VHF Radio and Antenna

[Tom Little]

Out TC255 is to be available in a couple of weeks and we will be buying a VHF radio and antenna for the first time in 20 years. Looking for recommedations for a radio and an 8 ft antenna.

[thataway]

I have stuck with Icom or Standard Horizon Radios. I have taken my antena analyzer to the West Marine and done SWR checks on the antennas when I purchased them. I have a two antennas, one a Digital, the other a Shakespheare--and the Digital seems to perform better--specs on the two radios are identical. The 8 foot antenna works well on the roof of the Tom Cat. I prefer the soldered on connectors--if not, then the mini VHF plugs of digital--not the crimp on PL 259 of the Shakespheare.

We use two separate radios to moniter both channel 16 and bridge to bridge, which in our area is channel 13 used by the tug boats.--or one radio on 16, the other on scan. Just scanning risks that you may miss some important communication.

[Doryman]

I've got an iCom M501 for my main radio and a Standard Horizon HX471B Handheld VHF rechargable for backup and secondary duty, plus for use on the dinghy.

Warren

[matt_unique]

I decided to go with the Raymarine Ray55 because of the features (DSC, etc.) relative to the cost and an 8' Digital Antenna (model 529).

[mikeporterinmd]

The Icom 422 is a nice radio, but it is a devil to deal with the wires that
connect to the GPS. The wires are coaxial, which means you have a wire
braid carrying the negative and a core wire inside carrying the positive.
The wires are very small and difficult to solder. I would avoid dealing with
this radio unless you do not intend to connect to a GPS or you
like its features enough to live with this annoyance.

Mike

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Tom,

The radios that have been mentioned are all good units. Here's something else to consider. A seemingly unimportant aspect is the location of the mike hole in the mike itself. On my Icom, I learned through embarrassment that it is not the big "louvered" area on the face of the mike, but rather the small, inconspicuous hole that is easily covered by a fat thumb. We went through an entire trip in BC thinking that our VHF was not transmitting voice on the carrier when in fact the problem was just how I held the mike.

We carry a Standard Horizon handheld as a backup, but will put a second VHF on board this year. My local marine electronics store highly recommends Uniden radios, so we will probably go that route.

We are using the Shakespeare Galaxy antennas on our boats,. I have not decided whether to mount the new one on the top of the arch, or stay with a mount on the side of the cabin. Since VHF is line of sight, the arch makes more sense technically, but I am not sure I want to put it up there.

Steve

[Chester]

[jlastofka]

I think this was part of this thread. If not, it is now....

Regarding handheld radios for backup use: I wouldn't buy one that didn't come with an alkaline battery tray. I really like having non-rechargeable batteries in my handheld radio.

Keeping batteries charged is a constant nuisance and just the time you really want the radio, the batteries could be dead, or dying. I've seen it happen to a lot of people.

If you use the handheld a lot, then keep the rechargeable battery in and deal with it. It will save money on batteries. When the radio's just sitting around 'just in case', keep the alkalines in it.

The transmit power is usually a little less on alkalines, but that really doesn't matter much compared to the crummy performance of the little rubber ducky antennas. You'll only be talking to people nearby anyway. A little power reduction is probably not an issue.

This setup works for me and I'd highly recommend it to others.

A side note on antenna analyzers (SWR meters): They tell you if the antenna is a matched 50 ohm load at the frequency of interest, which is useful because it assures maximum energy transfer from radio to antenna. It doesn't say anything, however, about the transmitting efficiency (gain) of the antenna. A 50 ohm test load inside a metal can, for instance, will look great on an SWR meter and will transmit exactly nothing....

The only way to know about the transmitting performance of the antenna would be to go out in the field and perform some difficult test measurements. Or read reviews, but who knows how well the reviews were done?

With our little fiberglass boats, we need an antenna design that doesn't require a ground plane, has high gain, and is long so we can get it up high in the air, which is the most important thing we can do to help our range. Probably the only significant difference between the various 8 ft long antennas available is the mechanical reliability. The more expensive ones do seem to be built better, which is a good idea because they lead a hard life on a boat.

I also carry an external antenna connector for my handheld so I can hook it into the boat's antenna if needed. And an external suction cup mount emergency antenna, just in case. If you lose the main radio and want to use the handheld for backup, then being able to connect it to the 'real' antenna will make a huge difference.

Jeff

[Tom Little]

Thanks for all the ideas and advice. Purchased the new rig today for the dealer to install. Settled for a Unidem UM525 and a Shakespeare Galaxy 5225-XP. The UM525 was picked because of the rotarydial chanel selector, the class D DSC,. and the weather alert with S.A.M.E.

[thataway]

With the shakespheare, be sure that you have a properly soldered PL 259 connector. There are a number of good studies which show that a soldered connector is better than the crimp on one.

In evaluating antennas, with an antenna analizer, one can determine the SWR (which varies fairly widely in the off the shelf antenna)--for the specific frequencies of the VHF radio. One will be ahead if you have matched antenna, rather than one with a high SWR. Sure it is just a cut piece of wire, but, the precise length is important, as is the junction.

Looking at several antennas which have either been broken, or have been disembled after the fiberglass got too "fuzzy" ; some antennas are built better than others.

I agree with the alkaline AA battery tray, but not as a primary power source, but as a back up. There are several radios which use either a rechargable pack, and a alkaline tray--I keep the radio charging on 12 or 110 volts in the boat, in my experience over 99% of the time, the rechargable will have the power for what you want.--but have the alkaline tray and at least a dozen AA batteries in the ditch bag. The hand held VHF, the hand held GPS, the Strobe, the flashlight etc all run on AA batteries, so that there are spares in an emergency.

Putting the 8 foot antenna another foot higher will not make a significant difference in the range. Put it where it is easiest to mount and is most secure while trailering and least likely to have someone grab it to use as a hand hold. (which is probably not on top of the arch).

I also advocate having two fixed VHF radios--having the radio on scan can miss an important call. In the PNW, we used the second radio for contact with commercial fishermen, Traffic separation scheme, or tugs and tows; on the ICW we use it for monitering and contact on the bridge to bridge navigation frequency, used by the commercial traffic. For example with a single radio we once missed a securitie call by a tug in a narrow channel. I gave mine on 13 when he was giving his on 16 and visa versa--so neither of us had recieved the other's call--and we met in the middle--not a problem with a C Dory, but it was a problem with a 7 foot draft, 30 ton, 62 foot motor sailer...I had to back several hundred yards and put the boat right next to the bank, so the tug and tow could get by...

One thing to watch for in a "Class D Complient" radio, vs a true class D radio--is that the US allows a recieve that scans channel 70 to be Class D Complient--vs the IEC spec which requires that there be a true second reciever section which is always on channel 70.