Hand Held VHF Radios

[pearley]

I only want one for occasional use (taking the course next week) but what to get? For the Trent at first.

 

Midland do one that's only about £50 but the output is 1 watt on low power and 3 watts on high. Is this sufficient?

 

Regards

Pete

Edited January 20, 2012 by pearley

[Alan de Enfield]

Higher 'wattage' and longer aerial are always going to make transmit / receive better.

 

I'm fairly sure that the maximum legal wattage for a hand-held is 5 watts.

 

I'd suggest that a 3W would be sufficient. Certainly for the non-tidal Trent where the locks are relatively close together and the ground relatively flat you should be just about able to reach from one lock to the other - but certainly if you are in-between locks you will reach one of them.

The lockies have huge dipoles on 20+ foot poles so they can 'suck-in' your signal - the main problem with low-wattage is cutting thru the 'noise' if you are in a busy area or the receiving set has the squelch turned up.

 

Whilst somewhat destroying the flexibility of a hand held you could instal a 'full size' aerial (maybe 5/8ths whip) which you could connect to the hand-held to increase range.

 

No recommendations on models as I only used a fixed VHF

[Barry]

And me! And me!

 

I'm in the process of getting myself onto a VHF course too and I too am looking for a reasonably priced reasonably efficient radio

[carlt]

I've got a Midland Nautico NT1 which transmits at 1 or 5W.

 

It's a very basic compact bit of kit but it does the job and came with a NiMh power pack rather than needing AA batteries all the time.

 

Bazza, because your boat is capable of cruising more interesting waters, I'd look at getting a fixed rig as well as a back up handheld.

[Alan de Enfield]

Just thinking about this whole 'Hand-Held Vs Fixed' VHF radios I came to the conclusion that there is a 'half-way' house (which is almost what I use)

 

A fixed (25 watt) radio mounting bracket is attached to a magnetic base.

The 'fixed' radio is mounted into its base.

The power supply is via a cigarette lighter socket located at the rear of the boat.

Mag mount aerial.

 

The radio (via its mag mount bracket) can sit on the back of the boat, or on the hatch, (sorry - just wont work for you Bazza) and is in easy reach of the person operating the tiller etc. The aerial can be mounted well forward with the lead running back along the roof to the radio.

Most fixed sets have a socket for an external speaker so if you have a particularly noisy boat you can even add an external speaker or an ear-piece.

 

Tip - if using mag-mounts use a piece of tissue under the magnet. Its surprising what minute pieces of metal the magnet can find when its lying about and it WILL scratch your paintwork.

 

Advantages :- A full 25 watt power with associated extra 'range', no batteries to remember to charge up & the whole set up can be installed in 5 minutes when you are approaching the river and put away within 5 minutes when you leave the river.

 

Disadvatage :- Slightly more expensive than a hand held unit & you need to find somewhere to store it when on the cut.

[Timleech]

Higher 'wattage' and longer aerial are always going to make transmit / receive better.

 

I'm fairly sure that the maximum legal wattage for a hand-held is 5 watts.

 

I'd suggest that a 3W would be sufficient. Certainly for the non-tidal Trent where the locks are relatively close together and the ground relatively flat you should be just about able to reach from one lock to the other - but certainly if you are in-between locks you will reach one of them.

The lockies have huge dipoles on 20+ foot poles so they can 'suck-in' your signal - the main problem with low-wattage is cutting thru the 'noise' if you are in a busy area or the receiving set has the squelch turned up.

 

Whilst somewhat destroying the flexibility of a hand held you could instal a 'full size' aerial (maybe 5/8ths whip) which you could connect to the hand-held to increase range.

 

No recommendations on models as I only used a fixed VHF

 

My Icom M71 has a max 6W output, I doubt you'd notice much difference over 5W though. Aerial height is, I think, much more important.

Those who worry abut mobile phones affecting the brain should have a field day if they considered handheld VHF sets!

 

 

Tim

[carlt]

Those who worry abut mobile phones affecting the brain should have a field day if they considered handheld VHF sets!

 

Never did me any harm

[Alan de Enfield]

Those who worry abut mobile phones affecting the brain should have a field day if they considered handheld VHF sets!

