1 high end vhf or 2 lower end vhf radios?

[Speedling]

So, my boat has a built in cobra vhf with the distress signal gps and dsc but i need to buy the gps parts as an add on. No big deal.
But, i was also thinking that for [USERGROUP=14]@Bimini[/USERGROUP] and [USERGROUP=25]@Cumberland / Kentucky[/USERGROUP] trips it would be good to have a handheld. At Cumberland all the marinas have taxis both on water and land that all use marine vhf to communicate. If you need a ride up to the hotel/cottage just tune in and ask and they take care of it.

In any case, i don't know if i shoud get a handheld with the gps and dsc on it or just get two cheaper ones for the dame price. The nicer handheld would be nice for emergency usage if thrown from the boat. The two cheaper ones would be used all the time for communication with marinas and my wife from parking lot to marina etc.

So, anyone with 2 cents of an opinion go ahead and chime in!

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

You most definitely want a handheld in Bimini as that is what you'll use for all communications while not in your boat. In short, everyone has a handheld. I personally didn't buy the top of the line as I thought it was overkill for my intended use. With that said, don't buy the cheaper ones either that are not waterproof as they might lead you to believe because a little salt water and they are dead. I purchased a Standard Horizon HX150. It floats, has 5 watt of power, good battery life, and it only cost me $60 to $70. It worked well and I saw a few more of those around Bimini. I believe @tim h had one as well. Maybe he can chime in. I'm sure @Bruce will have some better insight.

 

[swatski]

I would get the GPS for the built-in unit, somehow, then get the MMSI# online (free -- just program it into the unit) and you will have a fully functional DSC radio.
What @Ramblin Wreck said on the handheld.

 

[Bruce]

Since you already have a fixed VHF radio in the boat I would get two inexpensive IPX7 floating handhelds. It is nice to be able to leave part of the family with one or to have a spare powered off when you are on land. Remember these will be used for communication with other JetBoaters and local services while in Bimini.

 

[Gym]

I do agree with you, @Speedling, on the hand held in the event you have to abandon ship.

 

[zipper]

We have a fixed VHF with antenna on the tower and the floating hand held mentioned above. We use the handheld pre-boating to get the weather forecast for the day while getting ready at home. Its also used to communicate if one of us leaves the boat to go ashore. Much better than dropping cell phone in the water and less hassle than taking it out of a dry bag to use it. It would not be used for casual conversation, but only in a emergency while on the water.

 

[Bruce]

Its also used to communicate if one of us leaves the boat to go ashore.

It is illegal to use a marine radio on shore.

 

[Speedling]

It is illegal to use a marine radio on shore.

Unless communicating with someone on the water. I asked at Lake Cumberland because every office, marina, shuttle van etc have one. 90% of communication is between office on top of hill 200 foot above and the shuttle vans. They told me since they also talk with dock services lije fuel and water taxi they are allowed to do this.

But no, not as on land talking.

I am gonna put one nicer one on the amazon Christmas list and see what happens. Hope to secure to a life jacket if conditions warrant.

 

[Bruce]

@Speedling, this is the FCCs position for US soil;

Using Hand-Held Marine VHF Radios on Land
You must have a special license, called a marine utility station license, to operate a hand-held marine radio from land -- a ship station license IS NOT sufficient. You may apply for this license by filing FCC Forms 159 and 605 with the FCC. To be eligible for a marine utility station license, you must generally provide some sort of service to ships or have control over a bridge or waterway. Additionally, you must show a need to communicate using hand-held portable equipment from both a ship and from coast locations. Each unit must be capable of operation while being hand-carried by an individual. The station operates under the rules applicable to ship stations when the unit is aboard a ship, and under the rules applicable to private coast stations when the unit is on land.

I believe the typical fine is $10K.

