I am new to sailing and last weekend my wife and I took our Hunter 25.5 out for our first sail. The boat has a VHF radio in the cabin, but it's hard to hear let alone impossible to use from the cockpit. I am thinking of picking up a Uniden Atlantis 250 for under $100. Am I being practicle or just wasting my money? -- Jeremy
Hand held VHF in the cockpit?
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I think it's a good call.
I always have a hand held in the cockpit. I mounted a small vinyl holder under the tiller and slip it in there. Tom s/v GAIA
I always have a hand held in the cockpit. I mounted a small vinyl holder under the tiller and slip it in there. Tom s/v GAIA
RAM Mike
When your vhf has had it replace it with a RAM mike model. It may be that your vhf can take a RAM mike, in that case get one. Much superior to a hand held. In the meantime a remote speaker might be helpful.
When your vhf has had it replace it with a RAM mike model. It may be that your vhf can take a RAM mike, in that case get one. Much superior to a hand held. In the meantime a remote speaker might be helpful.
Handheld
Have a hardwired vhf but wouldn"t dream of going out the inlet to the ocean without my handheld. Also good at home in winter for accurate weather updates. Regards, Jim
Have a hardwired vhf but wouldn"t dream of going out the inlet to the ocean without my handheld. Also good at home in winter for accurate weather updates. Regards, Jim
For and ag'in
Jeremy- Ram mike: expensive replacement for a 25 foot boat, but you know how hard it is to hear from down below. Extension speaker: you hear, but can't transmit. Let's be practical here
Handheld: relatively inexpensive. Advantage is a backup, too. If you buy the Uniden, you'll end up replacing it every two or three years, especially if it gets wet, which it will. Consider buying a better unit, even the West Marine 100 is a good buy, and waterproof or at least splash proof. It's worth the extra $ and the Uniden's speaker is very weak (I've had two!). Read the West Advisors on mairne radios - good stuff there - summarizes what I just said in three pages! You'll eventually wonder: where do I put it without having it fly all over the cockpit? We installed a foot loop (little thin metal bar, like a handle with screw holes) on our drink/binocular holder. No reason you can't mount one on the cockpit coaming either. Stu
Jeremy- Ram mike: expensive replacement for a 25 foot boat, but you know how hard it is to hear from down below. Extension speaker: you hear, but can't transmit. Let's be practical here
Handheld: relatively inexpensive. Advantage is a backup, too. If you buy the Uniden, you'll end up replacing it every two or three years, especially if it gets wet, which it will. Consider buying a better unit, even the West Marine 100 is a good buy, and waterproof or at least splash proof. It's worth the extra $ and the Uniden's speaker is very weak (I've had two!). Read the West Advisors on mairne radios - good stuff there - summarizes what I just said in three pages! You'll eventually wonder: where do I put it without having it fly all over the cockpit? We installed a foot loop (little thin metal bar, like a handle with screw holes) on our drink/binocular holder. No reason you can't mount one on the cockpit coaming either. StuHandheld is very important!
I'll give you a quick example of how important a handheld unit is, this photo, shows a harbor- imagine you send your crew ashore for provisions, you look in the ice box and see you forgot to tell them you're out of beer, or steak marinade, ect. send them to shore with a handheld and a channel to monitor, you'll be glad you did.
I'll give you a quick example of how important a handheld unit is, this photo, shows a harbor- imagine you send your crew ashore for provisions, you look in the ice box and see you forgot to tell them you're out of beer, or steak marinade, ect. send them to shore with a handheld and a channel to monitor, you'll be glad you did.
William - VHF on shore
Someone please jump in and correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that other than a shorestation (i.e. marina), it is illegal to use a VHF on shore. Ok, now I doubt that the FCC is going to come and chase you down, but if my understanding is correct - still illegal. For the situation that you describe, we have a few of the handheld FRS/GMRS radios on board. T J
Someone please jump in and correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that other than a shorestation (i.e. marina), it is illegal to use a VHF on shore. Ok, now I doubt that the FCC is going to come and chase you down, but if my understanding is correct - still illegal. For the situation that you describe, we have a few of the handheld FRS/GMRS radios on board. T J
TJ is correct
The FCC will surely fine you big time for using a marine hand held radio on shore. Ask Seaview in Seattle about their experience with that. Of course there is also the fact that the Seattle Harbor Patrol never got a license for their shore station in about ten years of operation and the feds never even noticed or if they did, never did anything about it. My advice is don't try that at home.
