Is this a good Marine VHF Package

tashasdaddy

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Is this a good Marine VHF Package

i checked the iboats marine store, can't beat the price for the combo. it does not say antenna length, i would want an 8 ft antenna.
 
F

falcon88

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
30
Re: Is this a good Marine VHF Package

Thanks, it is a 8 foot antenna.
 
kandil

kandil

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
567
Re: Is this a good Marine VHF Package

It looks like a good deal. do you know what is the DB Gain for the antenna? you want it to be 6DB if it is 3db it is too week
 
Boatist

Boatist

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 22, 2002
Messages
4,552
Re: Is this a good Marine VHF Package

It is a great price but most of the time you get what you pay for.
I am sure the radio is not a class D dsc for that price.
The antenna with the fiberglass or plastic base is ok for about 10 years if you keep it in the garage out of the sun. Nylon base is also good for about 10 years out of the sun if the antenna is a small flexable antenna. If you leave it out in the sun and heat I would not expect either to last more than 5 years before the base of the antenna cracks and falls overboard hanging by the coax.

I would pay almost that much for the antenna alone. I would start with a shakespeers 5225. 6DB gain with a Stainless Steel base and a sloid brass radiator. Also comes with RG-8X Coax instead of RG-58.

I started with a cheap antenna like that. We would be fishing in an area with lots of fishermen and I could hear their radios picking up boats that I could not get. After my antenna base broke I patched it together with some epoxy and 2 stainless steel hose clamps.

The following year I got the 5225-XT antenna and installed. First thing I noticed was I could hear boats requesting two bridges for opening. I had never heard that before from My Back Yard. Out in the ocean I could hear many more boats and no longer heard radios on other boats that I could not hear. If fact I could hear many station that other boat could not. That when I relized that my first antenna was junk. Both antenna were rated as 8 foot 6db Gain but there was a big difference in what they would recieve. Many of the cheap flexable antenna just use a piece of tuned Coax as the radiator.

So yes that is a great price. For myself I will never buy another low quality antenna. See How much more it would be for a great antenna like the 5225-XT. Keep in mind that if your take good care of the radio and take inside out of the sun and heat they will last 20 years at least.
 
tashasdaddy

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Is this a good Marine VHF Package

i have use both bases and never had a problem.
 
F

falcon88

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
30
Re: Is this a good Marine VHF Package

Thanks for the input. The radio does have DCS, but unsure of the gain on antenna. It looks like the low end Shakespeers antenna. Overall I haven't found separate items this cheap. Since this is my first radio, I think I'll try this one out and if I need a new antenna I can purchase later. Thanks
 
mphy98

mphy98

Lieutenant
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
1,422
Re: Is this a good Marine VHF Package

check out the 55 series, $10.00 more and lots more features. can connect to a gps fishfinder.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top