Recommendation on VHF, Portable Marine Radio

[Julian]

Garmin Fantom

Is that thing $999 and says it requires purchase of a pedestal which is $6000??? Very unclear....but it is also 4' wide? Plenty of time to hunt....

 

[Murf'n'surf]

If you are interested in seeing radar, look for a chart plotter that is capable of overlaying XM/Sirius Master Mariner Weather. I have used this service for years and can vouch for its accuracy in radar maps and wave predictions.

I dont see a need for the actual radar system on a small vessel unless you find yourself in busy shipping channels while socked full of fog.

 

[Betik]

I am glad somebody has had the same experience with iPad/iPhone on a boat in South Florida....Its just too damn sunny and hot to rely on these devices for safety and navigation.

I have been able to replicate the Ipad issue in Dallas, just like it happened in south florida.

I documented this on my trilogy and it was not fun, when you think you have 4 navigation options and when push comes to shave you are down to one.

• Ipad in comma
• Inreach to small of screen.
• VHF to small of screen to navigate in 2 feet waves ( at least for me)

BETIK: BRUCE BRUCE THIS IS BETIK. I HAVE THE PLOTTER UP, I AM IN COURSE, I CAN TAKE THE LEAD.

Bruce is breaking north, and I am following

BETIK: BRUCE BRUCE ARE YOU RETURING TO PORT EVERGLADES?

BRUCE: NEGATIVE

Bruce actually is turning north to fall behind me.

BETIK: TAKING OVER

BETIK: SARAH TURN THE IPAD , TRACK US, MAKE SURE WE STAY IN COURSE, HUNG THE INREACH AROUND YOUR NECK

SARAH: IPAD NOT WORKING, MUST BE SOCKED IN WATER.

BETIK: DAM OKAY, FU.. I cannot see a direction on the VHF screen either

Eyes back on the primary. My Garmin 740S is clearly showing us north/northeast. O shoot I got off course, while following Bruce. Relax, stay on plane, figure what is best way to turn. Hard right to east or loop west, south and then east !!!!

Within seconds an alarmed voice comes on the radio .....

 

[Betik]

Is that thing $999 and says it requires purchase of a pedestal which is $6000??? Very unclear....but it is also 4' wide? Plenty of time to hunt....

yes off course, typical west marine. I am sure the 18 inch Radome for $1,999 will do just fine though.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

In this age of electrical/computer wizardry, a compass on the dash is often laughed at...... its a must in those oh shit I cant see situations.

 

[Betik]

If you are interested in seeing radar, look for a chart plotter that is capable of overlaying XM/Sirius Master Mariner Weather. I have used this service for years and can vouch for its accuracy in radar maps and wave predictions.

I dont see a need for the actual radar system on a small vessel unless you find yourself in busy shipping channels while socked full of fog.

I need to research on XM subscription, but I hate paying subscriptions.

Actually I do think that your assessment is correct in terms of the radar, but besides the weather, I want to be able to track the rest of the group. In order for me to maintain visual contact with Bruce during the storm, I had to eat his wake on my face.

As a general note in this context I like to think like a Roman Si vis pacem, para bellum, so for me , if i want peace of mind, I need to prepare for worse case scenario. ( in simple English it translates to insecurity LOL )

 

[Betik]

In this age of electrical/computer wizardry, a compass on the dash is often laughed at...... its a must in those oh shit I cant see situations.

It did cross my mind before the trip but

1. I was feeling cocky about my back ups . Lesson learned.
2. I was not sure if I could maintain such degree of accuracy, so not to miss Bimini by a mile or 2. Probably will install one, just in case.
3. I thought, the Yamaha build in compass will be adequate for "oh shit situations". Wrong

 

[Bruce]

Here are a few thoughts;

The storm that hit us was relatively small causing a few minutes of chaos. Weather radar had been checked before leaving Port Everglades but did not predict an issue at the time. We could see the storm approaching with our eyes so it was not a surprise. I doubt radar on our boats would have changed the situation.

I do like the idea of radar and keep an eye on the market. If I were to buy it would be a radar system that would integrate with a plotter. I doubt that any system in our budgets would support tracking 40+ boats. My primary purpose for radar would be night boating.

The reason that I veered north was that I had lost my glasses and have a -6 prescription which means I can not read more than a few inches from my face without glasses. I switched to prescription sunglasses but was unable to read my plotter clearly through their polarization. I had a compass bearing which would have been helpful but at the pace we were going would have needed to compensate for perhaps 8 miles of drift in the stream so passing point onto someone who could see their plotter was the best option.

If every boat installed an AIS receiver we would be able to track every boat all the time. That would be awesome but most are unwilling to make the $500 investment.

If every boat installed a VHF with DSC we could split into groups of 6 with the ability to track everyone in the group. Unfortunatley most are unwilling to make this $250 investment.

Back to the thread topic, if it will be your primary radio buy a Standard Horizon HX870 to have a reliable radio with GPS and DSC built in. If they are to be used as walkie talkies, where that is legal, buy the best cheap radios you can find. Currently I feel that the Uniden Atlantis 270 is a great choice at around $80. If you want to talk more than two miles buy a fixed VHF with GPS and DSC.

 

[Bennie]

@Bennie can you share a picture when you have time. I am not clear on how the unscrewable 8' antenna mount works

I sure will bud. But for a quick synopsis of the set up - it comes with a mount and cable that you permanently install on your boat. The antenna simply screws on/off for ease of replacement, or removal for traveling or low bridges. Additionally they offer a 4' antenna and an 8' antenna for your changing needs.

I will most likely be installing this next week (once the kid goes back to school and the days belong to dad again)

 

[Julian]

Back to the thread topic, if it will be your primary radio buy a Standard Horizon HX870 to have a reliable radio with GPS and DSC built in.

After making the bimini trip and rescuing Barefoot Island, there is no way I'd ever do this without a full size 25w radio with an 8' max range antenna. If Barefoot Island had only had a handheld, I am pretty certain the outcome would have been quite different - like them getting plucked off their boat by the Coast Guard and taken back to Miami, while their kids were in Bimini (as they'd been transferred to another boat when Barefoot Island ran out of gas). A handheld is fine when you are with a group. But the Barefoot Island situation is a perfect example-no one was going to sit with them and drift in the middle of the passage. Another example is "Drift Away", their lack of a full size radio resulted in them drifting for a LOT longer than they should have.

I agree with you that your primary radio should also have GPS and DSC built in...

Back to the OPs topic....looking for a handheld.....So if you are looking for a handheld for inshore purposes...great. But I'd strongly advise you to get a full size radio for anything offshore.

 

[Bruce]

@Julian, I am going off topic again but I have not and would not cross to Bimini without a fixed VHF with DSC with a good antenna. We have the fixed VHF, four handhelds and a inReach satellite tracker on board.

 

[Sbrown]

So I am looking for a decent but inexpensive handheld VHF for inshore, what's a good option? I don't need GPS or DSC right now. Long story short, I have all the high power offshore stuff, I just haven't installed it in the new boat yet and I want a handheld for the trip around Manhattan in two weeks. I don't want to pay 200+ for it. Main thing I need is the ability to communicate reliably short range right now.

 

[Bruce]

@Sbrown, you can get a Uniden Atlantis 270 for less than $80 shipped. I believe it to be the best of the value priced floating radios. The lithium battery is a huge advantage over most.