The FCC will surely fine you big time for using a marine hand held radio on shore. Ask Seaview in Seattle about their experience with that. Of course there is also the fact that the Seattle Harbor Patrol never got a license for their shore station in about ten years of operation and the feds never even noticed or if they did, never did anything about it. My advice is don't try that at home.
Has anybody tried the WHAM mic...
... with a Uniden or WM VHF? It seems to be a good idea - wireless connection to the main VHF - with full control. The lack of a "tether" seems to make it more useful than the RAM mic. And I understand that the latest models may be used as personal walkie-talkies.
... with a Uniden or WM VHF? It seems to be a good idea - wireless connection to the main VHF - with full control. The lack of a "tether" seems to make it more useful than the RAM mic. And I understand that the latest models may be used as personal walkie-talkies.
External Speaker and a Hand-held
We use an external speaker from the main radio down below and mount it under the dodger. We monitor it from there and if we get a call (or need to make a local transmission) we use a hand-held which we keep in a boot in the cockpit. When off in the dinghy, we also carry the hand-held to communicate with the mothership.
We use an external speaker from the main radio down below and mount it under the dodger. We monitor it from there and if we get a call (or need to make a local transmission) we use a hand-held which we keep in a boot in the cockpit. When off in the dinghy, we also carry the hand-held to communicate with the mothership.
I've got the WHAM
It is not the newest model of WHAM X4, but it works great. I can use it up to 50' away, which is plenty on my 30' boat. I like it better than the RAM because you can go forward, away from the engine noise, to communicate with a dockmaster, etc. With a YSM12 engine, this feature is important.
It is not the newest model of WHAM X4, but it works great. I can use it up to 50' away, which is plenty on my 30' boat. I like it better than the RAM because you can go forward, away from the engine noise, to communicate with a dockmaster, etc. With a YSM12 engine, this feature is important.
Correction noted
You're correct, TJ, running out of beer on a mooring is no excuse to take up a channel on a marine vhf. Here's my last emergency at sea, ran out of diapers, my bird called me on shore for just this type of stuff, but it is still illegal.
You're correct, TJ, running out of beer on a mooring is no excuse to take up a channel on a marine vhf. Here's my last emergency at sea, ran out of diapers, my bird called me on shore for just this type of stuff, but it is still illegal.
Small ship but a big responsibility...
Jeremy, I wish you had told us what waters you sail in & how much, as it would helped to shape the replies. First, your dilemma is that you operate a small ship but have big ship responsibilities re: communication. If e.g. you daysailed out of Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Norfolk, Long Beach, San Diego or a hundred other coastal ports with a broad mix of commercial traffic plus other recreational craft, you really can't exercise good seamanship re: commos unless you are capable of monitoring and replying on at least one, perhaps 3 VHF channels. It's to your credit that you already appreciate this basic truth and are asking how to improve things. Secondly, because you will want to concurrently monitor 2 or more channels on occasion, your cockpit radio needs to have that feature. Most handhelds do, some cheap ones do not. Now we get to the issue of handhelds and their batteries. I think there are several significant compromises in relying on a handheld but the one that troubles me the most is battery performance. Most sailors I ask who regularly use h/h units in their cockpits rely on the stock NiCad battery and stock base charger. (If they have and have populated the optional alkaline battery case, it's often not readily to hand. And if the h/h unit is reputed to be watertight, you will need a tool and some time to exchange the battery cases...if you recognize that unit has shut off due to battery exhaustion). The nature of a NiCad battery is abrupt exhaustion; it will show decent capacity and only some minutes later fail completely and need to be recharged. H/h units do not announce this and you can believe you are standing a radio watch when of course you aren't. NiCad capacity is fine for an afternoon sail but usually w-a-y inadequate for an extended day's passage. (I notice the hi-end Icom unit promises 8 hrs of endurance). So...h/h units are very popular and offer redundancy over a RAM type extension but suffer from limited battery life and a number of other weaknesses (usually poor amplification in a working cockpit environment, potential for loss or damage, poor emergency comms device when working a shoreside facility and needing to work the boat, and more). It's tough to get all the capability, redundancy and reliability you need without spending more than is justifiable, but I'd encourage you to think about your local waters and the kind of sailing you do, and then make a choice that offers the best compromise for meeting your needs. For me, if I sailed in SD Bay, Norfolk or out of Miami in a small ship, I would probably opt for the RAM mike (and I have and use ALL of the radio options mentioned in this thread). The base unit will be protected and reliable, the RAM mike offers maximum utility & features in the cockpit at a full 25W transmit power, and I can pick between multiple brands to take advantage of sales. Of course, this is a significant purchase if I already have a working VHF. It never seems to be easy... Jack
