Im in the market to purchase a hand held VHF , Id like others opinins on what to avoid . And what to look for . Thanx Tim.
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Uniden
I bought a Uniden handheld VHF for about $100 about 5 yrs ago. West Marine sells the same model for about the same price. This model is not "waterproof" so I keep in one of those plastic protecters. I use it primarily to communicate with other boats while cruising, to call marinas, and now and then to make a Channel 13 bridge-to-bridge call to avoid an emergency. This modest radio has exceeded my expectations for it and has turned out to be much more useful than I ever thought it would.
I bought a Uniden handheld VHF for about $100 about 5 yrs ago. West Marine sells the same model for about the same price. This model is not "waterproof" so I keep in one of those plastic protecters. I use it primarily to communicate with other boats while cruising, to call marinas, and now and then to make a Channel 13 bridge-to-bridge call to avoid an emergency. This modest radio has exceeded my expectations for it and has turned out to be much more useful than I ever thought it would.
Handheld Vhf
Warren thanx for the reply , That must be a Uniden Atlantis , When we were down to the fall show in October we drove south a bit as far as your locale At Herrington Harbor . wow are tha marinas big down your way , there were more boats on the hard than total up here . keep the shiny side up Tim
Warren thanx for the reply , That must be a Uniden Atlantis , When we were down to the fall show in October we drove south a bit as far as your locale At Herrington Harbor . wow are tha marinas big down your way , there were more boats on the hard than total up here . keep the shiny side up Tim
Practical Sailor has reviews.
Tim: You may want to consider subscribing to Practical Sailor. While I like the magazine and read their reviews I only use it as a guidline for selecting equipment. It is sort of the Consumer Report of marine equipment.
Tim: You may want to consider subscribing to Practical Sailor. While I like the magazine and read their reviews I only use it as a guidline for selecting equipment. It is sort of the Consumer Report of marine equipment.
got two
Bought two Cobras for one price. Mine was on sale at $88. I see this place had them for $110. Good units. I used them all summer and loved them as they fit in your pocket. Two main differences. WaterPROOF or not. They also can be recharged from the unit, without removing the batteries. Why is this important? You can make or buy an adapter so that yoiu can plug them into your cigarette lighter at your helm thereby using the boat batteries instead of the radio batteries, which menas two things...you can leave them on all the time and in the event of a major catastrophe, you then have a full charge on them. SIgnals go about 3 to 5 miles, so you will also want a fixed base one with an antenna mounted on the top of the mast. Not much else in the Practical Sailor articles. I also have a Raytheon 100 unit that is waterproof and is great. If its rainy out I use the Ray. If dry, which is most of the time, I use the Cobra. Cobra is trying to get into the market and so has reduced prices. They have been in the CB radio market for over 30 years. Good stuff. Had one on my jeep. Good luck. http://www.westcoastmall.net/interests/cobra_marine_radio.htm
Bought two Cobras for one price. Mine was on sale at $88. I see this place had them for $110. Good units. I used them all summer and loved them as they fit in your pocket. Two main differences. WaterPROOF or not. They also can be recharged from the unit, without removing the batteries. Why is this important? You can make or buy an adapter so that yoiu can plug them into your cigarette lighter at your helm thereby using the boat batteries instead of the radio batteries, which menas two things...you can leave them on all the time and in the event of a major catastrophe, you then have a full charge on them. SIgnals go about 3 to 5 miles, so you will also want a fixed base one with an antenna mounted on the top of the mast. Not much else in the Practical Sailor articles. I also have a Raytheon 100 unit that is waterproof and is great. If its rainy out I use the Ray. If dry, which is most of the time, I use the Cobra. Cobra is trying to get into the market and so has reduced prices. They have been in the CB radio market for over 30 years. Good stuff. Had one on my jeep. Good luck. http://www.westcoastmall.net/interests/cobra_marine_radio.htm
brand, features
Icom and Standard Horizon are great brands; waterproof and rugged. I like the ones that can use AA batteries when their rechargeable one gets drained. Otherwise they all have pretty similar ranges and features.
