UHF Handheld Radios

[Bozzie]

It's no good buying the best if no one else is. You may as well just buy a megaphone!

[Digger]

Perhaps 2 jam tins and a length of string??

Dig

[Yacker]

The return of semaphore

[ELM]

Hi Mo, i don't know a lot about the two radios UHF - VHF them selves but what I have noticed when on the water in friends boats who have both is that the UHF has the most chatter etc not the VHF. Chatter on the VHF is not something that is promoted and the channels for it are very limited, then there is the whole license thing which seems to scare a lot of people away from it. Where as the UHF is pretty much open slather with no license requirements and the only ones who will have a go at you are the repeater operators if you are using their channels incorrectly.

VHF as a safety radio is the best because of the coastguard support, weather updates and the main shipping channels (movement) that you can here and communicate if necessary, but like I said, chitchat is not promoted on it. Also with VHF you can register with coast gaurd that you are going out and a rough proximity with regular hourly calls in as well if you wish, if they do not here from you, they will attempt a contact etc etc to the point someone will begin to search if need be.

At the end of the day most of the UHF's are about as waterproof as your phone's, phone probably has a greater coverage but it does cost you to use it, UHF is free to use once you have it.

Having both a VHF and UHF would be ideal but where do you stop and just how much bulk do we need. Have not heard great things about the dual units either but to be honest I really don't know anything about them, may be ok for our application.

One thing I do know, with such short antenna and sitting so close to the water line (low), don't expect great things from any of them in regard to transmitting performance and there is no way you will get anything like what they say you will get in regard to distance (not unless you are bouncing off repeaters).

[momunny]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the feedback been really useful...definately want to use it for chatter to the missus and other yakkers on the water.

For safety and emergency definately VHF and if i am going that way i would make getting VHF license a priority.

For chatter it is a long way out for a mobile phone ....Maybe an external 21 dbi GSM antennna mounted on the kayak and doubles up as a safety flag...

[Digger]

You you get marine cellular antennas that would do the job but not a good idea to attach anything to them. Boy would it make a difference though. You'd need an "In-car" kit to do it so that would be a bit expensive.

Dig