Jeremy, I wish you had told us what waters you sail in & how much, as it would helped to shape the replies. First, your dilemma is that you operate a small ship but have big ship responsibilities re: communication. If e.g. you daysailed out of Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Norfolk, Long Beach, San Diego or a hundred other coastal ports with a broad mix of commercial traffic plus other recreational craft, you really can't exercise good seamanship re: commos unless you are capable of monitoring and replying on at least one, perhaps 3 VHF channels. It's to your credit that you already appreciate this basic truth and are asking how to improve things. Secondly, because you will want to concurrently monitor 2 or more channels on occasion, your cockpit radio needs to have that feature. Most handhelds do, some cheap ones do not. Now we get to the issue of handhelds and their batteries. I think there are several significant compromises in relying on a handheld but the one that troubles me the most is battery performance. Most sailors I ask who regularly use h/h units in their cockpits rely on the stock NiCad battery and stock base charger. (If they have and have populated the optional alkaline battery case, it's often not readily to hand. And if the h/h unit is reputed to be watertight, you will need a tool and some time to exchange the battery cases...if you recognize that unit has shut off due to battery exhaustion). The nature of a NiCad battery is abrupt exhaustion; it will show decent capacity and only some minutes later fail completely and need to be recharged. H/h units do not announce this and you can believe you are standing a radio watch when of course you aren't. NiCad capacity is fine for an afternoon sail but usually w-a-y inadequate for an extended day's passage. (I notice the hi-end Icom unit promises 8 hrs of endurance). So...h/h units are very popular and offer redundancy over a RAM type extension but suffer from limited battery life and a number of other weaknesses (usually poor amplification in a working cockpit environment, potential for loss or damage, poor emergency comms device when working a shoreside facility and needing to work the boat, and more). It's tough to get all the capability, redundancy and reliability you need without spending more than is justifiable, but I'd encourage you to think about your local waters and the kind of sailing you do, and then make a choice that offers the best compromise for meeting your needs. For me, if I sailed in SD Bay, Norfolk or out of Miami in a small ship, I would probably opt for the RAM mike (and I have and use ALL of the radio options mentioned in this thread). The base unit will be protected and reliable, the RAM mike offers maximum utility & features in the cockpit at a full 25W transmit power, and I can pick between multiple brands to take advantage of sales. Of course, this is a significant purchase if I already have a working VHF. It never seems to be easy... Jack
Hand Held VHF
I've been using an inexpensive (<$100) Uniden (West sells same model)for about 6 yrs now. It is very handy and reliable. As noted by others, it is not "waterproof," but I keep it in one of those plastic protector bags and so it never gets wet. It has operated flawlessly. I could have added a RAM mic to my main station ICOM in the cabin, but it would have cost more than the Uniden, been a pain to install, and most importantly, it would be less flexible than the hand-held. Buy one and you'll love it.
I've been using an inexpensive (<$100) Uniden (West sells same model)for about 6 yrs now. It is very handy and reliable. As noted by others, it is not "waterproof," but I keep it in one of those plastic protector bags and so it never gets wet. It has operated flawlessly. I could have added a RAM mic to my main station ICOM in the cabin, but it would have cost more than the Uniden, been a pain to install, and most importantly, it would be less flexible than the hand-held. Buy one and you'll love it.
Where and how much...
I sail in the Great South Bay off of Long Island's south shore. I just got the boat so how often is still up in the ait right now about once a week, but hopefully next season 3-4 times a week. There isn't much commercial traffic. Ferries to Fire Island and some fishing boats. My thoughts are first I can barely hear the fixed VHF let alone use it to respond to anyone. Also I figure in an emergency I doubt I will be wanting to run down in to the cabin to use the radio. I appreciate the heads up on the Uniden. I think I will spend the extra $50 and get a waterproof Icom. -- Jeremy
I sail in the Great South Bay off of Long Island's south shore. I just got the boat so how often is still up in the ait right now about once a week, but hopefully next season 3-4 times a week. There isn't much commercial traffic. Ferries to Fire Island and some fishing boats. My thoughts are first I can barely hear the fixed VHF let alone use it to respond to anyone. Also I figure in an emergency I doubt I will be wanting to run down in to the cabin to use the radio. I appreciate the heads up on the Uniden. I think I will spend the extra $50 and get a waterproof Icom. -- Jeremy
Get the handheld
I use my handheld in the cockpit for daysailing. Jack is right about the battery life for extended passages, but too pessimistic about the capabilities of handhelds--even the cheapo ones today have all of the multichannel monitoring features. Also, having a radio to take in the water if the boat goes over suddenly is a big safety factor, so buy a waterproof model. The reasons for using the handheld are many and obvious: --the main unit in the cabin is unintelligible from the cockpit; --the main unit is a big battery draw; --responding on the main unit requires leaving the helm to go to the companionway; --keeping the small unit nearby allows for easier routing checking of the weather channel; --the main unit with its masthead antenna is picking up too much information from great distances. It's often difficult to determine that some problem being described is going on 30 miles away until you spend a good few minutes listening.