 

 

Tim

 

I must admit in the old days when I was sidebanding / DX'ing and had a 400 watt amplifier I did make sure my head was below aerial level.

[simon&jan]

Hi all bit new to this , is vhf a legal requirement on the trent , will be using it a bit ( trent i mean ,not radio) when we go out cruising?

[ditchcrawler]

My Icom M71 has a max 6W output, I doubt you'd notice much difference over 5W though. Aerial height is, I think, much more important.

Those who worry abut mobile phones affecting the brain should have a field day if they considered handheld VHF sets!

 

 

Tim

Motorola use to have a warning telling you not to stick the aerial up your nose or in your mouth

[by'eck]

I've always rated ICOM marine radio products. Check out their range of hand helds here then shop around for best price.

[Proper Job]

Motorola use to have a warning telling you not to stick the aerial up your nose or in your mouth

Ear and arse is fine then?

 

[Alan de Enfield]

Hi all bit new to this , is vhf a legal requirement on the trent , will be using it a bit ( trent i mean ,not radio) when we go out cruising?

 

Not a legal requirement but 'strongly recommended'

 

I think from the various previous posts on here that the majority would say its a necessity (but some have done the Trent many times without a VHF and without incident)

 

Big boats, moving sand banks, tides, weirs etc.

Even just the convenience of calling up the lockies to have the lock in your favour make it worthwhile.

 

You can also choose to have (or not to have) lifejackets and an anchor.

 

From the Boating Association "The Trent Chart Series"

This is in large, bold text and in capital letters in the front of the chart:

 

"DO NOT ATTEMPT TO NAVIGATE THE TIDAL SECTIONS WITHOUT SAFETY EQUIPMENT (ANCHOR, SUFFICIENT CHAIN/ROPE & LIFEJACKETS FOR ALL CREW) ENSURE THAT YOU OBSERVE BRITISH WATERWAYS BYELAWS AND THAT YOU HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COLISION REGULATIONS"

 

Your life - your choice. However if someone was killed because of your perceived negligence in not providing recommended safety equipment ..............

[simon&jan]

I see , better do vhf licence then ! Always gonna have lifejackets ,ropes, chains, anchor ,liferaft and stuff AND a vhf radio , cheers ,for putting me right! Thats a big 10/4 buddy !

[ditchcrawler]

Ear and arse is fine then?

 

I think its OK if you don't transmit

 

I see , better do vhf licence then ! Always gonna have lifejackets ,ropes, chains, anchor ,liferaft and stuff AND a vhf radio , cheers ,for putting me right! Thats a big 10/4 buddy !

Don't say that in your radio exam

[Alan de Enfield]

 

Don't say that in your radio exam

 

"Over & Out" is another popular one !!!

 

Marine VHF is a little different to the old 'naughty forty' - "Good Buddy", "Seat Covers", "Convoy" & "Smokey Bears" dont get much mention on the water.

 

Far better to concentrate on the "Pan-Pan" and "Mayday" calls.

 

All the 88's 'Flyboy' / 1FT84

[ridders]

pbo did a handheld test recently, i was looking for a link and found a copy online

http://www.msgmarine.co.za/VHF%20Radios%20on%20test-3DE.pdf

hope that helps

paul

[pearley]

pbo did a handheld test recently, i was looking for a link and found a copy online

http://www.msgmarine.co.za/VHF%20Radios%20on%20test-3DE.pdf

hope that helps

paul

Thanks. Will print that out to read.

 

Pete

[alan_fincher]

I've always rated ICOM marine radio products. Check out their range of hand helds here then shop around for best price.

The Icom's are indeed probably amongst the very best.

 

I have an IC-M35, and am very pleased with it.

 

It offers advantages like 6 watts output, being buoyant (although I hope it never goes in), and the "clear boost" speech output that really does seem to help if like me you have poor hearing and a noisy engine.

 

However good though they are, if it's for only occasional use, no way are you going to find any of the better new Icoms at the low prices offered for sets from other manufacturers. You can easily I think buy two of something else for the price of one Icom.

