remote vhf mic

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Nov 9, 2004
110
Hunter Passage 420 Rock Hall, MD
I am looking to upgrade my vhf to DCS and want to incorporate a remote mic at the helm. Has anyone used the Uniden Wham and if so what was your experience? The reason I am looking at the wireless mic is that I am not sure I can fit the wire of a wired mic with its connector thru the pedistal guard since it is quite full at this point. Any suggestions?
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,077
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Have used one for a few years now. The contemporary ones have no delay on transmit, long-lasting battery capacity and are quite useful throughout the boat and on the dock as well. And the laws of physics apply, i.e., no more prone to going overboard than your cellphone, glasses, wallet, etc...

If the battery did die, I figure the base radio provides backup and I still have my traditional handheld as well.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
I have one

I have a Uniden Wham and am a little less impressed than Don is. My big complaint is that the volume control, for the wham mic, only controls the wham mic's volume. The speaker is tiny and barely audible or understandable without distortion in anything over 12 knots. I have a cockpit mounted VHF speaker that sounds amazing, is crystal clear yet is powered by the main radio. Unfortunately, I can not control the volume of the main radio via the Wham so for me it is more of a PITA and mostly useless. I wind up using my handheld VHF for monitoring 16 because the sound is far superior to that of my wham mic.

I think it is totally ridiculous that any remote mic could not have the option of controlling the base radio volume as well, especially when the speakers are so weak..

I am actually in the process of replacing the entire shebang for one where the remote mic will control the base radios volume. If anyone knows of one that will do this please let me know!
 
Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
IIRC, the Icom remote mics will control either the Command Mic's volume or the volume of both the command mic and the base unit, depending on how you have it set up. However, the Icom mics are wired, not wireless.

I have a Uniden Wham and am a little less impressed than Don is. My big complaint is that the volume control, for the wham mic, only controls the wham mic's volume. The speaker is tiny and barely audible or understandable without distortion in anything over 12 knots. I have a cockpit mounted VHF speaker that sounds amazing, is crystal clear yet is powered by the main radio. Unfortunately, I can not control the volume of the main radio via the Wham so for me it is more of a PITA and mostly useless. I wind up using my handheld VHF for monitoring 16 because the sound is far superior to that of my wham mic.

I think it is totally ridiculous that any remote mic could not have the option of controlling the base radio volume as well, especially when the speakers are so weak..

I am actually in the process of replacing the entire shebang for one where the remote mic will control the base radios volume. If anyone knows of one that will do this please let me know!
 
Oct 14, 2005
2,191
1983 Hunter H34 North East, MD
Uniden WHAM...

I have a Uniden VHF with the wireless WHAM mic. My only issue is the approximate 6 hour up time on a full battery charge. Otherwise it works fine for using the VHF on it's "high" setting for distant contact. Volume isn't an issue at the WHAM, but turning it up at the mic also raises the volume at the base station. I would like to be able to adjust the squelch, though.

In harbor or approaching a marina I rely on a hand-held I keep at the helm as a back up.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Help me understand this stuff, please

Some have purchased wired and others wireless cockpit mics. Some of you have had and others not had success. Some have remote mics of either type with a "backup" handheld in the cockpit. And with all these combinations, there still appears to be some, if not major, disappointment in operations and quality.

We sail with, dare I admit to say, an "ancient" below-decks 1986 non-scanning but full-channeled Standard Horizon. (higgs: sound familiar???) This model was their regular middle or top of the line at the time. There may be a connection on the back of the radio (which is very accessible) that would allow me to install a remote cockpit speaker; I'll check the instruction manual which our PO kindly passed onto us.

We have been sailing for the past 11 years with a handheld in the cockpit. They usually last three or four years and we replace them for less than $100. All of them have served us very well. We have never had difficulty contacting anyone we needed to. Only once or twice have we felt a need to use the down-station w/masthead antenna to send or receive messages.

Admittedly, we do not use the VHF for a lot of "chatter" with other boats. The handheld has been extremely useful for contacting bridges, and listening to CH16, voice traffic, telephone calls before cell phones, VTS and WX. We sail on San Francisco Bay, admittedly a rather small body of water compared to the Chesapeake and the Great Lakes. We do a good amount of ocean sailing, but with little requirement for any long distance contacts.

