Is a radio necessary

[Gobuchul]

I have not decided what to buy yet. Or if. Kinda put off by this experience...

i have used dozens of VHFs over the years, mainly Icom and Standard Horizon. Generally speaking they are very reliable, the only ones I have seen fail have been when buttons and switches have failed from basically been worn out.

Don't let some crap customer service and very unusual failure to put you off buying an essential piece of kit.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Gobuchul

i have used dozens of VHFs over the years, mainly Icom and Standard Horizon. Generally speaking they are very reliable, the only ones I have seen fail have been when buttons and switches have failed from basically been worn out.

Don't let some crap customer service and very unusual failure to put you off buying an essential piece of kit.

[emoji106]+1, I have preferred Icom through the years, had a brief dalliance with Raymarine, but after a couple of failures returned to Icom. I wouldn't have a problem with SH either.

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by HDAV

Didn't say it was a good idea but it is what a lot of people rely on...... I think the liscence should be scrapped, perhaps (very easily done with all radios being software driven) limited to a smaller range of frequencies 16/m1/2 and a few more or power limited on standard channels with commercial/qualified operators being able to access the full freq range and higher power tx.

Noooooo!
Quite frankly you can transmit whatever sh17£ you want on any channel other than 16. But saying you can ONLY transmit on 16 would mean all the sh17£ that is already on 16 that should be elsewhere plus presumably some other sh17£ would be there that currently goes to other channels.

M1 & 2 you can already use without a licence.

Surely you would want as an absolute minimum:
- Receive all the channels CG use for MSIs
- All non emergency coastguard channels
- 65

What about port channels? If someone is leaving Portsmouth or Dover they need to contact the Port?

So all I'm left that I wouldn't feel was critical might be the CH6 / 8 "stuff" and some old Duplex channels that no-one has used for 20 years for Ship to Shore Calls!

From what I've heard on 6 /8 95% of users have never done their certificate!

The liscence requirement just seems to put people off buying and using radios, when they really should.The rya are partly to blame IMO why e test cannot be done online for £10 I don't know.

Ah yes. Now would you like to give me £15 and I'll do your test for you online?
And how were you planning to do a practical radio test online? a simulator with microphone and headset perhaps? But who will mark it? If you want a human to listen to it that is going to cost a fair bit...

They have introduced a new course so you can do some of it online.

The new course was introduced because of concerns internationally that the UK course was too easy. The RYA aren't in complete control of this.


We have pointed out on here before - you DO NOT need a certificate of competence to Use CH16 in an emergency. That is what you just described is it not? So actually you already have what you want.

I've also made the point before that not having a certificate that lets you do it all makes you reluctant to do any of it and means you wait for the pan pan to convert to a mayday for fear you don't know what you are doing.

Said before - for many the course is a tank of fuel for some of the boats on here!

1: depends where your operating I have been surprised where I got 4g recently with no buildings in the way cell signals seem to travel well over water better than many places on land.

Still only means you have cover but not the advantages of VHF (DF, otehrs hear your call, No reliance on cell towers, floats etc)

[Duluxdoggy]

I have got a few expenses coming up, car and bike mot etc. I am thinking of just going for a cheaper non-water proof radio and using a cheap bag to keep it dry.

1st one to come up is Cobra HH125. around £60. any issues with this idea?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Duluxdoggy

I have got a few expenses coming up, car and bike mot etc. I am thinking of just going for a cheaper non-water proof radio and using a cheap bag to keep it dry.

1st one to come up is Cobra HH125. around £60. any issues with this idea?

Buy cheap buy twice. £60 for radio + £10-£20 for a bag & you're into Icom money. Just sayin'

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Buy cheap buy twice. £60 for radio + £10-£20 for a bag & you're into Icom money. Just sayin'

Got to agree with PD on this

[Duluxdoggy]

I have been looking. unless I buy second hand. Icom is £140+

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Duluxdoggy

I have been looking. unless I buy second hand. Icom is £140+

So apply "Daves Law" & the Icom will cost you around £60

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by Duluxdoggy

1st one to come up is Cobra HH125. around £60. any issues with this idea?

You wont find many Cobra fans round here. The build quality was poor. The HH125 is sometimes sold as Water Resistant (its IPX4) which catches people out. I gather the newer (pricier) Cobra's are generally better.

If I was a yacht with a 25W fixed unit, a PLB for when the Sh17 really hits the fan then this for talking to a lock keeper or for the tender to talk to the guys still at anchor would be fine. If its my only VHF - I want it to work.

