Posts Tagged ‘Marine VHf Radio’
Stay tuned in to NOAA on the water…
Your VHF Marine Radio can be a life saver if an emergency broadcast comes in from the NOAA Weather Service. Did you know that the wave height predicted (say 3-5 feet) doesn’t mean that 5 feet is the highest wave you will find. Remember, the height of a wave is the distance from the trough to the crest of the wave. Therefore, in order to figure out the wave forecast, the NOAA uses a formula which the square root of the sum of the “height of the waves” squared plus the “height of the wind waves” squared. A wind wave is the height of swell wave generated by the distant wind affect on the waves. An example of this may be if a significant wave height may be predicted as 10 ft., 1 in 10 waves will be larger than 11 ft; 1 in 100 waves will belarger than 16 ft; and 1 in 1,000 waves will be larger than 19 ft. Occasionally reports of “rogue” waves come in which exceed a ratio even greater than what I stated above. Lesson to be learned…..? Always keep a marine VHF Radio tuned in to NOAA to keep you an all those on board safe. Happy Boater.
Think Spring!
I know I’ve lived in this area too long to think that spring is right around the corner. However, this “January thaw” is really enjoyable. We have actually seen temps into the upper 30’s F this past week. Just about the time we get used to it, we will have another winter storm moving in this weekend. Old man winter is still alive and well. Use this time wisely to both tune up your engine as well and making sure that all of your communication devices are up to par. Remember – as captain of your boat, you are responsible for those on board with you. Take a minute to assess your boating safety needs. A very inexpensive item such as a Marine VHF Radio (or a Hand Held VHF Marine Radio) can make the difference between a safe outing and a tragic one. Enjoy your day on the water!!!
Is a license required for a VHF marine radio?
Legally, a VHF radio is only required to be on board if your boat is over sixty-five and 1/2 feet long.
Why keep my radio tuned to Channel 16?
The answer is simple – so you can put yourself in a position to be able to offer assistance to 
another boater in the vicinity. If you were to intercept a distress call from another vessel, start heading toward that vessel immediately, but wait for a break in the radio communication between the Coast Guard and the vessel to call and inform the Coast Guard that you are in the vicinity and are in route to the vessel in peril. It is, of course, always recommended to take a certified radio operators course sometime to be better aware of proper protocols in situations like this one mentioned above. Contact your local Coast Guard Station to inquire about courses to operate your VHF Marine Radio.
Why Does my VHF Radio Work?
If you ever have wondered just what is VHF and how does it work, maybe we can shed a bit of light on this today. VHF frequency falls between HF (high frequency) and UHF (ultra high frequency). VHF radios have a precise area of broadcast because the ionosphere doesn’t usually reflect the signal very much beyond its immediate surroundings. Because of this fact, for reaching a target in close vicinity, you can’t beat a VHF radio. It doesn’t interfere with other broadcasts in the near vicinity.
There is, however, a disadvantage to VHF frequency – some land features will block its signal. On the other hand, VHF users don’t have to be concerned with signals being obscured by buildings or distorted by naturalistic sounds in the atmosphere or by conflicting signals from nearby equipment.
…But There Are Just So Many Channels!
When using your VHF radio (either hand held VHF Radio or fixed unit), it’s sometimes overwhelming when trying to decide what frequency is the correct one to be monitoring.
Let’s Talk Safety!
Besides the normal run-of-the-mill safety items you might have on board like paddles, life jackets, ladders, lights, rope, anchor, first aid kit, etc, there are other items that are equally important.
Of those items, there is one that stands out at the top of the list. That item is a VHF Radio
. Why?… …because VHF Radios are equipped with Digital Selective Calling (DSC). This allows you to call the Coast Guard or other boaters close to your area. I doesn’t matter whether you have a hand held VHF Radio, many choose to have one installed on their boat. It’s totally up you , but you’ll be glad you didn’t overlook it if some emergency came up and you needed it. It’s one of those things that you hope you never have a use for, but is priceless if ever needed.
Let’s Talk VHF!!
Just what are some of the capabilities and characteristics of a VHF Radio? These radios are available in fixed units, hand held units, and submersible units. It is not out of the question to have more than one onboard. VHF Radios require minimal power to transmit. The lower power should be used whenever possible as all units have the capability of transmitting on either 1 Watt or 2 Watts.
Most VHF sets only allow only one person at a time to talk, unlike the cell phone you probably have on your hip. When transmitting, the user must depress a “transmit button” on the microphone. This process of only one at a time talking is called simplex. Duplex sets are also available, but usually are much more expensive.
When mounting your VHF antenna, it is advisable to mount it has high as possible since VHF radio waves travel in a straight line.