Icom and Standard Horizon are great brands; waterproof and rugged. I like the ones that can use AA batteries when their rechargeable one gets drained. Otherwise they all have pretty similar ranges and features.
Im trying to avoid the mast top antenna
what about a rail mount 8' antenna , the mast head thing and the coax is a pita
what about a rail mount 8' antenna , the mast head thing and the coax is a pita
Height of antenna will limit range
I use a Standard Horizon handheld and the range is not very good compared to my boat vhf with the mast top antenna. It's worth the effort if you want to make sure you get out a signal.
I use a Standard Horizon handheld and the range is not very good compared to my boat vhf with the mast top antenna. It's worth the effort if you want to make sure you get out a signal.
Height of antenna will limit range
Jerry, I don't think the height of the antenna is the limiting factor. Power is. Most handhelds broadcast with 5 watts. Fixed mount units can use 25 watts. All are line of sight broadcasts. Of course, the higher the antenna the longer the range in theory, but from deck level your still working with 12 or so miles. That's well outside the power range of most 5 watt handhelds.
Jerry, I don't think the height of the antenna is the limiting factor. Power is. Most handhelds broadcast with 5 watts. Fixed mount units can use 25 watts. All are line of sight broadcasts. Of course, the higher the antenna the longer the range in theory, but from deck level your still working with 12 or so miles. That's well outside the power range of most 5 watt handhelds.
not so, Alan!
EPIRBS all operate with 5 watts, and they transmit to satellites thousands of miles in space. Specialist Ham operators communicate around the world on less than 5 watts on shortwave frequencies. (non-line of sight). According to Chapmans, if your handheld is 5ft off the water (say on deck), and the receiver is at masthead on another boat (say 35ft.), your MAX range is no more than 9.4 NM. If you're trying to talk to another handheld at 5 ft up, the max range is only 5.2NM.
EPIRBS all operate with 5 watts, and they transmit to satellites thousands of miles in space. Specialist Ham operators communicate around the world on less than 5 watts on shortwave frequencies. (non-line of sight). According to Chapmans, if your handheld is 5ft off the water (say on deck), and the receiver is at masthead on another boat (say 35ft.), your MAX range is no more than 9.4 NM. If you're trying to talk to another handheld at 5 ft up, the max range is only 5.2NM.
Clarification of a few points
At the VHF frequencies 150-160 mhz 5 watts is the acceptable level of RF radiation to put next to your head. A fixed mount radio can run as much as 100w because the antenn is not in proximity to your brain. When the frequencie gets higher UHF, Suhf the power needs to decrease. Hams can talk around the world on HF frequencies with as low as 5watts because of the propegation of the RF energy. With frequencies greater than 50Mhz 99% of all communications is line of sight. Occasionaly there is a phenonanom called tropospheric ducting that can allow communications up to 1500 miles. Antenna height is THE factor on VHF. Pat kd4yor
At the VHF frequencies 150-160 mhz 5 watts is the acceptable level of RF radiation to put next to your head. A fixed mount radio can run as much as 100w because the antenn is not in proximity to your brain. When the frequencie gets higher UHF, Suhf the power needs to decrease. Hams can talk around the world on HF frequencies with as low as 5watts because of the propegation of the RF energy. With frequencies greater than 50Mhz 99% of all communications is line of sight. Occasionaly there is a phenonanom called tropospheric ducting that can allow communications up to 1500 miles. Antenna height is THE factor on VHF. Pat kd4yor
Tim
The Uniden I mentioned is the HH955 model. Yes, Herrington is a large marina, with over 650 wet slips and space for nearly double that on the hard. In over 30 yrs of sailing, mostly on the Chesapeake, it is the best marina I've ever kept a boat in.
