Boat Radios??

[JSGOLD]

We are planning on buying some items for our 16' Starcraft, extra seats, boat cover, misc. tune up items for the motors, etc. and one thing I think we need but know little about is marine radios. I almost bought a CB my mistake but thanks to this forum was advised not to. I don't want to spend a fortune on a radio but want something decent. What would you folks suggest for a decent radio, used or new? I will never be near the ocean, just lakes and rivers. I am not too familiar with the many names I see offered.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Boat Radios??

I don't know of a whole lot of reason to have a marine radio if you aren't on the great lakes or ocean. You generally don't get "thrown out to sea" or out of sight of land. Not that many people monitoring radio frequencies at most lakes anyway. A good set of flares/air horn is just as effective most of the time.

 

[Thad]

Re: Boat Radios??

OK, never near the ocean, check.
You do not go into specifics on what type of rivers and lakes you will be on, but I do not see why a small hand held would not work for you.

Now, if you are on one of the Great Lakes, then maybe something larger, more powerfull. I do not go out far enough on Lake Michigan to require any more distance than my hand held gives me and on the Mississippi, the hand held works just fine as well.

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Boat Radios??

I wondered about that...I tend to overdo things and just trying to figure if this is one of those times, LOL. The biggest lakes I plan on going to are about 2700 acres, but some are heavily boated and can be very deep. I know Summersville lake is probably the most boated lake we have, was just looking for protection in case of accidents etc. It is heavily patrolled by DNR folks. I will say though that probably 50-60% of the time we will be in Elk Fork or a similar lake which are 300-800 acres. Maybe the hand held ones would be fine then. Or maybe a waste of time then. Have flares, looking for a better horn.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Boat Radios??

You'd probably be better served with an electric trolling motor, tho radios are fun a handheld is relatively inexpensive and most have weather radio bands among other things.

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Boat Radios??

I guess you mean put the money towards something else I need (already have a trolling motor) which makes sense. I need two more seats and a ladder and still have tune ups to do on the 5.5 and the 55 motors. DW is insisting on a CD/AM/FM radio though for music, news, etc. Those are pretty cheap from what I see. I wanted to just throw a portable one in the boat but she might overrule me on that...LOL.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Boat Radios??

Take a look at the Uniden Handheld Marine Radios. The lakes I go to (lanier and Thurman) in Ga have Coast Guard Auxilery boats that patrol, and DNR on them as well. They should have marine radios and monitor it for boaters in distress. I think you can get that handheld for about $89-100. I would also imagine that on those lakes, you probably have cell coverage, so it there is no radio traffic, your cell can be backup...

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Boat Radios??

I see no reason NOT to have a marine radio.

A cheap handheld would probably do you just fine. It need not be fancy, with any options, just a standard VHF marine radio.

 

[wa_ssv197]

Re: Boat Radios??

I handheld VHF is a must for any boater.
Uniden
Check out the Atlantis 250 or the MH120

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Boat Radios??

Thanks folks! A lot of help on this forum for sure! As a matter of fact I am looking at an Atlantis 250 on Ebay, almost new for 50 bucks.....just waiting on an answer as tiowhether it has both chargers. I will go with the hand held for VHF, still unsure what to do with the wife's plans of having a CD/FM radio onboard....do you guys have portables there or hard wired ones? I know many people (mostly pontoon owners) that have decent systems onboard...

 

[ziggy]

Re: Boat Radios??

I see no reason NOT to have a marine radio.

i agree. while i boat on small inland lakes too, i feel safer having one than not. must say the only time i've thought of using it there was no one on the lake to talk to. i was the only one on the lake (2k acre lake). the cell phone saved my bacon that day. that said. it is a safety item. and if yer gonna have it for safety. then a fix mount is the way to go as far as range goes. hence i did fixed...
i did a uniden too. a middle of the line one. couple years ago found one on sale + came w/ a 8' shakespere antenna. package deal. about $135 if i remember right.

still unsure what to do with the wife's plans of having a CD/FM radio onboard....do you guys have portables there or hard wired ones?

i had a crappy indash 8track when i got my boat. didn't use it. used a portable cd player... later i replaced the 8track with a cd player. just a plain ol panasonic indash. 4ea 6.5'' speakers. the sound difference was remarkable between the portable and a regular moutned cd player.. go fixed..

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Boat Radios??

Just a couple of thoughts here....since I do not know the range of either fixed or portable..... Here in West Virginia our mountains make it tough to get cell coverage in a LOT of places. Elk Fork and Stonewall Jackson have average to poor coverage...and our lakes, all being man made, tend to be stretched out a bit....rather than being like a huge open lake like say a Great Lakes type, there are a great many hills and so forth . These lakes usually go into valleys and that is one concern I have about hand held. Again, I would guess a lot of people with boats my size don't have fixed mounts ones... How far can a hand held carry??


BTW, Iboats has the Uniden 250G Atlantis for less than 80 bucks NEW. Only thing it does not have a 12 adapter, but I guess I could buy one...

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Boat Radios??

How far can a hand held carry??
...

Far enough for where you're at. Dash mounted ones with antennas don't carry for more than a few miles anyway. That's just how they work.

 

[wa_ssv197]

Re: Boat Radios??

I bought a discontinued marine stereo. Most new stereos require an antenna of some sort, I mounted a small 12" antenna in line with the windshield.
Its a Fusion brand with wired remote, since most stereos are mounted away from the driver. I mounted the remote next to the steering wheel and I have total control.

As you can see here, the stereo is in the glove box (hidden) and the remote is behind the wheel.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Boat Radios??

I bought a discontinued marine stereo. Most new stereos require an antenna of some sort, I mounted a small 12" antenna in line with the windshield.
Its a Fusion brand with wired remote, since most stereos are mounted away from the driver. I mounted the remote next to the steering wheel and I have total control.

As you can see here, the stereo is in the glove box (hidden) and the remote is behind the wheel.

I don't think we're talking about the same type of radio. The Marine radios we are referring to are for nautical/emergency use (basically a CB radio, but different frequency range)

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Boat Radios??

Biggest thing to me is do you boat where others have a radio?

On Okanagan lake, there are enough others with a radio to make it worthwhile, including a few marinas. No CG and no real monitoring, but it seemed worth it to me (says the guy who hasn't put it in his boat yet).

I've picked up a $200 radio (Lowrance LVR-880) as it plugs into my gps easily and has most of the DSC stuff. There is cheaper, just a bit more trouble to connect to my gps.

 

[wa_ssv197]

Re: Boat Radios??

As a matter of fact I am looking at an Atlantis 250 on Ebay, almost new for 50 bucks.....just waiting on an answer as tiowhether it has both chargers. I will go with the hand held for VHF, still unsure what to do with the wife's plans of having a CD/FM radio onboard...

Looks like he wants both!

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Boat Radios??

Yes, sorry folks....my first post was on the marine emergency radio....later on I did ask about C/D-FM players as me and the wife will be doing a lot of fishing...and she insists on a radio. I was suggesting to her we could take a portable one but as half owner(lol) of the boat she is not too thrilled of that!. So, yes, was asking about both types. Looks like we will go with a hand held Uniden, most likely from iboats, and a cheap cd/fm radio with speakers. I would assume that these are somewhat weather resistant....anyway thanks for all of the input. If I find the hand held is not what I want I'll just add a hard wired one later I guess. But MOST of the time we will be in lakes with other boaters fairly close by...and will have cell phone also...