GPS/handheld VHF suggestions?

S

snal

New member
I'm in the market for a Garmin GPS for our C Dory. I have a 172 on one of our other boats, but I'd like to get a color unit for the CD. Any suggestions for something that might cost an arm rather than an arm and a leg? Boat use will be river cruising as well as the ICW initially, and I already have sonar.
I'd also like to get a good long range handheld VHF radio to compliment the onboard unit.
 
Depending on what you're looking for in screen size. We have a Garmin 176c that I use as my back-up to the Raymarine. It is bigger than a typical handheld, but easily transportable from boat to boat to car. The 176c is no longer made, but the 376c is the current offering in that size.

For a handheld VHF, be sure to get one with 5 watt transmitting power. There are a lot of lesser expensive handhelds on the market that are .5w/2w. We get much better range with the 1w/5w unit. Range will also depend on height of the antenna; most of the handhelds can be adapted to a permanent whip-type antenna which will also give you better range. Even with a fixed mount VHF, we find the handhelds to be very useful aboard... for keeping track of a 3rd or 4th frequency, calling bridge tenders, use in the dinghy. We have one model that has only the built-in rechargable battery; when it goes, you have to plug it in to charge it. The other one can use AA batteries, so you can still use the radio when the rechargable battery dies. HTH

Best wishes (and Congrats again with the new boat),
Jim B.
 
Thanks! I used to have a rechargable handheld, but the battery cell went south, it wasn't very good as far as range goes, even though it was a 1w/5w unit. I need one for dingy use as well as carrying on my hip to keep from having to run to the cabin, not sure if any handheld can match the range of a base unit.
I've looked at the Garmin you suggested, I'm a bit confused about the difference between a standard GPS and a "chart plotter".
 
A GPS will tell you your lat and long. It will usually have a way to display
waypoints that you enter. Perfectly fine if you have paper charts or
a chartbook to look at too.

A chartplotter will display a map and mark showing where you are
on that map. The choices for where you get those maps or charts
are varied. Others will offer more advice, I'm sure. I am not very
familiar with current Garmin offerings.

I will say that I was playing with one that had a builtin chart. The
depths for my area, off my dock, were massively incorrect. You will
probably want to factor in the purchase of an electronic chart set. This
can cost from $50 to, well, I don't know, exactly.

Chartplotters are cool. I would not like to go back to a plain GPS.
But, a GPS will tell you where you are, and that may be all you
need.

Also, you should make sure the GPS has NMEA out and if you have
a DSC equiped radio, and boat in an area where someone will
pick up the broadcast, you should connect the GPS to the VHF. That
way, the emergency broadcast function of the radio can tell
rescuers where you are.

Mike
 
I recently picked up a Garmin 492--discontainued but very good unit with hard drive of all US coastal charts. I paid about $300. You have to look around to find them. Last year Lowrance was selling their 6" hard drive units (the last years model) for about half price.

I also have one of the 176C Garmins. I have a number of chart plotters, but the Garmin is one of the easiest to use. The 176 is about the min size screen I would consider for any serious navigation. 5" to 7" are my prefered size--but screens are available up to over 20 inches for $$$$!

The chart plotters have a base map--which is not at all detailed. You can either get maps on CD's -- like Lowrance Create a map and down load onto SD chips (same as digital cameras use) to use in the chart plotter.
There are Garmin, C map and Navionics chips also. These cost from $100 (Lowrance all of NOAA maps of the US) to $199 or $299 depending on the brand. Some charts are better than others for specific areas.

I also like to have a water proof VHF hand held and water proof, which can use AA batteries. My favorite is Icom 34.

The Garmain 176 also uses AA--with the AA's you can keep a dozen AA's in the ditch or carry bag, plus use rechargables on a daily basis--as well as have a base hook up.
 
Good point Mike. I looked thru the manual on the VHF that came with my boat, it does have the DSC feature (Standard Horizon GX2340S).
 
I found a Garmin 276c for sale around $350. Its compact, waterproof, comes with a lithium battery, & is easy to disconnect in case of a ditching situation. I don't have a C-Dory yet, but the Garmin 276c may be a good choice for smaller boats.
 
The Current Model Sandard Horizon VHF hand held DSC is the 600. But...you have to have it hooked up to an external GPS to give a position reading.

I thought that the Garmin Rhino series were chart plotter, with FRS or GMRS radio service--not VHF marine. Do they have a marine VHF now?

That would be ideal: color chart plotter, with VHF and DSC. But then there is the problem of the MMSI number if you take the radio on another boat....

There is something close and that is the Uniden Mystic VHF:
http://www.uniden.com/products/productd ... uct=mystic
It is a monochrome chart plotter, VHF marine Radio, DSC enabled. It uses the Magellen map Send "Blue Nav" charts--fairly close to Navionics silver charts. I have used the map send--and they are a bit inconvient. But certainly better than anything else. Just bring your magnifier if you want to do chart plotting...Also as I understand the unit, you have to download the map directly from your computer--no SD cards. So if you go into different waters, this is a bit inconvient.
 
Bob, you are right about the Rino (FRS or GMRS), it's unclear from the Garmin info if it is actually has marine VHF.

The Uniden looks closer to what I have been looking for, monochrome vs color doesn't matter for a b/u, IMHO. Thanks.
 
Snal, you are looking for a ....

a good long range handheld VHF radio
Click to expand...
.

This, 'long range' function is really a function of both out put power (wattage) and antenna height. Several posters commented about the wattage choice (1 or 2 vs 5) and the 5 watt unit will get more output power to the antenna, but that is only part of the equation. To get the signal to go farther over the water, it needs to be launched from higher above the water. VHF signal is line of sight so the higher the antenna the farther the signal will go. If your chosen HH will connect to a fixed antenna, and that antenna is higher than you can get hour HH antenna, the signal will go farther.

There are folks on this sight who can give you all the reasons, whys, and wherefores because they are much more knowledgable on this than I am, but the basic point here is to understand that there is a significant difference between even a 5 watt HH used standing in the cockpit, and a Fixed VHF at 5 watts, talking off an 8 foot antenna, mounted on a radar arch 10 feet above the waterline. Keep the expectations reasonable, and you won't be disappointed.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Snal,

Our experience up in Puget Sound when the Raymarine blew a fuse in the storms, was that the Lowrance iFinder Color was a great backup. The basic package even had the key marine buoys,etc. on it. It was not as good as a dedicated marine gps though. I have since bought the Gulf and Fishing maps for the iFinder and they were great out in the Gulf of Mexico - had all the marine info there. We did not have the marine maps for Puget Sound on the iFinder when we were up there.

I have a Garmin nuvi 680 which I love for the car/truck and even backup on the water, but I don't have any water maps for it.

John
 
I got a very good deal from WM on a Garmin 76CSx and put the Ches Bay charts on it. Now it does as much as my main Garmin 545S, except for the depth information from a transducer.

Charlie
 
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