Questions: Please help me understand and explain what requirements you have that would require BOTH a wired or wireless mic AND a handheld in the cockpit. Is it the distance you may need to have contact? Is it the "backup?" I know we've discussed VHF distances between handhelds and masthead mounted antennas, so do those distance differences make all that much difference to you and if so why? I'm just trying to understand, and plan for the future.

One of our members installed another regular VHF right at his helm, built into the cockpit coaming, saying it was the best of backup and range he could figure! And he added it cost less than a RAM or WHAM mike.

Also, Maine Sail, what remote speaker do you have that you like so much?

Thanks, Stu
 
Feb 22, 2004
222
Hunter H340 Michigan City
I had a Uniden very poor in my opinion I took it back and got a Std Horizon remote with a cable. I love it. The Uniden would fail to receive much of the time I could hear the main unit in the cabin and nothing on the remote and they were less than 10 feet apart. that's my 2 cents
Keith
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,077
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Questions: Please help me understand and explain what requirements you have that would require BOTH a wired or wireless mic AND a handheld in the cockpit. Is it the distance you may need to have contact? Is it the "backup?" I know we've discussed VHF distances between handhelds and masthead mounted antennas, so do those distance differences make all that much difference to you and if so why? I'm just trying to understand, and plan for the future.
Thanks, Stu
Stu
Not sure one size fits all here. To my way of thinking, the radio serves to communicate in an emergency - why wouldn't anyone want a back-up would be my question. If one of the crew is off in the dinghy, with the handheld, I need another radio. The fact that the other (fixed) radio has a wireless mic only adds to the flexibility, particyularly when one considers the wireless mic's range is essentially unlimited compared with that of a handheld.

I never noticed that the remote mic doesn't also control the volume on the fixed receiver - as Dan said, it does on his and mine as well. May be a user setting to which Maine refers.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Don..?

Stu


I never noticed that the remote mic doesn't also control the volume on the fixed receiver - as Dan said, it does on his and mine as well. May be a user setting to which Maine refers.
Do you guys have a Uniden base unit and the Uniden WHAM? My boat came with a new DSC West Marine/Uniden VHF and the Uniden WHAM. The WHAM does not control the volume on the WM/Uniden model. If it does on a real Uniden then that makes it much more simple and all I need to do is ditch the WM base radio And replace it with the branded Uniden..
 
Jul 1, 1998
3,062
Hunter Legend 35 Poulsbo/Semiahmoo WA
Consider checking for magnetic interference

As a suggestion, before installing any speakers at, or around, the compass, it might be a good idea to check first for magnetic interference with the new item.

If the store where you purchased the item will accept a return if the seal isn't broken, one could take the box and move it around the compass to see if there is any movement in the compass card. If the card moves and the planned mounting location is within that range, then there is a decision of whether it should be mounted further away.

The other scenario would be in the powered-up mode, RX and TX, which would mean it has to be removed from the box and connected. Perhaps an email to the manufacturer with a question about the change in magnetic field might help. Since most electronics probably comes from China and the "American company" is only a distributor, at this point it might just be "good luck" and the consumer is on their own.

I've got a push-to-talk remote mic with speaker that was never installed because of its magnetic interference problems.

Just some thoughts before going full steam ahead.
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Uniden

I have a Uniden mike at the helm wired to the base station down below,the remote mike at the helm has all the controls except the emergency DSC.
I have always used the remote at the helm for communicating on VHF with out ever having a problem,its works as good if not better than the base station.
I don't what model off hand.
nick
 

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Sep 29, 2008
1,928
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
My $0.02

I have a Standard Horizon with the wired remote mike and it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It also to to my GPS so I had the DSC functionality. With a wireless remote you have to charge the batteries and one of the posts mentioned 6 hours. Great if daysailing, but not much good for extended trips. How about using your other pedestal to run the wire. PaulJ did that for his Autopilot install and indicated it wasn't that big of a deal. Then you can also get a handheld (probably all runs in $$$ about the same as the the wireless remote).
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,077
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Do you guys have a Uniden base unit and the Uniden WHAM? My boat came with a new DSC West Marine/Uniden VHF and the Uniden WHAM. The WHAM does not control the volume on the WM/Uniden model. If it does on a real Uniden then that makes it much more simple and all I need to do is ditch the WM base radio And replace it with the branded Uniden..
I'm not sure what the distinction is between my Uniden (which has DSC) and your WM Uniden but yes, I do have the Uniden VHF and Uniden WHAM.
 
