Differences in VHF radios.

[xeddog]

My son just bought a Silverline 22VHT and I am looking for a vhf radio for his b-day. I have looked at a couple in West Marine, but the sales people have not been helpful in telling be the differences between a $100 radio, and a $200 radio. The data cards (those cards that describe the units on the shelf) don't really help much either. And even if I knew that a radio had feature "X", I'm not sure I would even know what would feature "X" would do for me?

So my question is, what makes one radio sell for $100, another for $150, and the third for $200? I would guess it would be features, but what features and what do they do? He probably doesn't need anything other than a basic radio because he will mostly be cruising/fishing the Sacramento/San Joaquin river delta system, and lakes within about . . .say . . .100-150 miles. Certainly won't be going out to sea with it. But at the same time, if there is a feature that may be useful on a slightly more expensive radidio, or maybe a feature that is just plain kool, I wouldn't mind coughing up a few extra dollars either.

So what say ye?

Thanks,

Wayne

 

[NYBo]

Re: Differences in VHF radios.

Get one with Class D DSC capability. That will be the minimum standard soon anyway.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Differences in VHF radios.

As with anything, there are varying levels of enginnering and quality when it come to electronics. I?m always leery of manufacturers that that push features over and above their level of engineering and quality. I would rather have windows that you had to roll up and down by hand than electric windows that worked, sometime.