Recommendation on VHF, Portable Marine Radio

[upperdeck]

I couldn't dig up my photos, and my boat is in storage. But here's what I did.

I used this antenna.

http://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-5242-A-Profile-End-Fed-Antenna/dp/B00JDI0M44/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1397868111&sr=8-3&keywords=Shakespeare 5242



You can see it comes with a 90° bracket. I mounted the vertical part of the bracket on the vertical part of the tower where the support attaches. See arrow below. I attached it by drilling and tapping this block of aluminum.



I then ran the antenna up the tower and made the connections. Pretty simple install.

If you really need the range, go with an 8' fiberglass version. I chose this compromise because the whip is easily removed for storage. The cannister on the bottom and the wiring remains installed.

 

[RumDiet]

Might just uncover the boat tomorrow and will take a pic.

 

[RumDiet]

Antenna photos - inside and out

 

[BoaterGuy]

That's awesome! Thank you both!

 

[4x15mph]

My wife got me the handheld Uniden MHS235 for Valentine's day and I will send out an update after I use this for awhile. I am going on a 7 day sail trip through the Grendadine's & St. Vincent and I think this will be great for the shore to ship communication. I hope I don't need the light strobe (help... pirates) or the GPS (mayday) but they are not bad options.

My next boat will have a fixed unit but I don't think I have to add one on the LS yet. Either way, it will not hurt to have another handheld.

 

[Jason Murphy]

If you are thinking about getting a handheld VHF marine radio, I would consider the Standard Horizon HX870. Portable, great features, weather channels just don't expect the range of a fixed mount radio.

 

[Earfixr]

X2 on the HX870. I keep one charged up in my ditch bag. The Matrix GS2200 is fix mounted on the console. Both are awesome. The AIS and GPS are great features to have.

 

[jdonalds]

For many years I had a hand held Uniden (non floating) VHF radio that I kept in the glove box of my Honda ski. It was a decent radio with a second battery that is externally charged. I always worried about dropping it and watching it sink out of sight. So...

#1 for me is for it to be floating.

Last year I acquired a Uniden Atlantis 150 which promised 8 hours of battery life. No such luck. It would last about 2 1/2 hours and there was no provision for an easy battery swap or an external charger. So...

#2 is long battery life.

I want to keep my radio on all the time so I can monitor channel 16. I hope other boaters do the same thing.

I now have a Standard Horizon HX870. It floats, has promised 12 hour battery life, and has DSC with a built in GPS. Having read about DSC that is now my third criteria. So...

#3 DSC

As for battery life I have solved that problem this way. I bought a second charging base, attached it to the wall next to the driver's station, and ran a power cord to 12V on the boat. This way I have a constantly charged VHF radio that I can lift out of the cradle. This radio has some nice features.

I paid $209 for the Standard Horizon HX870.

 

[Zonie]

I have a console mounted Cobra that works great and a hand held Uniden backup that works well also. Mainly used for locking through on the Hudson and Mohawk rivers.

 

[ergiol83]

Standard Horizon HX870 is probably one of the best vhf marine radios out there. Another contender would be the Cobra MRHH 350 - also great features, floating etc

 

[Betik]

Once of the equipment that I was truly pleasantly surprised during the Bimini trip was the vhf gx170 with 8 foot antena. I was able to communicate loud and clear with @Julian ( 8 foot tower mounted) when he was 7 miles put of port everglade and I was about 1 like inland heading to batsman bay marina. I was told that other boats could hear me but they could return transmit. The only "complain" about the gx170 is that the screen is too small to navigate.

I did sale mine after the Bimini trip but if we go back I will end up buying another one with probably more power and bigger screen.

 

[Bennie]

I did sale mine after the Bimini trip

What?!? Why in the world would you do that?

If its so "under powered" I sure hope you hand delivered the radio. haha

 

[Betik]

What?!? Why in the world would you do that?

If its so "under powered" I sure hope you hand delivered the radio. haha

This guy was trying to make a solo crossing and I had no choice.


If I were to go back, I will armed to the teeth. Probably 10+ feet antenna mated with GX2200 or GX5500. I am also looking for ways to convince my wife in authorizing a radar. no more surprise storms for me.

 

[Julian]

This guy was trying to make a solo crossing and I had no choice.


