radio and gps for the ocean

[Daniel Youngblood]

We will be going to the Gulf and I will be installing GPS and vhs radio. I need some ideas on where to mount equipment and any ideas on what kind of vhs radio and antenna to buy and should I mount antenna on mast? I dont want to have to spend a fortune for these units any IDEAS would be great. Thanks Danny

 

[Herb]

Go simple

Hi Daniel I sail in the coastal waters of Southeast Alaska and have already done the radio and GPS thing. I would Buy a hand held GPS. I have a etrex mariner ( 175.00) and am very happy with it. For a couple hundred more i could have gone with a mapping unit. I would love to spend the 1000.00 for a good color mapping GPS but have not been able to justify the expense. Second as it is a portable unit you can put it anywhere. I have a pocket it for it just inside the cabin. I can reach in from the cockpit and grab it as needed . Second I went with a uniden VHS. about 150.00 I placed my across from the table mounted to the cabin roof again I can reach it from every location in the cabin except for the Vbirth and It is also easy to grab from the cockpit. You just need to find what you like, Think about it after you buy it and the right moutning location will come to you. As for the antenna, on the mast is the way to go in my book. The extra 26 feet helps with the range when i am sailig around the islands here. Herb

 

[Aldo]

I agree with Herb

Danny: I agree with Herb. I have the same exactly the same GPS and VHF as him and my reply would have been exactly like his, including installing the VHF antenna on top of the mast. AldoHerb: I agree with you about the $1000 GPS too. My brother asked me to look for a little GPS for him the other day, because he is going on a cruise (ship) cruise. So I got to look at the big ones while I was shopping. They look nice and the size of the screen looks about right to me. I think that I even saw a nice one for $800. I think it's a shame that they make them so small. I know that my eyes aren't as good as they used to be, but I still think that they are just making them way too small. I think the GPS manufactures will realize this in a few years. Aldo