VHF radio recommendations

[patty-ann]

My son, having discovered my plan to cruise the canals has booked me onto a VHF course this weekend. Having read through all the comments am I right in thinking that you need a two way radio --its one of the rules? Or is it as he said if I navigate Thames. He's just done the course and saw that their were canal boaters on it so decided to send me as my Christmas pressy.

[jelunga]

There are 2 reasons to buy a VHF radio. One is to comply with the regs, and to hell with whether it works or not. The Cobra fulfills that role admirably.

 

The second is to actually use it to communicate. If that is what you want to do, buy a fixed radio and install a good aerial.

 

5 watts is better than 2, but the more the merrier. Manufacturers are now quoting audio power (to the loudspeaker) and often omitting to state the transmission power. Something to look out for.

I must take issue on one point and that is power output. Since I started using VHF on the non tidal Trent, I have realised what a bloody nuisance boaters are who transmit on 5w on VHF. They transmit over a large area and block other users of the channel for miles around particularly in flat areas with few hills to screen the signal. I am often accused of using high power at Nether Lock in Newark by Mrsmelly who is driving his aircraft carrier in Nottingham. I do have a nice erect antenna at Nether with few trees or obstructions nearby to attenuate the signal. He also sometimes is audible at Nether.

So if you do get a 5w fixed set with a decent antenna, please do not use 5w near the Trent on ch74..

I can understand that you might need high power in the Thames where city buildings cause screening. The correct procedure would be to attempt to establish comms on LP first and only then if required change to HP.

Remember, everything you say could be heard by the whole world.

Edited December 4, 2013 by jelunga

[frangar]

My son, having discovered my plan to cruise the canals has booked me onto a VHF course this weekend. Having read through all the comments am I right in thinking that you need a two way radio --its one of the rules? Or is it as he said if I navigate Thames. He's just done the course and saw that their were canal boaters on it so decided to send me as my Christmas pressy.

You need a VHF set on the tidal Thames if your boat is over 45 ft. It's not a requirement but is very useful on other rivers like the Severn and Trent and some of the larger canals like the Manchester Ship Canal and the Gloucester & Sharpness. It's hardly used at all on most other canals like the Trent & Mersey, Grand Union etc.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

I must take issue on one point and that is power output. Since I started using VHF on the non tidal Trent, I have realised what a bloody nuisance boaters are who transmit on 5w on VHF. tgey transmit over a large area and block other users of the channel for miles around particularly in flat areas with few hills to screen the signal. I am often accused of using high power at Nether Lock in Newark by Mrsmelly who is driving his aircraft carrier in Nottingham. I do have a nice erect antenna at Nether with few trees or obstructions nearby to attenuate the signal. He also sometimes is audible at Nether.

So if you do get a 5w fixed set with a decent antenna, please do not use 5w near the Trent on ch74..

I can understand that you might need high power in the Thames where city buildings cause screening. The correct procedure would be to attempt to establish comms on LP first and only then if required change to HP.

Remember, everything you say could be heard by the whole world.

That may not be helped by the large trip boat having the aerial much higher than everyone else....I'm surprised 5 watts from a handheld on high power gets that far....fixed sets on high are 25 watts which well might and is probably swamping everything else.

[jelunga]

You need a VHF set on the tidal Thames if your boat is over 45 ft. It's not a requirement but is very useful on other rivers like the Severn and Trent and some of the larger canals like the Manchester Ship Canal and the Gloucester & Sharpness. It's hardly used at all on most other canals like the Trent & Mersey, Grand Union etc.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

That may not be helped by the large trip boat having the aerial much higher than everyone else....I'm surprised 5 watts from a handheld on high power gets that far....fixed sets on high are 25 watts which well might and is probably swamping everything else.

You are quite right. I meant 25w from a fixed set

[Barge Maria]

I've used VHF at sea and inland, and am now afloat in Belgium. Also have a HAM licence. DSC isn't used inland - in mainland EU waters this is replaced by ATIS (automatic transmission identification system - not the same as AIS)) but UK has not signed up to this. ATIS is switch-able on DSC units but if you're not coming over here why pay for it. If you think you might go to sea then maybe.

 

Another thing to mention when comparing mobile phones with a radio is that the phone only contacts one person whereas in an emergency the VHF may be heard by others who are closer to you to render assistance. Equally you might be able to help them!

 

Best brands imho are Standard Horizon (Yaesu to HAM ops) and Icom. I have a Midland unit as one of the 2 (yes 2!) ATIS units that I am required to carry and frankly its rubbish.

 

Hope this helps - cheapest isn't the best here. If you can fit a "proper" fixed station then it really is the best way to go - Standard Horizon Unit at £99 or so is a good one (you won't find a new unit without DSC/ATIS) or Ebay for an older Icom model now that yotties are upgrading (not that anyone ever seems to use DSC anyway......!). Antenna another £30 or so but will come with cable and a plug and is pre-tuned so you won't need a SWR meter for it.

 

Tim

Edited December 4, 2013 by Barge Maria

[Top cat]

Thanks folks I had no idea this would generate such interest. Lots to think about here, we have a semi trad so I'm not sure where we could fit a fixed set and have it out of the way yet accessible to the steerer. I can appreciate that hearing the thing over the engine could be an issue too. So the idea of a hand held which you plug into a decent aerial when required might be a good option. I suppose I could come up with a removable mount for a fixed set anybody done that?

Regarding power it was drummed into us in training to use the minimum power needed to get through. Our trainer reckons he routinely gets through to the Thames barrier from Teddington, I presume on 25W.

 

Thanks for all the advce

 

TC

[Barge Maria]

Quite right about the minimum power to use for the job (although the vast majority don't think that way).

