Ship To Shore Radio

[bclinton]

Im Looking To Get A Ship To Shore Radio For My Boat. I Was Woundering What Brand I Should Get. Any Info Would Be Great!!!


Thanks, Bc

[SabikiRig]

Clinton,

Not sure what your budget is or what kind of boat your installing the VHF. Yout not going to want to install a Icom radio in a 16 foot aluminum river boat. Do not know if you are going to need DSC (Digital Selective Calling) either. Unless you have a GPS with a NMEA interface your are not going to be able to utilize DSC on the VHF Radio.

Wether you choose to buy a high end or low end radio overall performance will be based on the Antenna. You can spend the money on a high end radio with a clean transmitter with dead nuts on frequency tuning only to become disatisfied with the performance as you terminate it to a lower priced antenna.

My recommendation would be to spend the money on a High Quality Antenna and buy a low to meduim quality radio if your budget is restrictive. Buy the best of what your willing to spend what ever you do, do not scrimp on the antenna.

Uniden, Standard, Raytheon, Furuno and Icom are all fine radios and are available with a variety of features and pricing. Hard to go wrong with any of them.

[salmonslammer]

Yout not going to want to install a Icom radio in a 16 foot aluminum river boat.

Why not???

Works on my 16' crestliner:D I have an Icom and it works great. Good enough for the coast gaurd, good enough for me!!


I know I'll never buy any POS uniden product!!! But that's just from experience..

[SabikiRig]

SalmonSlammer,

Nothing wrong with throwing a nice radio in... I could have rephrased it a little different.

Personally, I would opt the cheaper route from a radio perspective, since I am not as nice with my aluminum boat as I am with my walkaround.

[spendit]

I know I'll never buy any POS uniden product!!! But that's just from experience..

I have a uniden for six years, been through he_double_l with it (water, frost, rough sea's...) no problem other then to replace a mic once. Wondering what model you owned that gave you the trouble:confused:

Like stated - get a good antenna and assure you solder the conector on correctly

[salmonslammer]

Wondering what model you owned that gave you the trouble


Don't even remember...It was back when we owned the baha...darn near 20 yrs ago... I've had one of their CBs too... that was crap. Both had the same problem, wouldn't transmit worth a poop.

Maybe todays stuff has better QC than the "old school" kack that I bought. :lol:

[Mr Jinx]

Does anyone use the handheld models? Are you happy with their performance?

[FishHog]

I've got a handheld, which I used for river fishing in my aluminum boat. They work fine for close range, but will not compare to a high power mounted unit with a large antenna.

depends what your after. Its a good backup on my large boat and I bring it with me in the 16' just because I have it, but it doesn't really compete with a standard one.

FishHog

[Mr Jinx]

Thanks for the reply fishhog.

The only real reason I was thinking of one was calling CG or help if I got into trouble out there.

Second thing is I'll have to store my boat at a storage facility and the less I have to leave attached to be at risk from theft the better.

Is a handheld unit suffiecent for summoning assistance in emergencies? Loud knock on wood!!!

thanks.

[ESOX]

ICOM
I would opt for an 8' antenna. If you don't want to go that big i have a brand new 3' whip you can have for............the gas it takes you to drive from Novi to Southfield.:)

[Spanky]

I have Uniden presidents in both my boats and love them. I can hear and reach out alot farther than some of my other captain friends. I have never had a problem with them. The last president I bought on sale at Cabelas 3 yrs ago for 110 bucks, almost 75 bucks off reg price then.

Got to agree on a good antena, I would stay away from the shorter SS whips. If you are buying it just to get ahold of the CG. They do have a phone in the office too, so a cell would work just as well.;)

[Priority1]

ICOM. This is the answer I recieved from a CG officer.

[happyhooker2]

Im Looking To Get A Ship To Shore Radio For My Boat. I Was Woundering What Brand I Should Get. Any Info Would Be Great!!!


Thanks, BcI have 2 Standard Horizon radios on my boat and I love them, can't say one bad thing about em'.

[DangerDan]

Spend the money on a High Quality Antenna and buy a low to meduim quality radio if your budget is restrictive.

Uniden, Standard, Raytheon, Furuno and Icom are all fine radios and are available with a variety of features and pricing. Hard to go wrong with any of them.

:yeahthat:

You can get a decent antenna, mount and radio for around 3 bills. Shop around & hit the sales. There are many this time of the year with older models phasing out.

[bclinton]

I Would Like To Than Every One For There Info. You All Have Been Very Helpfull. Esox When This Musky Season Opens I Would Love To Have U On My Boat Or We Can Go On Yours. I Need Someone To Show Me The Ropes Of Casting Lsc. I Just Bought 3 Rods And Its A Big Lake. Let Me Know What U Think.



Thanks Again,

Bryan

[FishTales]

I have 2 Standard Horizon radios on my boat and I love them, can't say one bad thing about em'.
I have 1 Standard Horizon and use it on 2 boats. Had this radio since I got my '86 Crestliner, got a Tracker in 2000 and just added a bracket & antenna and I have excellent transmit/reception on both boats, never had a problem with it.
Rich

[Worm Dunker]

Whats your life worth? By the best radio and antena you can afford it may save your life some day.

[goosebustr79]

Whats your life worth? By the best radio and antena you can afford it may save your life some day.

Great advice!;)

[kroppe]

Agree 100% with 8 foot antenna. VHF is line of sight, so the higher up your signal emanates, the farther it will be received. Ditto for how far you can receive.

I bought a used Raytheon 45 a few years ago and it has been flawless. I have it for safety (mayday) purposes, and also to hear the chatter on the fishing. Also NOAA weather radio is a must-have to monitor marine conditions.

You probably don't need to spend a fortune on the radio, but an 8' antenna is a must.

[waterfoul]

They do have a phone in the office too, so a cell would work just as well.;)

They can't get a position fix on your cell phone though... get a radio!!!

[FishTales]

They can't get a position fix on your cell phone though... get a radio!!!
Mine has a setting for "Location", it says even if I turn it off, I can still be located when calling 911.
Rich

[QuakrTrakr]

I put an old Ray Jefferson on my 16 1/2'er with one of those 36" wire antennas and it work great. It'll easily reach 4 or more miles.