The Uniden I mentioned is the HH955 model. Yes, Herrington is a large marina, with over 650 wet slips and space for nearly double that on the hard. In over 30 yrs of sailing, mostly on the Chesapeake, it is the best marina I've ever kept a boat in.
Line of Sight Range
Line of Sight Range It has been a while but as I remember the formula to determine range is: square root of antenna multiplied by 1.17 do this for the receiving antenna as well and add the results. At the frequency we operate there is very little bending. A handheld would be just sufficient for one who does not venture far from shore. The question was about which handheld to buy I doubt there is much difference between any of the major brands. Shop price and features. Is there one with a GPS built in? That would really be handy.
Line of Sight Range It has been a while but as I remember the formula to determine range is: square root of antenna multiplied by 1.17 do this for the receiving antenna as well and add the results. At the frequency we operate there is very little bending. A handheld would be just sufficient for one who does not venture far from shore. The question was about which handheld to buy I doubt there is much difference between any of the major brands. Shop price and features. Is there one with a GPS built in? That would really be handy.
ICOM
I am imprerssed with the ICOM M1 Its waterproof,got Li Ion batteries that last and can't be damaged, its got a squelch and volume knobs that are easy to use. (Some units have keypad buttons that are very difficult to use.) The speaker quality is excellent. Back up , spares and all round good quality that will last. Its also got a battery charge display on the screen so you know when youre getting low. But 80 $ more.
I am imprerssed with the ICOM M1 Its waterproof,got Li Ion batteries that last and can't be damaged, its got a squelch and volume knobs that are easy to use. (Some units have keypad buttons that are very difficult to use.) The speaker quality is excellent. Back up , spares and all round good quality that will last. Its also got a battery charge display on the screen so you know when youre getting low. But 80 $ more.
New version of Uniden Atlantis is good
Tim, I own a 3-year old Uniden Atlantis that had a lot going for it--waterproof, extra pack for AA batteries, good battery life, switch between 1/5 watts, NOAA weather, 3-channel monitoring, low price ($99); but it was a new model and had some bad things (screw-on battery packs, battery packs not sealed when not in use). The new version of the Atlantis fixed those problems (so far as I could see in the store) and seems to be the only radio you can get in blue with white (black looks strange in a white cockpit!). I like it a lot for the price. I hate using the hard-wired vhf on the boat because it actually has too much range; I often get distracted by emergency calls that turn out to be going on almost 100 miles from my location. The handheld really gives you all the range you need for coastal daysailing.
Tim, I own a 3-year old Uniden Atlantis that had a lot going for it--waterproof, extra pack for AA batteries, good battery life, switch between 1/5 watts, NOAA weather, 3-channel monitoring, low price ($99); but it was a new model and had some bad things (screw-on battery packs, battery packs not sealed when not in use). The new version of the Atlantis fixed those problems (so far as I could see in the store) and seems to be the only radio you can get in blue with white (black looks strange in a white cockpit!). I like it a lot for the price. I hate using the hard-wired vhf on the boat because it actually has too much range; I often get distracted by emergency calls that turn out to be going on almost 100 miles from my location. The handheld really gives you all the range you need for coastal daysailing.
I have an Atlantis that must be slightly newer
then Rich's cause the battery packs are easy to replace, the rechargable battery lasts very good. Most of the time I use the radio at close range and prefer the low power, seems like most common useage is for harbor patrol etc. when looking for transient berthing or other vessels within visual range. Once after a dunking I got a report it was slightly garbled but seemed to clear up, probably just water in the mic opening.
then Rich's cause the battery packs are easy to replace, the rechargable battery lasts very good. Most of the time I use the radio at close range and prefer the low power, seems like most common useage is for harbor patrol etc. when looking for transient berthing or other vessels within visual range. Once after a dunking I got a report it was slightly garbled but seemed to clear up, probably just water in the mic opening.
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