Where Best To Purchase A VHF Radio ?

[alan_fincher]

OK,

 

Before I went on a radio course, I assumed that more or less the cheapest I could buy would meet any "inland" needs.

 

Clearly I would need to decide on a "fixed" set versus a hand-held - partly why I have asked questions in another thread.

 

However it became apparent that not all radios are the same, and with the Icom I was allocated, I struggled to read the rather poor black and white LCD screen.

 

Now that may of course be a non issue if I'm only going to tune into London VTS, and stay on one frequency, but obviously I'd like to buy a radio that I can read the display, and where my fingers are not bigger than the buttons.

 

So where, (without travel to Plymouth!), would be a good place to go and look at some, (we are in Hertfordshire).

 

Alternatively, what do you use, please, and would you recommend it to others ?

 

I do not wish to pay the price of a fully functional radio with all facilities, (I don't need it to integrate with a chart plotter!), if a £100 one will meet all the canal and river requirements I'm likely to encounter, though.

 

Again I'd be grateful for all helpful advice

[Keeping Up]

If you decide on a fixed set, the displays and buttons are generally bigger than the hand-held versions. Mine's a fixed Icom, and the display on that is very easy to read from some distance away as the digits about 1.5" high. It's got more functions than I need; it doesn't integrate with a chart plotter but it does integrate with a GPS so it could send out my position as part of a distress call, which is a function I hope I won't ever use. I bought it (new) on eBay about 6 years ago, for £120 IIRC.

 

You're welcome to come and have a look and play with it, but I doubt that we'd find anyone to talk to.

[imnogeek]

This may be of some help http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/49

[alan_fincher]

This may be of some help http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/49

I may be missing something, but that looks like amatear band tranceivers, not marine band ?

 

I do recall seeing some reviews in a yachting magazine or site a while back, but can't find them now.

[carlt]

I've just ordered one of these, as a back up radio.

 

Force4

 

It has more functions than you'll need but is about as basic a new radio you can buy, these days.

 

If you can be bothered to wait until June I'll use it on my next trip out and let you know what I think.

 

Edited to fix link

Edited April 25, 2010 by carlt

[imnogeek]

I may be missing something, but that looks like amatear band tranceivers, not marine band ?

 

maybe not then

 

nothing to see here, move along...

[Keeping Up]

Juist remembered I've got a picture of mine. It lives behind the hinged dash-panel for casual use (the microphone lead hangs out of a hole in the corner of the dash) or hangs like this from a couple of screws in the underside of the hatch for when I want to make "serious" use of it such as being able to see which channel has triggered the triple-watch facility.

 

[alan_fincher]

I've just ordered one of these, as a back up radio.

 

Force4

 

It has more functions than you'll need but is about as basic a new radio you can buy, these days.

 

If you can be bothered to wait until June I'll use it on my next trip out and let you know what I think.

Thanks,

 

I think the link should be.... Modified Linky

 

Yes - Certainly cheap, particularly for a "base station".

 

Force4 seem to offer keen prices. I've compared them to an outfit called "Martin Lynch" who used to be famous in the "amateur" world for keen pricing, but Lynch is far more expensive than Force4.

 

I think any fixed set will offer more than I'm likely to need with a narrow boat, but I'm stunned how much technology £80 will buy these days.

 

I guess I should have asked for antenna advice, too, if not going the hand-held route.

 

Juist remembered I've got a picture of mine. It lives behind the hinged dash-panel for casual use (the microphone lead hangs out of a hole in the corner of the dash) or hangs like this from a couple of screws in the underside of the hatch for when I want to make "serious" use of it such as being able to see which channel has triggered the triple-watch facility.

 

How effective are those "wine glass" antennas ? Is the tuning affected if the contents start to disappear ?

 

EDITED for a typo.

Edited April 25, 2010 by alan_fincher

[carlt]

Thanks for the altered linky. You've highlighted a difference between windows and the linux thingy I'm now running.