 

Any hand held will be limited more by its "rubber duck" antenna than by its transmit power. That's why I use ours with a whip antenna on a magnetic mount on the boat roof. I don't think the hand held on its own antenna could easily stay in contact with London VTS throughout the entire trip. With an external one, it seems fine, and London VTS hear me OK on the lower power level that a hand held has.

 

EDITED TO ADD:

 

For some resaon that review you have been given a link to lists all the Icoms I think except the IC-M35 that I have. When I researched it that seemed best of the bunch, so odd that's the one they have not apparently tested.

Edited January 20, 2012 by alan_fincher

[Guest]

Any hand held will be limited more by its "rubber duck" antenna than by its transmit power. That's why I use ours with a whip antenna on a magnetic mount on the boat roof. I don't think the hand held on its own antenna could easily stay in contact with London VTS throughout the entire trip. With an external one, it seems fine, and London VTS hear me OK on the lower power level that a hand held has.

 

This is one of the reasons I went with a Midland Pacific

 

http://www.alan-uk.com/marine/products_portable_pacific.shtml

 

- as I understand the antenna is removable and can be replaced with a lead for an external whip aerial - never done it yet as it's only been used to monitor commercial stuff on our navigation.

 

I do think if we ever ventured out on to the Tidal Trent or the Thames I'd be trying one for transmitting (Only after doing the course of course).

[mrsmelly]

I only want one for occasional use (taking the course next week) but what to get? For the Trent at first.

 

Midland do one that's only about £50 but the output is 1 watt on low power and 3 watts on high. Is this sufficient?

 

Regards

Pete

 

I ended up after researching as we all do, with a Standard Horizon hx750s, they are about 150 quid ish if I remember. It has 4 settings with 6 watts the highest. It performs crystal clear, is fully waterproof, indeed submersible so can be left on the cabin even in torrential rain. A good point is the lithiom ion battery and size. It is not too small so cold hands could hold it and press the sensibly sized/located buttons. It also has a lot of features that may/may not be what you want.

[Richard10002]

I only want one for occasional use (taking the course next week) but what to get? For the Trent at first.

 

Midland do one that's only about £50 but the output is 1 watt on low power and 3 watts on high. Is this sufficient?

 

Regards

Pete

 

As an ex Merchsnt Navy Officer, and having sailed for over 30 years, I would suggest doing the course before buying a unit. You will understand more about how they work, and be able to cut through the chaff on here. In addition, you can ask the trainer for some advice.

 

I've always rated ICOM, but gained a leaning towards Standard Horizon in the latter years.

 

As has been mentioned, they work line of sight, so the aerial heights of bot receiver and transmitter play a large part in performance.

 

Richard

[NB Willawaw]

Another vote for Icom - never use anything else.

[alan_fincher]

This is one of the reasons I went with a Midland Pacific

 

http://www.alan-uk.com/marine/products_portable_pacific.shtml

 

- as I understand the antenna is removable and can be replaced with a lead for an external whip aerial - never done it yet as it's only been used to monitor commercial stuff on our navigation.

 

I do think if we ever ventured out on to the Tidal Trent or the Thames I'd be trying one for transmitting (Only after doing the course of course).

The problem, if it is anything like the Icoms, is that connecting an external antenna to a hand-held may require an adaptor that is specific to the way the "rubber duck" normally screws on to the rig.

 

I was able to buy the requitred part, but the cost was eye-watering. Can't remember exactly, but I have memories of about £16 for something where £1.60 might have seemed more reasonable!

 

I used to "do" amateur radio, so know these specialist manufacturers can "charge like the Light Brigade", but was stunned by the cost of that bespoke part.

[Guest]

The problem, if it is anything like the Icoms, is that connecting an external antenna to a hand-held may require an adaptor that is specific to the way the "rubber duck" normally screws on to the rig.

 

I was able to buy the requitred part, but the cost was eye-watering. Can't remember exactly, but I have memories of about £16 for something where £1.60 might have seemed more reasonable!

 

I used to "do" amateur radio, so know these specialist manufacturers can "charge like the Light Brigade", but was stunned by the cost of that bespoke part.

 

Seemingly it has a Detachable antenna (SMA connector)

 

A google about would seem to show leads are available but what happens at the other end (where it connects to the antenna) is a mystery..

 

 

 

..

Edited January 20, 2012 by MJG