Handheld VHF - other uses

IanH · 14 December 2012, 20:31

Do any of the handheld marine VHF radios work on other frequencies that would allow unlicensed use?

Have not done my VHF yet so don't know the answer, but I presume that marine licensed radios cannot be used for ship to shore chit chat? Nearly home dear, put the kettle on etc...

paulbrown22 · 14 December 2012, 21:02

Icom used to do the M87, which was a Marine VHF which also had the PMR frequencies. Looks like it could still be available: Icom M87, Marine VHF Radio Equipment | Mailspeed Marine

Otherwise to my knowledge, most marine VHF's only do the marine frequencies. As such, you should follow the marine licensing rules and regs when using them - general chit chat not allowed, should only be used on a licenced vessel and it's tender (shorebased stations should have a separate licence and can only use a very limited number of channels).

IanH · 15 December 2012, 12:36

Thanks. That's what I generally thought. Shame though that the one option for this would appear to be quite a price premium and not available on a dsc set.

chris.moody · 15 December 2012, 15:25

My understanding was if the handheld was licenced with Ofcom as a transportable (callsign starts with a T) then it could be used on a vessel that did not have a ships Vhf licence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulbrown22

should only be used on a licenced vessel and it's tender.

I always have my handheld with me but not all the boats I skipper will have a licence (some don't have a fixed radio).

Chris

ShinyShoe · 15 December 2012, 15:29

There are some alternatives -

Buy a seperate unit, that means you have a second way of talking to someone ashore - no bad plan?

Use a Ham Radio that is capable of transmitting on both the PMR and CG frequencies. This is bound to be technically illegal, and the set up will take a bit of time to programme chanels. But its quite cheap: example -
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I'd say it would be cheap enough to make that an extra set for talking to the Mrs but putting 16 and mayb e any other channels you normally work on it for main set failure would be a not too crazy option. Not waterproof AKAIK.

Use your mobile to tell the misses to put the kettle on...

simon23 · 15 December 2012, 15:32

If you only want to contact your wife can't you get a pair of walkie talkies?i've not used them so i don't anything about range or cost.just a idea!

ShinyShoe · 15 December 2012, 15:41

Simon thats what I meant by the PMR stuff (444Mhz). They only will do 3-5km line of sight (so actually if the missus is watchin for you she should be able to see you and figure out to put the kettle on)

Cost is low.

Wouldn't rely on it for safety even if the missus is saying she'll call tnhe CG for you. The day a well known poster on here took me out in his shiny rotten WAFI with one of these PMR sets and his missus on the other end only for the rudder to snap first time he turned a corner crossing the channel in the Forth ... she had gone for a coffee... At least the 1billion ton oil tanker that was headed towards us would have known who he'd crushed to death if we'd had proper VHF!

paulbrown22 · 15 December 2012, 16:20

Chris - thanks for pointing that out! I was typing as I was falling asleep last night, so my reply was slightly badly phrased... But even with a transportable licence for the handheld radio, it should still only be used on a vessel/tender, and not by the wife at home in the galley!

I agree on PMR not being highly useful, for various reasons. We used them when I had my first RIB as a teenager, and even within Poole Harbour range was dreadful, many sets don't handle getting wet, and because most are designed for use on land we found them hard to hear over the outboard. But that was 10 years ago, with relatively early PMR's, so things might have changed a bit now.

I'd always have some form of VHF onboard both in case I have an emergency, and so I can hear broadcasts from others, but for the original question, a cheap throw away mobile phone sounds like the best, and probably the cheapest, option for contacting the wife!

simon23 · 15 December 2012, 16:28

I have a vhf dsc licence(less than £100)but before i did i always carried one under the the seat for emergencies worry about not having licence later.sorry you'll have to light a fire and wave a blanket over if you want to order a brew!

chris.moody · 15 December 2012, 17:41

Completely agree Paul, should only be used when in a boat / tender, not from home.

Text message is probably the easiest and cheapest way to communicate with home. You can get a PAYG phone for under £20.

