VHF marine radio hand held or Fixed

[bellnier]

Just purchased an O'Day 22. We'll be sailing out of Wellfleet MA. Might sail to Martha's Vineyard. I have read that I should have a VHF marine radio for the boat. Which is better hand held or fixed? If Fixed, do I need to put an antenna on the mast?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Which is preferable is debatable and has been done many times here in the past.
The only thing on which everyone will agree is that having some sort of VHF is the number 1 essential piece of safety equipment made. Same category as life preservers.

 

[Joe11688]

Just purchased an O'Day 22. We'll be sailing out of Wellfleet MA. Might sail to Martha's Vineyard. I have read that I should have a VHF marine radio for the boat. Which is better hand held or fixed? If Fixed, do I need to put an antenna on the mast?

I've got a Standard Voyager Horizon VHF that I bought in 1987 and it's still works like a champ. When I retired in 2000 I was given a Hummingbird hand held which only lasted a few years. I think the battery needs replacing. It's good to have both, but if I had my choice I'd pick the fixed radio with a Shakespeare Stubby antenna at the top of my mast. I mounted the radio just inside the companionway bulkhead and I have a swing out bullhorn connected to it. It's an old radio but it has a PA, Intercom, and an extension speaker input for the bullhorn. It scans and has 40 channels expandable to 55. If you can mount the antenna on the mast you'll get better reception. I have a thru-hull connector for the coax that I bought years ago from CE Beckman. The bull horn is on a swing out at my companionway. Handhelds are OK but fixed VHFs are better and more dependable I think. I also have an emergency antenna in the cabin in the event that I should lose my mast again. I had to use it years ago when I lost my mast out off of Newport. It's only about 6" long and it screws into the radio.
Joe

 

[Shoaldrafter]

Both

I've got a Standard Voyager Horizon VHF that I bought in 1987 and it's still works like a champ. When I retired in 2000 I was given a Hummingbird hand held which only lasted a few years. I think the battery needs replacing. It's good to have both, but if I had my choice I'd pick the fixed radio with a Shakespeare Stubby antenna at the top of my mast. I mounted the radio just inside the companionway bulkhead and I have a swing out bullhorn connected to it. It's an old radio but it has a PA, Intercom, and an extension speaker input for the bullhorn. It scans and has 40 channels expandable to 55. If you can mount the antenna on the mast you'll get better reception. I have a thru-hull connector for the coax that I bought years ago from CE Beckman. The bull horn is on a swing out at my companionway. Handhelds are OK but fixed VHFs are better and more dependable I think. I also have an emergency antenna in the cabin in the event that I should lose my mast again. I had to use it years ago when I lost my mast out off of Newport. It's only about 6" long and it screws into the radio.
Joe

If you can afford it, both. The fixed will have longer range. The hand held should be waterproof so you take it with you overboard.

Ed K
26

 

[estopa]

I just got the Uniden ATLANTIS 250G 2-WAY VHF Marine Handheld Radio. I'll let you know how it handles this weekend. I only sail a few miles out of the Milford Harbor so range wasn't a big need.

 

[bellnier]

Thanks for your comments Joe. BTW, why do you need that swing out bull horn? Is it to hear the radio better during high winds?

 

[estopa]

Thanks for your comments Joe. BTW, why do you need that swing out bull horn? Is it to hear the radio better during high winds?

I thought he got that for the power boaters. To yell at them as they create wakes as they race right by you.