Dec 3, 2003
544
None None Rochester, NY
Wow... I find the differences in opinions impressive. I bought the first Uniden DSC VHF and WHAM mic years ago. The main problem I have is the short delay when receiving. This delay will chop off the first syllable or word of the in-coming message. The Mic is also a little thicker then the new version. I have had no problem with battery life, having used it all day while crossing Lake Ontario. I keep it in the AC charger when not in use, and I am connected to shore power. Mine is AC charge only, the new one is 12V DC charge only.

Uniden says there is nothing they can do about the delay in my radio, and say that the new version doesn't have that problem. The new Uniden also doesn't use a seperate transceiver for the Wham; it is built into the radio now. My WHAM also doesn't display lat-long information as the base station does. I don't know if the new WHAM displayes lat-long.

I have no problem with the volume on the WHAM mic. I would guess if you had a power boat, it would be difficult with any radio, but while sailing, it is fine. If I want to also hear the base station, I just turn the volume up before going to the cockpit.

One further note: My fiend has the same radio as I do. The quality of his transmitted voice is slightly "talking through a tube" quality. I tend to be a bit of a purfectionist with voice quality on the VHF since electronic communications was my career before retiring.

Would I buy another one? You bet. Would it be a Uniden? I would have to do further research to see if it did what the present one lacks.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,885
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Standard Horizon, wired remote, OUTSTANDING.. absolutely no issues with it. The mike has an excellent speaker and controls .. Plug is mounted in the combing cubby, aft port near the wheel.. an easy install on the H 34. I have a handheld as well, an ancient Standard Horizon, but it is used mostly for dingy excursions now..
 
Oct 14, 2005
2,191
1983 Hunter H34 North East, MD
Maine Sail & Stu...

Maine Sail: The Uniden VHF I have was almost new when I bought the boat in '05. The remote antenna wasn't even hooked up yet. I mounted it in the aft cabin's hanging locker, placing it about 6 feet from the wheel location. If memory serves, the model number is a 525. WM's cost mods may have deleted or disabled some of the original Uniden capabilities. It is a DSC unit but I haven't linked it to the GPS yet but plan to do so now that I have a new Autopilot that accepts GPS input as well.

Stu: Having the hand-held in the cockpit with the WHAM mike gives me several options. The WHAM/base station stays on 16. The WHAM scans 16, 9 and 71 (our common club comm channel). I can also switch easlily to NOAA weather on the hand-held. Most often I use it when approaching a marina so that the base unit doesn't blow their ears off at the high wattage setting. It's masthead antenna gives it long range with power, something that's not needed in-harbor. Also, I can take the hand-held with me on the dock and still monitor 16 and 71, something the WHAM can't do very far from the boat.
 

Jimm

.
Jan 22, 2008
372
Hunter 33.5 Bodkin Creek - Bodkin YC
I use a Standard Horizon with wired remote mic at the helm - follow the link and scan to the bottom of the page for pic. Remote mic controls all functions of the base radio. Had to upgrade to 1 1/4" pedestal guard to accommodate radio and C-80 plotter.......a good workable set up. Never been in a situation where I needed a wireless - also less likely that the remote goes overboard :)
http://backcreek.110mb.com/index.php?p=1_12_Upgrades-cabin
 
Dec 3, 2003
544
None None Rochester, NY
The new WHAM mic from Uniden claims up to 0.5 mile range from base station; and you can use up to 4 separate WHAM units. It uses 2.4 GHz between mic and radio. My old WHAM used 900 MHz and has a range of only 50 feet or so.
 

BarryL

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May 21, 2004
1,000
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 Mt. Sinai, NY
Hi,

Just to echo (get it, echo?) what others have written, I have a wired remote mic for my Standard Horizon radio. The sound quality is good and the wired remote works very well. I gave up on anything Uniden because the sound quality is just so bad.

One thing I like about the SH radio is that when connected to a GPS you get lat / long and speed displayed on the base unit, so it works like a repeater. The speed is in whole numbers, so not so great for a sailboat, but better than nothing.

I also have a hand held radio, but I wear it on my body in case something bad happens. Normally I use the remote mic or the base unit mounted inside to communicate.

Lastly, for in harbor comms, I switch to low power mode so not everyone has to hear me.

Barry
 
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