I hate waterproof bags. They make using controls difficult. They muffle sound etc. 20+ years ago, if you went to a sailing club you'd find all their VHFs in water proof bags because waterproof kit didn't exist. Nowadays you wont find them buying a HH125 and a bag. For starters a decent bag will be >£10 (I have bought some cheap ones from eBay - trust me!). The bag also makes the bulk bigger - makes it harder to have on you so more likely you get seperated from radio and boat.

Bag doesn't usually make it float!

The HH125 is only 3W, a standard Hand Held is 5 or 6W - I think the jury is out on how much that extra power gets you. But if you are pushing the limits it may matter. So a 25W fixed unit only doubles the 5W range due to a rule of squares. In that case a 6W should double the range of a 2.4W...

It uses a NiMH battery. My LiIon Icom is 13 years old and works perfectly with no obvious 'memory'. It holds charge for months at a time. NiMH loose power during storage. They get Memory.

You will replace the HH125 within 18 months.

If money is tight - watch the sales and second hand market... You should find a sale radio for £100 if you wait and a second hand - quality radio for maybe £70-80

[Gobuchul]

You were unlucky with that Standard Horizon.

Just get a HX300 from a different supplier. They are not quite as good as Icom but are still good value for money.

Standard Horizon HX300E Handheld VHF Radio | Gael Force Marine

[HDAV]

Cobra HH350 is closest to the standard and may be a bit cheaper may be a bit more money, you won't save much either way £40 just delay purchase for a couple of months or use credit card.

https://maritimemart.co.uk/vhf-radio...FUyNGwodRWUIPA

If you wait till September you probably won't be using the boat much after then to justify needing the radio so might as well wait for a deal on a used one on here or eBay etc.

[two stroke mick]

Sibs and ribs by their nature are wet boats thus there is a need for waterproof equipment. Due to the high speeds and low freeboard you are more likely to be ejected from said boat in to the sea which is also very wet😀. If you are in the sea you will want a waterproof radio and a radio that will work. I know a lot of people when on ribs they have a fixed vhf in boat and a hand held one on their person in case they end up in the sea. This is not a item you should skimp on.

Regards tsm

[Duluxdoggy]

How about
ORANGEMARINE WPF 300 Portable Waterproof and Buoyant VHF radio - Black/Orange https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N1Q82..._MBHAzb6W6MN2F

I prefer to use amazon if poss.

[Nos4r2]

Never heard of them (which should tell you something).

Looking at the prices of SH on Amazon, you'd be mad to use Amazon. The HX300E is for sale at Marine Superstore, Marinescene and Force 4 for under £120.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Never heard of them (which should tell you something).

Looking at the prices of SH on Amazon, you'd be mad to use Amazon. The HX300E is for sale at Marine Superstore, Marinescene and Force 4 for under £120.

Hey Nos - he's the dude who bought the British Seagull. He's gonna do what he's gonna do.

[Gobuchul]

The HX300E is for sale at Marine Superstore, Marinescene and Force 4 for under £120.

HX300 is £100 at Gael Force

Standard Horizon HX300E Handheld VHF Radio | Gael Force Marine

[Fenlander]

+1 on the waterproof floating being a standard for a sib. I was standing to my waist in a gentle swell at a beach this am waiting for passengers to alight when a random large swell dunked me up to the pockets of my buoyancy aid. Good to know the radio would be unaffected and not uave to worry about it.

[Duluxdoggy]

Originally Posted by willk

Hey Nos - he's the dude who bought the British Seagull. He's gonna do what he's gonna do.

Hey! We bought that before finding this site!

As much as I hate to admit it. It looks like I'm gonna end up with another sh hx300. I just hope to get a working one this time.

I will keep an eye out for a used icom in the mean time tho.

[ShinyShoe]

The Orange Marine - you could get the same thing with a different label on it for £80 on ebay as a Chinese Import. Before you even ask I would strongly suggest googling "Rib.nets opinion of anything Chinese except the Takeway" ;-)
In all seriousness - it may well work. It may well not.

You will find there are people who will say SH and iCOM break. But the golden nugget is when they do they sort it. If your Orange thing breaks in 6 months can you cope with the pain of returns etc even through Amazon?

I broken two iCOMs when I got them (M31's I think) in the end iCOM switched it to a Euro M1 :-)

Sometimes technology fails. How the failure is handled is key. Both SH and iCOM have excellent reputations for sorting it well...

[HDAV]

There is a midland on amazon for same money as orange marine one midland at least have a decent rep in the radio market, there are others too, reason everyone recommends SH and icom isn't because they have shares, you were unlucky to get a DOA SH, why cactus didn't just send a replacement straight away only they will know. Just ring another retailer explain and ask them to test before shipping.

I had excellent service from Andy at radio world in Walsall, not the cheapest but easy to deal with. Marine Transceiver UK, RadioWorld.co.uk