 

[Speedling]

@Speedling, this is the FCCs position for US soil;

Using Hand-Held Marine VHF Radios on Land
You must have a special license, called a marine utility station license, to operate a hand-held marine radio from land -- a ship station license IS NOT sufficient. You may apply for this license by filing FCC Forms 159 and 605 with the FCC. To be eligible for a marine utility station license, you must generally provide some sort of service to ships or have control over a bridge or waterway. Additionally, you must show a need to communicate using hand-held portable equipment from both a ship and from coast locations. Each unit must be capable of operation while being hand-carried by an individual. The station operates under the rules applicable to ship stations when the unit is aboard a ship, and under the rules applicable to private coast stations when the unit is on land.

I believe the typical fine is $10K.

Interesting!
I doubt the fact that it is an army corp lake changes anything either. Perhaps that is why everything is a hardwired unit and not "handheld"? Loophole?

Either that or every marina there is in big trouble!

 

[Bruce]

Interesting!
I doubt the fact that it is an army corp lake changes anything either. Perhaps that is why everything is a hardwired unit and not "handheld"? Loophole?

Either that or every marina there is in big trouble!

I would guess that they have a station license. I believe you are close enough to the Great Lakes that they would get caught if broadcasting without a license.

 

[Speedling]

I would guess that they have a station license. I believe you are close enough to the Great Lakes that they would get caught if broadcasting without a license.

I was talking about Lake Cumberland in Kentucky. Lot of areas with no cell coverage but there are marinas scattered everywhere. I am going to guess that at LEAST the state dock has a liscense.

 

[zipper]

@Bruce @Speedling Thanks for the info, I must have missed that part in the manual while installing. We bought the handheld first and have not ever broadcast from land but do turn on at home occasionally to get marine weather forecast prior to going out. I can understand why we are not to use it on land as there was at least one false report of a vessel in distress this year, broadcast from land, that kept the Coast Guard out late into the night. Hard to believe someone would intensionally do that. , Good info you guys, will keep using cell phone dry bags to carry communications when one of us goes ashore. We do like having two radios on board in case one craps out. I guess I will just have to wait to get the marine forecast until I get to the boat. Oh well so much for "Proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance". Local weather prognosticators are wrong too often.

 

[Speedling]

@Bruce @Speedling Thanks for the info, I must have missed that part in the manual while installing. We bought the handheld first and have not ever broadcast from land but do turn on at home occasionally to get marine weather forecast prior to going out. I can understand why we are not to use it on land as there was at least one false report of a vessel in distress this year, broadcast from land, that kept the Coast Guard out late into the night. Hard to believe someone would intensionally do that. , Good info you guys, will keep using cell phone dry bags to carry communications when one of us goes ashore. We do like having two radios on board in case one craps out. I guess I will just have to wait to get the marine forecast until I get to the boat. Oh well so much for "Proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance". Local weather prognosticators are wrong too often.

I am pretty sure listening is just fine. I would think it's the transmitting that causes an issue.

 

[2nazt]

That is my thought also. You just can not transmit from land. Listening should not be a concern.

 

[Bruce]

Listening on land is fine. Transmitting is the only issue.

The FCC and Coast Guard are very protective of the marine radio spectrum as they want it to always be available if someone is in distress.

Some idiot was fined using a marine radio from his truck in Arkansas a few years ago. He was near the port in Little Rock and I bet he was on channel 16.

 

[zipper]

Thanks for the clarification, the one time I did have my wife take it ashore, did not get used, was when we anchored a quarter mile off shore and my wife paddle boarded to shore and back. I did not want her without communication to the boat. Like I said we never transmitted but we will come up with another water resistant floating device to communicate with in case of distress.

 

[Speedling]

Thanks for the clarification, the one time I did have my wife take it ashore, did not get used, was when we anchored a quarter mile off shore and my wife paddle boarded to shore and back. I did not want her without communication to the boat. Like I said we never transmitted but we will come up with another water resistant floating device to communicate with in case of distress.

We have a set of waterproof walkie talkies that are 5 mile and they have worked well.

 

[2nazt]

I have the icom m 73 handheld for when I'm on the jet ski and I like it.

 

[zipper]

@Speedling We do have a pair of walkie talkies that we use when I am way out in the woods but they would float like a rock. Will find a more suitable set for when I/she paddle boards out of sight around a point and then needs help, no gators here but we know almost anything can happen.