Archive for the ‘VHF Hand Held Radios’ Category
Christmas season is upon us once again…
I spend all year writing about marine radios
, CB Radios, and marine speakers but once a year I take a small break to wish you the very merriest of Christmas’s this year. This year has been a rough one for a lot of folks due to the economy, but hopefully the worst is behind us. My grandmother used to tell me that you’re rich if you have your health. Of course – I used to think she really didn’t understand the whole picture, but the older I get, the more I realize how wise a statement that was. If we have family, friends, AND our health – that’s an almost unbeatable combination. There are lots of things out there we can’t control so let’s take a time out to be thankful for what we DO have and pray for an opportunity to share that with someone else who maybe has less than you do. Bad turns in the economy tends to bring out the best in people in many ways. It also causes us to step back and re-evaluate just what is important. Let’s remember that as we go through this season and may I take this opportunity once again to wish you and your’s a very Merry Christmas. Happy Boater.
Just ’cause the ice is frozen, doesn’t mean you don’t need a VHF radio…
You know – up here in the north country, the water is real hard in the winter….they call it “ice”. Even though we know we are forced to put away our power boats in the winter, it doesn’t stop us from enjoying the great out-of-doors by ice fishing, cross county skiing, snowshoeing, or simply going out for a walk in the white wilderness. Now – did I say anything about not needing any communication equipment along? No. That’s because it’s always a great idea to pack a small hand held VHF Radio into your out-of-doors gear as they are small enough to fit into your vest pocket. You never know when you may be called upon to help someone in need – maybe yourself. These little radios have a range of about 5-6 nautical miles over a clear area so you could probably be of great assistance to someone – even to direct rescue teams to your area with their communication devices if needed. Always be safe and prepared. Happy Boater.
Hand held VHF marine radios are the perfect gift item!
What is neat, tidy, important, safety oriented, and credited for saving many lives already? Right – a hand held VHF marine radio! What a perfect gift that would make this season! If you have an emergency kit on board your summer watercraft (which everyone should have), it should not be lacking a hand held VHF marine radio!! Oh – and make sure your replace or charge the batteries on a regular basis so it is always ready to serve you if you need it!! These little radios will float – a great bonus for those of us who tend to get a bit fumble-fingered occasionally and drop things (like my eye glasses) into the water. I wish glasses floated!! Not only that, these radios are waterproof for approximately a half hour at 1 meter under water. How good is that! These little radios may be small, but they can do a big job by getting you help if you found yourself floating in a life raft a long way from shore – and they will continue to work until help arrives for you. Be safe! Always prepare for the worst and you can never be taken off guard. Happy Boater.
Oh to live in an area where you never have to put away your summer toys…
I became keenly aware of just how many folks don’t have to put away their boats or water toys when winter comes this weekend as I was in Oklahoma. I saw many, many boats and pontoons being towed behind vehicles and I know they weren’t putting them away – they seemed to be just simply towing them as anyone would do up north in the summertime. I also saw a lot of them without visible marine radios on them which concerned me a bit – especially if they planned to be out on a larger body of water. These little VHF marine radios have saved lives time and time again and they have earned their place of importance when talking about “necessities” when on the water. Now, maybe these folks that I saw without a marine radio installed, have a hand held VHF marine radio that they just carry with in their vest pocket!. Who knows, but I would like to think that was the case. Even a little hand held VHF radio will give you about 5+ nautical miles of communication range – plenty of distance for the average boater. If you are one of those down south that plan on using their boat all winter, why not make it point to have a VHF radio on board with you. Happy Boater.
Hunting season’s here – got your CB or VHF Radio yet?
We all hope we never have to call for help sometime – even if it’s not for ourselves, but for someone else. Fact is, every year during hunting season someone needs help and wouldn’t you feel bad if you came upon someone in need and you needed to contact someone fast in an area where there is no cell service and you couldn’t help? If even for your own peace of mind and comfort (that warm fuzzy feeling), every hunter should either have a hand held CB Radio or a hand held VHF marine radio in his pocket. That is really not far fetched – these little radios (the VHF radios) will send signal up to 5 nautical miles. Ideally, someone else in your hunting party should be carrying a radio so you could relay for help and assistance if needed. These little radios (the VHF radios) are even weather proof – that is, even if they were to drop into a river or lake, they will float and they will remain waterproof for up to a meter under the water for about a half hour. So, if you’re planning to be out in the woods hunting, don’t forget to cover the basic bases of safety before you leave. Happy Boater.
