So, this is for the guys that are considering putting in a VHF radio in their boat. In Michigan, it USED to be a requirement for a vessel over a certain length to have one. In reading the new rules, it is not required like it used to be however, if you fish Great lakes waters, or waterways connecting, it is a good idea to have one onboard.
Handheld radios are ok however you are extremely limited in your range. Remember, radios are used for a couple things:
1. to monitor traffic (commercial or other) in your immediate area.
2. Communicate with other vessels in close proximity
3. Communicate SOS or mayday
4. Monitor and respond to SOS or mayday.
With that said, the average handheld has an effective range of about 1 mile. Yes, some say they reach 4 or 5 miles. That is on a GREAT day with optimum conditions. Most guys report that to not be the case. Most handhelds also have two power settings: 1W for close calls and 5 Watt for further calls. Some of the new ones have 6 and 7 watts. Regardless, you are really hampered by the antenna length more than the output.
Radios operate simply on line of sight. A short antenna cannot see nearly as far as a longer antenna. Add the natural curve of the earth and radio frequency varies greatly with wind, waves, and the boat moving. Most boaters skimp on their antenna and purchase a short one. Just like a handheld, when you safety is on the line, I could care less that my 5 foot antenna is more convienant than a longer one. Unless you have a sailboat and are putting it at the top of your mast, buy an 8 footer. On a steel boat, you can get away with a shorter one as they conduct radio frequency as well as signal strength. Alluminum on the other hand does not.
Next, when considering the radio, consider what you are using it for. Are you having it to primarily communicate with others and monitor traffic? Whatever you do, don't purchase a CB radio. They will not operate at the peak power needed to push an emergency call long distance. In today's world, you can get a radio with a ton of bells and whistles for under $200.00.
The new radio I purchased for my boat cost about $250 dollars. I thought it had way more features than I needed however, as I began to connect everything I realized the importance of stuff. My radio operates on 1w of power for close range calls but I can bump up to 25 watts for longer calls. Pushing the emergency channel 16 button automatically boosts power to 25watts. I can monitor multiple channels and select which channel I want to communicate on. This is important because I might want to monitor commercial boat traffic at the same time I am listening to local fisherman in my area. My radio also has information displayed directly on the screen that tells me what channels are for what. Like Channel 10 being a commercial shipping channel for rivers.
My radio also has the ability to accept GPS information and display it (and transmit it) on my radio. Because my lowrance comes with data cables directly inserted with the power cable, I am able to utilize my lowrance to operate as a GPS. The other nice feature is that my lowrance will also receive information. So, if a distress call comes in from another vessel, it will plot that vessels postion in my maps and allow me to set a course directly for them. IF I push my DSC (distress button) it will transmitt my postion the same way. Coast guard boats are setup the same way.
To connect this, most new radios come with a data cable pre-installed. You will have a negative TX, and negative RX, as well as pos TX, and Pos RX and an unshielded ground. Connection goes like this:
from the fish finder, connect your neg TX to the radios neg RX. From the fish finder, connect your Neg RX, to the radios neg TX. Do the exact same thing for your posative side. Not sure of the setup for others but I believe it is the same. If you have multiple units you want to connect, connect just the neg on one unit and the posative on the other.
Lowrance HDS 5 and 7 allow for one device connected via NMEA 0183 while the 8 and 10 will allow two devices.
I hope this gives people the information they need to make a god decision on what to purchase and where to go with it. Sure, you don't need all the bells and whistles, right up until you need to make a distress call or, you need hear someone on the radio ask for help and you have no idea where they are. Don't trust your cell phone.
I've had to call the coast gaurd in a storm condition that came up. I had a grudgion bearing go out in my out drive. I was 7 miles north of the port of Ludington and one mile off shore. Waves went from 1 foot to 5 feet in 15 minutes. When the coast guard came, I was less than 500 yards from being on the beach. My cell phone did not work but my VHF radio never failed. I was able to relay my GPS postion to them without ever reading off a number.