[QUOTE="paulbrown22"]
Chris - thanks for pointing that out! I was typing as I was falling asleep last night, so my reply was slightly badly phrased... But even with a transportable licence for the handheld radio, it should still only be used on a vessel/tender, and not by the wife at home in the galley!
/QUOTE]

pluto2 · 15 December 2012, 18:49

- thanks for pointing that out! I was typing as I was I'd always have some form of VHF onboard both in case I have an emergency, and so I can hear broadcasts from others, but for the original question, a cheap throw away mobile phone sounds like the best, and probably the cheapest, option for contacting the wife!

-------- don't mind the wife. What about the girlfriend ????????

IanH · 15 December 2012, 18:59

Thanks. Logistically, it would have been easier on the one rugged waterproof device and keeping the phone safe in its waterproof bag under the bench. Not worth getting the phone out unless 100% necessary.

Was hoping that could have used a VHF marine channel or unlicenced PMR on same device for ship to shore - it only needed to be a one way communication to request assistance to get the boat out of the water a few minutes earlier than having to wait till I got to the slip - and having to leave the boat unattended whilst I get assistance. The comment about making tea was facetious if anyone didn't realise

ShinyShoe · 15 December 2012, 21:56

The other option not considered was to declare the missus a Powerboat Club and she can get a licence to use M1/37A ;-)

Cheaper to get that spare cheap PAYG Mobile! Actually its still going to be cheaper to do that no matter what as I assume the Ball and Chain already has a phone. Any PMR /VHF solution needs her to have an extra radio at her end.

BogMonster · 15 December 2012, 23:14

I have several VHF sets - 2 metre amateur - that do marine band as well, and use them in our vehicles (the Mrs has a legit requirement due to her job, but the reality is that nobody much gives a f round here anyway!).

You can unlock/widen any Icom or similar handheld or base set (mine are mostly Icom IC2100/IC2200 base sets) but I'm not sure how - UK ones are restricted to 144-148 MHz but export ones like mine will do 136-174MHz. However none are waterproof so would either need an Aquapac for a handheld or a boat with a roof for a base set.

IanH · 16 December 2012, 06:52

We already have a radio that can pick up marine weather channels et al so just need the ability to signal her via that. Don't need the 2-way bit as I can see if she has heard or not.

Peter_C · 17 December 2012, 17:59

Not sure about the frequency in Europe, but my handheld VHF has FRS in it that works for a couple of miles. I have even driven miles up canyons at a lake and had it work.
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Since my only fully waterproof radio is VHF, while drift diving rivers we have used the VHF to arrange pickups...with the truck. Just uh...stand in the river waiting for the call.

IanH · 17 December 2012, 20:06

Thats exactly the sort of thing that I want to do. A rugged device for wet and knocks and keep the phone safely packed away for failover duty only.

ShinyShoe · 17 December 2012, 21:25

FRS is the American equivalent of PMR. Slight frequency difference.

But you seemed to want DSC on it too... ...just don't think anyone has done that!

IanH · 18 December 2012, 12:28

Well I'm getting ready for next year with the new boat. Haven't decided on what vhf yet. Cheap or DSC - the DSC would be a bit of a toy for what I want to do which will be river use or close to the mouth of the harbour - I could get out and walk back in some states of the tide. Was somewhat surprised that PMR on a non DSC unit pushed it in to DSC price range - its the price of dsc that is making me think twice about going that route but im still inclined to go that route by unknown future use.

PeterM · 18 December 2012, 12:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanH

Well I'm getting ready for next year with the new boat. Haven't decided on what vhf yet. Cheap or DSC - the DSC would be a bit of a toy for what I want to do which will be river use or close to the mouth of the harbour - I could get out and walk back in some states of the tide. Was somewhat surprised that PMR on a non DSC unit pushed it in to DSC price range - its the price of dsc that is making me think twice about going that route but im still inclined to go that route by unknown future use.

Get the dsc...when or if you need it in anger nothing about the cost will matter..

equally handy 200 metres off shore as five miles.