Can’t think of a gift idea???
Sometimes we all get stumped as to what we should be getting that special someone for a gift – be it a birthday, Christmas, or whatever! What better gift could you give than one that can improve safety when on the water as well as provide entertainment! I’d like to suggest that it’s real easy to wrap up a hand held VHF marine radio and you’ll surely see a great big smile when it is opened up! It comes packaged in a box and what could be easier to wrap? If not a hand held VHF Radio, how about a set of marine speakers or a hand held CB Radio? All of these are sure to get a smile from that special person! Start thinking today of gifts for those on your list that are just plain hard to buy for. I can assure you, that any of these items will always be received with a smile!! Enjoy. Happy Boater.
November is already here, but no snow yet….
November is the month that that anything can happen with the weather. I’ve seen snowstorms as early as the end of October and I’ve seen very strong killer gales on the big lake (Lake Superior). But, I’ve also seen 70 degrees and bright blue skies in mid November. I know because I got married in November and it was just that kind of weather in 1970 – in Minnesota yet!! So, anything can happen. Fishing isn’t done by a long shot and there are really a lot of boats out there yet enjoying the water, but this summer has been lighter on the boating as our local marina has been closed all summer for updating. When finished, it will be “state of the art” for a boat launch. It was supposed to be finished this October, but now they say it won’t be totally finished until early next spring. My point is, that we can’t count on the weather, therefore we owe it to ourselves to include a hand held VHF marine radio in our emergency kit when we head out on the big lake. You just never know when you will need it. You can receive those all important weather updates so you can avoid some of those surprises that come up rather quickly in November – those things I mentioned earlier in this blog. Don’t always count on others – be prepared. Happy Boater.
It seems like spring just got here and now fall and winter are closing in…
Boating season is just too short in the northland! Why, it seems like you just get your boat into the water and its time to pay storage fees to someone to store the boat for the winter! I guess we just have to “suck it in, take a deep breath” and get on with winter sports, hey? Does the change of seasons mean that your communication needs are all over until next summer? Not on your life! I guess I mean that literally, because hunting season is coming up as well as snowmobiling. Both sports have an element of “unknown” in them where it would be a great “comfort, warm fuzzy feeling” to be able to communicate with someone in your group to get assistance if you needed it. Hunters sometimes get “turned around” in the woods while hunting and can’t remember their way out – and it doesn’t always happen to “the other guy”. Slipping a little CB Radio or a hand held VHF marine radio into your pocket would surely be a great comfort if needed. Maybe you will just stumble upon another hunter who needs medical assistance. Wouldn’t you feel good if you were able to help him/her? Nothing wrong with being prepared. Happy Boater.
It’s not winter everywhere…
For some of us, summer is just about over. All the boats have just about all been stored away on shore or in a pole building about to wait out the long winter months with anticipation of the coming spring. For others who live in the southern climate, you have all winter to enjoy your boats! You have a lot more time during the year to enjoy your boats and pontoons than we do in the north, but on the same note, the more time you spend on the water, the more critical it is to have the proper communication equipment . Your chances of getting caught in a storm are just that much greater. Don’t be caught without the proper communication equipment. Outfit your boat with at least a hand held VHF marine radio if not a fixed unit VHF Radio because these little units have gone on record saving many a boater from near certain disaster. For such a little bit of money, you can buy yourself a real “comfort feeling” on the water. Be a smart boater. Happy Boater.
The older we get, the more we depend on others….
Have you noticed that when you’re in your late teens and throughout the 20′s, a large majority of us tend to feel almost invincible. (I’ll bet there’s more of us like that than the other way around) It’s almost like we have this feeling that if anything happens, it will always happen to the other guy – right?? Sound familiar? Well, I was no different, but as I age (or get wiser), I realize that others are there to help and I’m foolish not to take advantage of their offer! One of the ways they help is by communicating with us. If you’re out on a boat, it’s real nice to be able to reach a friendly voice on the airwaves that will help direct you to a special fishing spot, or find your way back to a certain slip in the harbor. Better yet, how about being able to tune in the NOAA weather channel on your marine radio receiver and be able to get the latest on the weather. Or maybe the update will arrive via you hand held VHF marine radio from the USCG. Either way, you can go to the bank with the information and that will keep you safe on the water. Happy Boating from the Happy Boater.