tinbanger Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 With my increased visits to some bigger (Gbay) been planning on adding a VHF radio this year. BPS has Cobra units for $120 -150 ( plus mount and antenna) What should I be looking for ?Brands ,specs , etc Antenna really range in price from $50 - 150 , I am guessing power ? appreciate the imput TB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 I replaced my radio last year with an Icom unit (Icom VHF) It's a sweet little radio that will fit in the smallest of places. Plus it is also DSC enabled, which means that it can when hooked up to your GPS transmit your position during an emergency. As for antennas, the difference in pricing is due to materials and size. Antennas can go from little 3 foot stainless whips to 8 or 10 foot fiberglass antennas. It depends on your boat as to what you will need for an antenna. My boat is an 18 foot fishing boat so I went with one of the short stainless models. The higher your antenna the better the range you will get. With my short antenna close to water level I get from 5 to 7 miles range on the radios hi-power setting. On my friends 36 Hatteras with 8 foot antenna mounted on the fly bridge he gets 15 to 15 miles depending on atmospheric conditions. If you run an open boat like me you will want a fully water-proof unit. I am extremely happy with my Icom, it's a full featured radio at a reasonable price. This is the antenna I am using: Low Profile Antenna And this is what my radio looks like installed in the console of my boat, plus you can see the bottom of my antenna: The DSC feature is nice because any one can use it. Just let people that come on your boat what needs to be done in an emergency. To send out a distress signal you just have to flip the little red cover on the front of the radio open and press the switch underneath it. This will send out an automated distress signal with your GPS position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outllaw Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 theres several. i prefer a uniden with a shakespeare 8ftr antenna. vhf works on line of sight. the higher up the better. normally vhf radios will expire in a few years, from pounding waves. as the last fellow stated waterproof is needed unless you have a dry spot. icom is one of the best out there but pricey. in reality you get what you pay for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbanger Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Thanks guys. Like the smaller whip idea ( 17" side console) Let the shopping begin ! TB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medmart Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Hey tinbanger Radio World is the best place to get it i believe they have a sale going on right now Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbanger Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Hey tinbanger Radio World is the best place to get it i believe they have a sale going on right now Rob Thanks Rob , not quite in the budget yet ( house needs a roof !) but they will be my first stop. TB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Hard to send you somewhere when it's not shown on your avatar, but, you can also try Durham radio in Whitby/Oshawa. Never mind the little 3' antennas, much like womens moaning, "size and quality does matter" when it comes to antennas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschirk Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 icom rocks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonny Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 humminbird has a great unit at a good price,,but don't go with anything less then an 8 foot ant,,,i have upgraded after learning that lesson ,,,doesn't make that much difference if your sending out a distress to the coast gaurd as they have the power to hear you but it does when you are trying to talk with other fisherman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 (edited) doesn't make that much difference if your sending out a distress to the coast gaurd as they have the power to hear you but it does when you are trying to talk with other fisherman! That's not quite how transceivers work, you can only amplify signals sooo much and when you start out with a weak transmitted signal, you may as well be using a cooked noodle for an antenna. A poopy radio with a great antenna is far far better than the other way around. One thing to note, all radios have to meet minumim specs, check the fine print on the box where they are made, then you know what to buy. Edited March 21, 2009 by Fisherman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icefisherman Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Stay away from Cobra...total garbage...bought one from the US Bass Pro last year and every time I wanted to talk other kept hearing pa-pa-pa like helicopter noise ...wasn't easy but Bass Pro in Vaughan agreed to take it back and replace it with this baby: http://www.lowrance.com/en/Products/Marine...Radios/LVR-250/ Couldn't be happier with it...used it all season hear every one and everyone hears me... I also got the 8' antenna when I bought the Cobra and kept it...now for this season when I install my new color Lowrance GPS/FIshfinders I'll connect the radio to it and there you have it a complete system. So my advice go with Lowrance...very high quality product. Cheers, Ice Fisherman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POLLIWOGG Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 I think thats your transducer that makes that noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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