I use my handheld in the cockpit for daysailing. Jack is right about the battery life for extended passages, but too pessimistic about the capabilities of handhelds--even the cheapo ones today have all of the multichannel monitoring features. Also, having a radio to take in the water if the boat goes over suddenly is a big safety factor, so buy a waterproof model. The reasons for using the handheld are many and obvious: --the main unit in the cabin is unintelligible from the cockpit; --the main unit is a big battery draw; --responding on the main unit requires leaving the helm to go to the companionway; --keeping the small unit nearby allows for easier routing checking of the weather channel; --the main unit with its masthead antenna is picking up too much information from great distances. It's often difficult to determine that some problem being described is going on 30 miles away until you spend a good few minutes listening.
Command mike
Not sure which radio you have but for our ICOM we bought the Command mike for 89 US. It plugs into you VHF and has the controls on the mike. It is water proof, hi power and is not dependent upon remembering to add frsh batteries. Many radio makes make a version. Worth checking it out
Not sure which radio you have but for our ICOM we bought the Command mike for 89 US. It plugs into you VHF and has the controls on the mike. It is water proof, hi power and is not dependent upon remembering to add frsh batteries. Many radio makes make a version. Worth checking it out
WHAM
I've been using the WHAM mike that was newly installed on my boat when I bought it. It works great in conjunction with the main base unit because the signal is going out the antenna at the mast head. On the low setting I can talk further than a hand-held on high. Remember, VHF is a line-of-sight FM radio and that a hand-held in the cockpit has far less range than the antenna at the masthead. They're great for close range in a marina or entering a harbor, but the full 25 watts at the mast head could make all the difference in an emergency, especially when communicating with the USCG. S/V Intrepid H34
I've been using the WHAM mike that was newly installed on my boat when I bought it. It works great in conjunction with the main base unit because the signal is going out the antenna at the mast head. On the low setting I can talk further than a hand-held on high. Remember, VHF is a line-of-sight FM radio and that a hand-held in the cockpit has far less range than the antenna at the masthead. They're great for close range in a marina or entering a harbor, but the full 25 watts at the mast head could make all the difference in an emergency, especially when communicating with the USCG. S/V Intrepid H34
Handheld vs RAM/Command Mic
I have several hand held VHFs. One old ICOM needs a new nicad battery and that seems to be about $80. I have a Uniden that runs on NiMh batteries and they need to be replaced at about $10-15. I looked at the Wham mics. They are a lot like hand helds, they rely on batteries that will go south. Last year I bought a new Standard VHF with a RAM. Works great. If you have sailing buddies that have selective calling, you can call them and receive calls and not have to listen to the "Radio Checks", etc while not underway. Also if you hook it up the the GPS, its good for quick Mayday calling that gives your position. Bill
I have several hand held VHFs. One old ICOM needs a new nicad battery and that seems to be about $80. I have a Uniden that runs on NiMh batteries and they need to be replaced at about $10-15. I looked at the Wham mics. They are a lot like hand helds, they rely on batteries that will go south. Last year I bought a new Standard VHF with a RAM. Works great. If you have sailing buddies that have selective calling, you can call them and receive calls and not have to listen to the "Radio Checks", etc while not underway. Also if you hook it up the the GPS, its good for quick Mayday calling that gives your position. Bill
Transmitting distance of a handheld?
Where I sail places me no more than 2 miles from shore. My VHF in the cabin is old so I doubt it is compatable with any of the things people have suggested. I appreciate everyone's suggestions. -- Jeremy
Where I sail places me no more than 2 miles from shore. My VHF in the cabin is old so I doubt it is compatable with any of the things people have suggested. I appreciate everyone's suggestions. -- Jeremy
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