 

The fixed sets aren't too bad to remove as they have knurled finger nuts to hold the rig into the bracket so you can whip 'em out pretty fast. Some are waterproof but I wouldn't want to try it (with a fixed rig that is - I guess the waterproof handies do what they say). With regard to mag-mounts, which some have mentioned, I haven't seen any dedicated marine antennas with these but another option is to buy one for a CB antenna and then buy a 2m/144MHz antenna for the radio ham band and cut that down by a couple of inches (the marine band is at c. 150MHz so the antenna is a bit shorter). You would need a SWR meter or a dip meter for this but it isn't hard to do and may well be cheaper anyway.

 

Tim

If you want to spend silly money to hide the rig away.......

 

http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/marine/mountedvhf/m400bb/default.aspx

 

Edited December 4, 2013 by Barge Maria

[Scholar Gypsy]

Thanks folks I had no idea this would generate such interest. Lots to think about here, we have a semi trad so I'm not sure where we could fit a fixed set and have it out of the way yet accessible to the steerer. I can appreciate that hearing the thing over the engine could be an issue too. So the idea of a hand held which you plug into a decent aerial when required might be a good option. I suppose I could come up with a removable mount for a fixed set anybody done that?

Regarding power it was drummed into us in training to use the minimum power needed to get through. Our trainer reckons he routinely gets through to the Thames barrier from Teddington, I presume on 25W.

 

Thanks for all the advce

 

TC

 

You may like to see this photo. I've used it three times so far, when crewing on other people's boats earlier in the year. It shows the Shakespeare mag mount aerial, which is designed for marine VHF and works very well (I have picked up London VTS as far west as Reading, although they couldn't hear me!).

 

It gets through to VTS from Teddington no problem (although I quite often get overspoken and have to repeat the message, at their request). Next upgrade (at the suggestion of a fellow St Pancras CC member) is to add a coffee cup holder.

 

Edited December 4, 2013 by Scholar Gypsy

[Barge Maria]

You may like to see this photo. I've used it three times so far, when crewing on other people's boats earlier in the year. It shows the Shakespeare mag mount aerial, which is designed for marine VHF and works very well (I have picked up London VTS as far west as Reading, although they couldn't hear me!).........

 

 

Nice, and I stand corrected on the marine mag-mount

 

Tim

[john6767]

 

You may like to see this photo. I've used it three times so far, when crewing on other people's boats earlier in the year. It shows the Shakespeare mag mount aerial, which is designed for marine VHF and works very well (I have picked up London VTS as far west as Reading, although they couldn't hear me!).

 

It gets through to VTS from Teddington no problem (although I quite often get overspoken and have to repeat the message, at their request). Next upgrade (at the suggestion of a fellow St Pancras CC member) is to add a coffee cup holder.

 

I have no practical experience of VHF yet, but am taking the course next week, and have been swotting up on the subject at bit. I am therefore interested to understand how this setup is licensed for the described usage (the "fixed" set not the handheld)?

[Scholar Gypsy]

I have no practical experience of VHF yet, but am taking the course next week, and have been swotting up on the subject at bit. I am therefore interested to understand how this setup is licensed for the described usage (the "fixed" set not the handheld)?

I was rather hoping you wouldn't ask that question. I have:

 

* a licence for me, having done the course

* a handheld (T) licence from Ofcom.

* fixed vessel licence for the fixed radio, when installed on my boat.

 

If ever challenged (and the scrutineering for the Jubilee Pageant did not get into this level of detail), I would turn the big set off and use the handheld. Unless there was an emergency, in which case ...

[john6767]

I was rather hoping you wouldn't ask that question. I have:

 

* a licence for me, having done the course

* a handheld (T) licence from Ofcom.

* fixed vessel licence for the fixed radio, when installed on my boat.

 

If ever challenged (and the scrutineering for the Jubilee Pageant did not get into this level of detail), I would turn the big set off and use the handheld. Unless there was an emergency, in which case ...

Sorry for asking, you confirmed what I thought!

 

Looking at the license conditions it also seems that a handheld with an external area is suspect as a ships portable radio seems to be defined and having its own attached antenna and power source. I guess it should be covered by a ship radios licence (on the specific boat) if it has an external antenna connected, but is is possible to have the same set covered by both a ships radio and ships portable radio licence? I hope the exam does not try and catch you out with details like this!

[Top cat]

Sorry for asking, you confirmed what I thought!

 

Looking at the license conditions it also seems that a handheld with an external area is suspect as a ships portable radio seems to be defined and having its own attached antenna and power source. I guess it should be covered by a ship radios licence (on the specific boat) if it has an external antenna connected, but is is possible to have the same set covered by both a ships radio and ships portable radio licence? I hope the exam does not try and catch you out with details like this!

No it doesn't it is concerned that you know how to make a mayday call correctly and you know radio discipline.

 

TC

[john6767]

No it doesn't it is concerned that you know how to make a mayday call correctly and you know radio discipline.

 

TC

That should not be too hard then!

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

The VHF course isn't so much a Pass or Fail thing, its more an education in usage & voice procedure.

The tend to be good courses,& a chance to ask a professional some questions,as well as get your licence.

Don't overthink it,& have a bit of fun.

Ime sure you will be fine.

[geoffwales]

Dont forget new vhf dsc course starting in January is supposed to be over two days now, but can be done online.

[john6767]

Just resurrecting this thread for no other reason than to say that I did the VHF course today. As others said the exam was easy. Some of the stuff perhaps not of direct relevance to inland use, but interesting enough.

 

Thanks to Carlt for pointing me at HOEOCA through whom I organised the training in Coventry.