water what address do you give the operator, out in the Bay?

The river has lotsa land marks, markers and such.
Cell phones do have GPS.
Fortunately, nothing serious has every happened while I was around.
Neighbors have called (me not 911) from time to time, broke down, caught in a squall, ran out of booze... nothing life threatening.
I have made two 911 calls in the past two years....to report fires on land. One was a barn, one was a skiff in someone's driveway...what a cloud.
I have seen boats taking on water twice before on the river. They had the good sense to head for the nearest beach. In both cases, it was the same guy and I knew him. He called me on his cell phone (since he didn't have any other form of communication on board in either case) fro assistance.
When I'm in the bay I'm in my Searay which is better outfitted and everything on.
I'm not saying the VHF is impractical or anything, Any boat I ever had that was capable of crossing the Chesapeake had a VHF and it was on.
I am saying that apparently it seems like a cell phone is more practical by virtue of being more common.

 

[Splat]

Re: marine radio

Cell phones don't like water. If they get even a little wet they WILLL NOT WORK. Get a VHF

Bill

 

[mthieme]

Re: marine radio

How do I keep getting sucked into these silly debates ?
No matter what (the topic) someone out there is gonna have a die hard argument that sliced bread is not the best thing, never was, never will be.

 

[cimy3]

Re: marine radio

We all have opinions. Each person has his or her own comfort level. Therefore, you decide what comforts you want to have to feel safe.

Let the original poster read about opinions and then make a choice. Hope we did not scare him or her away!