I guess I should have asked for antenna advice, too, if not going the hand-held route.

Can't really help there.

 

Having no height restrictions I have a big fibreglass jobbie, on top of the mast.

 

I went for that fixed set, btw, because I was pleased with the, now discontinued, Cobra handheld, I've got.

Edited April 25, 2010 by carlt

[alan_fincher]

I went for that fixed set, btw, because I was pleased with the, now discontinued, Cobra handheld, I've got.

Have you at least had it connected to 12 volts, and how good would you estimate "readibilty" of the screen might be ?

[carlt]

Have you at least had it connected to 12 volts, and how good would you estimate "readibilty" of the screen might be ?

It hasn't arrived yet.

 

I ordered it on Thursday so, hopefully it should get here soon and I'll report back.

[Keeping Up]

I guess I should have asked for antenna advice, too, if not going the hand-held route.

 

How effective are those "wing glass" antennas ? Is the tuning affected if the contents start to disappear ?

The idea is to carefully drink the wine until the SWR is optimal.

 

For antennas, you may be able to tell that mine is an amateur 2m band whip with about 1.5" cut off. It seems to outperform the "blind-mans-stick" marine aerials that you see on most cruisers, with the added bonus of being flexible so you don't lose it under a low bridge.

 

ETA: The display on mine has an orange backlight which comes on when you press any button, or can be set to stay on permanently. That seems to make it highly legible.

Edited April 25, 2010 by Keeping Up

[johnjo]

http://marinestore.co.uk/Merchant2/merchan...Store_Code=mrst

 

RE: Carl's recommendation, the above will show a larger image and all the specs.

Edited April 25, 2010 by johnjo

[Grace and Favour]

Snippy snip>>

 

 

How effective are those "wing glass" antennas ? Is the tuning affected if the contents start to disappear ?

 

I believe that some are better for being read, though others are best described as being all-white, and the best rose to the occasion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(just on my way to the cloakroom- - - )

[carlt]

The idea is to carefully drink the wine until the SWR is optimal.

Is that the "Stable to Wobble Ratio"?

 

or, as the less couth might say:

 

"Sober to W*nk*r*d Ratio"

[Keeping Up]

I believe that some are better for being read, though others are best described as being all-white, and the best rose to the occasion

It depends if your boat is powered by a Bollinger engine.

[Timleech]

I've got one like ebay item 380163999057, 300mm long, chosen for its compact size as it'll go under most bridges that I'll be passing and will easily unscrew from its mount for extreme cases. Seems to work OK, but only used in anger on the MSC so far. A guy on a barge in Manchester told me later that he could hear me OK from Ellesmere Port, so it can't be too bad. It's mounted 8' above the water, on the wheelbox roof, and height is everything with VHF so range would be less on a NB roof but still might be adequate for what you need.

 

Tim

[alan_fincher]

Having asked the question about Marine VHF radios, I thought it worth an update on our experiences.

 

In the end we decided to go the hand-held route.

 

Advantages:

 

1) Nothing needed in the way of installation, (we will hardly ever be using it, after all).

2) No need to establish a power supply

3) (Biggest consideration), can use it on anybody's boat, not just ours.

 

Disadvantages:

 

1) Lower maximum power

2) Generally easier to get an adequate fixed set for less money than hand-held.

 

We went for the Icom IC-M35 because:

 

1) Highest power for hand-held

2) Fully waterproof

3) Will float if dropped in

4) Has useful "sound boost" facility.

5) Has "tri-watch" not just "dual watch".

6) Clear easy display, and sensible sized buttons.

 

It worked superbly on the Thames, (albeit used with an external whip antenna, on a magnetic mount).

 

My hearing is poor, our BMC not quiet, but I had no difficulty hearing what was going on, or communicating with London VTS.

 

(Note: we only went to Brentford, not Teddington, but London VTS was still rock solid there).

 

If you don't mind the increased cost over a basic fixed set, then highly recommended, but there are cheaper ways of meeting the need.