VHF

[Fishslayer]

Looking to buy a new VHF radio for the upcoming big pond season. I'm pretty much sold on a boat mount unit and was looking for some advise on which brands you guys have run and how well you like them. Any info would be great. I also was wondering if any of you guys know if the antenna (7-8 ft) glass whip that I have on the boat now (CB) will work for the VHF. If not any recommendations on antennas. Thanks

[kenai]

I had a standard horizon eclipse on my boat when I bought it. It would fail to broadcast intermittently, I dont know if this radio has a history of problems but I replaced it a couple of years ago with a raytheon 53 with an 8'fiberglass whip antenna. Its worked well. You may want to look into the DSC capability even though its not active yet in this area. Some DSC radios come with a panic button that will give your position with the mayday. One less thing to worry about in an emergency.

[Miss B Haven]

Icom is probably top of the class, Standard Horizon is up there, Uniden is bottom of the list (no---hummingbird is probably bottom). Everything else somehwere in between.
CB Antenna will not work on the VHF! Don't try it - might fry the radio (not sure of this but I knw it won't work).
Don't short yourself on the Antenna, at least a good 6db gain! :smile:

I have Kenwood VHF's in Miss B that are 10 years old. Best darn radio I ever listened to or talked on. I didn't even know they made VHF's till I bought this boat. I don't think they do any more! :depressed:

[fish assassin]

I have two VHF's on my boat (one for each stearing station). One is an ICOM
and the other is a Raytheon. I put the Raytheon on the back deck where it is
more exposed to the weather 'cause I've had a history with running Raytheon
radios in my dories and they always held up and performed well.

That said, My ICOM transmits better and further. My Ratheon recieves better, but
is much more scratchy than my ICOM. When it comes time to replace the Ratheon I think
I will probably go with another ICOM (Better features, better out-put).

Whatever you go with, the antenna is your Number ONE concern!! A bad antenna
will make any 'good' radio a bad one!! CB antennas will work (kinda) for a VHF,
but you'll be *MUCH* happier with an antenna built for VHF!

-assAssin-

[Stryker]

Fishslayer;

My name is Tim and I’m an amateur Radio Operator (HAM if you know what that is).

As a HAM I have been using two way radios (UHF & VHF) for years. I have spent countless hours rag chewing with other HAM’s about radio equipment. One brand of radio that clearly leads the way in quality is Icom. The IC-M402 - VHF Marine Radio is an excellent full-featured radio under $200.00.
http://www.icomamerica.com/marine/mo...ain.html#m402s

One important thing to consider is talkback quality. That is the clarity of the speaker you listen to others on. If you can’t hear someone talking to you clearly you will be distracted from the important things like boat control of fishing.

Antenna choice is easy… buy the best antenna you can afford. Seriously a bad antenna cannot only reduce the efficiency of your radio it can render it inoperable if it fails to push out the signal. I even carry a homemade “Rollup J-Pole VHF antenna”. This is a homemade antenna tuned to the exact frequency you want (VHF 16). You can make one for less then $10.00. It rolls up the size of a paper plate and can save your bacon if your antenna has a problem.

I was at Yaquina Bay not long ago and a distress call came into the Coast Guard from a boat that had to relay distress messages for another boat because the antenna on his boat was not working well. Thank God someone was close enough to help him.

[Fishslayer]

Thanks for the info guys :smile:
Stryker, thank you for the link. I was looking at the Icom m45 unit in the cabelas mag yesterday. If im seeing things right the main difference is the DSC? How important and or useful is it? What type of price range should I be looking to spend on a good antenna. MBH mentioned a 6db antenna, I see that cabelas as one (8ft/6db) mount and cable for $75.00 is that going to be good engough. Thanks again for the help.

[skein]

Stryker,

Let me add to Fishslayer's post and ask about your Rollup J-pole antenna. Can you post some info on parts needed and how to make one? Also the best way to deploy it?

This is a good thread, guys. Thanks.

Skein

[Mark Mc]

Fishslayer, please see the other post at top regarding DSC VHF. - MM

[Stryker]

I through together a quick website to show you the “Roll-Up J-Pole Antenna”

http://www.wvi.com/~timt/html/J_Pole.htm

Deploying is easy… getting it as high as you can. The higher it is the farther you can xmit.
No joke, I have gotten better results from this type of antenna then a standard antenna. It is portable and in some cases you can move it around till you get that sweet spot. Also on land you can deploy it in a tree or somewhere high and man can you get out!

[Miss B Haven]

Stryker- be careful about testing on 16. CG will chase you off if you anounce you are testing (assuming they hear you).
People do it all the time (call for radio check) but the coast guard gets after them all the time too. I know it doesn't make sense (of all the places you want to know it works). Funny thing is of course, when thye resond and chase you off, you jsut got your radio check! :grin:
You just need to be a little sneeky, just call a buddy on his boat, even if he doesn't exist. Or.. call "any station, any station" and who ever answers, go up to a working channel and then request a radio check (even if it is the CG that answers, they will ask you to go to 22 and give you that radio check). That way you get to check your transmit and receive too.
Just gotta work the system! :grin:

[Stryker]

Interesting…. FCC rules provide for the need to test and tune on active working frequencies as long as you follow their procedures. I will need to run this one by one of my HAM buddies that work for the FCC.

[Slugranch]

Strycker, I see a need for clarification in the diagram on your site. As I read this, you are telling me to solder my coax shield to left leg of the flat lead and then solder my center wire to the right leg,,,,,,so far OK, but then you solder the two flat leads together at the bottom, isn't that a direct short?

[Stryker]

I know it look strange, but because you are not mounting this to a groundable (groundable is that even a word) surface this step creates a “ground”.

Don’t worry it works.

[bllelk]

So here I am shopping for a VHF for our new (old) boat and here is everything a guy needs to know.
Is this a great BB or what?