If I were to go back, I will armed to the teeth. Probably 10+ feet antenna mated with GX2200 or GX5500. I am also looking for ways to convince my wife in authorizing a radar. no more surprise storms for me.

I've been eyeballing the Furuno wireless radar for $999....

Already have the GX1700 installed....returned the antenna as it wasn't what I wanted as it wasn't quickly removeable. Will be replacing with a Shakespeare mount with unscrewable 8' antenna.

 

[Bennie]

Will be replacing with a Shakespeare mount with unscrewable 8' antenna.

I just bought that system and am looking forward to installing it when I get home. However I purchased the 4ft antenna at this time.

When we get ready to go out on open water I will consider the 8ft depending how my 4ft performs. (plan on using it for my local coastal boating)

 

[Betik]

@Julian please keep us (me) updated about the radar. If I go back to Bimini, I want to be able to see the weather and have enough fuel to get around it or head back to port. Most likely for June of 2018 we will be doing the Erie canal ( or Mississippi river), but I want to be prepared in case we change our mind back to Bimini again.

I was thinking along the lines of Garmin Fantom with the hope that it will be plug and play on my EchoMap 70S, but I have not done the due diligence in terms of research.
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/garmin--gmr-fantom-4-foot-open-array--P017546524?pCode=17546524&cm_mmc=PS-_-Google-_-GSC%20-%20Vendors-_-17546524&product_id=17546524&adpos=1o1&creative=108421554244&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAjwt8rMBRBOEiwA2F2biKGBi5g5jw6gbt1B-sApkwuRkJdmSq4knDMIRtQQqle3CXmU84dnShoCke0QAvD_BwE

In terms of VHF, I was pleasantly surprised with the GX1700 that I want the next step up. Possibly an integrated one with the chart plotter. In terms of antenna, I would real like to go as high as I can. When I was talking to @Julian from the inlet, I was way past the Harbour Towne marina and Julian was 6-7 miles out. I could hear him very clearly and without interruption. I also got feedback that other people in Julian's group could hear me, but they could not reach me.

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

 

[Betik]

@Julian I read a little bit about the Furuno wireless and would love to hear your research. At first thought I am hesitant as going through the storm was very eye opening for us.
Our Ipad simply not working. We could not turn it on until we arrived in Bimini. I am not sure if it was the stress during the storm and we were not holding the power bottom correctly but my ipad let me down.
On top of that, I have tried to bring the ipad in the lake and eventually it overheats and turns off. So I am not confident that the ipad will be able to stay on for 4-5 hours without overheating. The overheating has another issue with it. once a certain temperature is reached, the IPAD will not charge ( at least mine will not). So even if I have a USB charged available, I can not reliably charge the darn think.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

@Julian I read a little bit about the Furuno wireless and would love to hear your research. At first thought I am hesitant as going through the storm was very eye opening for us.
Our Ipad simply not working. We could not turn it on until we arrived in Bimini. I am not sure if it was the stress during the storm and we were not holding the power bottom correctly but my ipad let me down.
On top of that, I have tried to bring the ipad in the lake and eventually it overheats and turns off. So I am not confident that the ipad will be able to stay on for 4-5 hours without overheating. The overheating has another issue with it. once a certain temperature is reached, the IPAD will not charge ( at least mine will not). So even if I have a USB charged available, I can not reliably charge the darn think.

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.

 

[Matt Phillips]

If you boat in an area that's monitored by the coastguard or county sheriff, I recommend at least a portable vhf. I primarily boat on Lake Tahoe and a handheld is all that's needed for that area. As others have said, depending on where you boat, you may need a permanently installed one.

Monitoring 16 is always an interesting and educational experience. For example, there's a 50' wide channel I have to traverse to get to/from the lake and every time those 50'+ charter boats enter the channel they will radio. It's nice to know when they are coming & going so to not be in there when they are.

For a handheld make sure to get one that floats, and also has DSC...gps enabled emergency calling. You have to regiister it to your boat but it's free and can easily be done in about 5 minutes through the boat US website.

 

[Julian]

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.

Interesting....pity it doesnt have a Droid option...never had issues with any of my Droids! Wonder if they make a cooling case of some sort...as the wireless Furuno at $999 is appealing...but if it don't work....its an expensive paperweight.